Menstrual Hygiene Country Markets Specialist

Job Description

Dutystation: Nairobi, Kenya

Functional responsibilities

1. Enterprise Development

Developing the capacity of SMEs to provide quality affordable menstrual products to Base of the Pyramid (BoP) consumers is a crucial objective of SHF. This role will support the MH Markets Specialist in the oversight and delivery of the grant objectives, including but not limited to:

• The IP selection process;

• Technical review of the proposed program design;

• Applicant selection process;

• Program execution;

• Applicant proposal review and sub-grant award;

• Program review and modifications;

2. MH Market Data

Market data, research and information based decision making on MH markets is an integral part of SHFs approach. This role will support in activities related to the roll out of the MH Market Maturity framework including but not limited to:

• Country selection & prioritization;

• Support third party service providers in the methodology development for data collection;

• Identification, selection and oversight of third party service providers or experts;

• Capturing lessons learned and areas for improvement in the data collection, application and use of the framework;

• Development and launch of a public data platform where the MH market assessments are made available;

• Dissemination of the MH market maturity to technical-, government-, strategic- and other partners.

3.Technical Assistance to Government

Integral to SHFs work is the support to national governments, providing insights, advice and technical expertise on the status of the national menstrual health market. As part of the SHF Team’s efforts to deliver TA to governments, this role will support in a range of activities, including but not limited to :

• Scoping of potential priority countries or markets;

• Analysis of country markets, identification of technical priorities, opportunities or actions for government intervention and support the development of terms of reference for collaboration with governments.

• Contribution to and review of technical documents and deliverables.

• Relationship management with government stakeholders from a technical perspective.

• Execution of agreed deliverables with the government counterparts.

• Oversee the working relationship with third party service providers or retainers working on specific deliverables.

4. Standards

As part of SHFs efforts to address barriers to market development, SHF is supporting the development and adoption of ISO menstrual product quality standards.This role will contribute to the standards development and adoption by LMICs by supporting activities including but not limited to:

• The identification and engagement of relevant national government focal points and NSBs in selected countries.

• Technical contribution to documents and other outputs;

• The roll out and oversight of the country-focused programs;

• Identification of areas for expansion or strengthening of the program components.

5. Market insights and opportunities

This role is at the center of SHFs priority countries and offers a unique opportunity to engage with partners, stakeholders and market actors. This role will contribute to:

• Expanding insights and understanding of MH market trends;

• Follow the entry, establishment or development of market actors and their needs;

• Engage MH market stakeholders and, identify and develop new partnership opportunities;

• Leverage market data, trends and stakeholder actions to identify opportunities for SHF.

• Support SHF’s work on structured market scoping and mapping of pipeline opportunities from an MH perspective.

6. Supporting organizational priorities.

This role will contribute to achieving broader organizational priorities and ways of working, including but not limited to:

• Support the Technical Team and Country Fund Portfolio team in the development and execution of the SHF MH Market Strategy.

• The identification, monitoring and management of risks in relation to all aspects of SHF work.

• The monitoring, evaluation and learning of all of SHFs work in accordance with SHFs approach.

• Represent SHF at relevant events, conferences and other public engagements.

• Support in communication activities for SHF and its MH market initiative: Capital M.

• Support resource mobilization and partnerships activities.

• Provide technical expertise and support for missions from SHF Senior Leadership and Donors.

Impact of Results

The role will contribute directly to developing the menstrual health market across the target countries, driving the development of local enterprises and markets, increasing sustainable access to quality menstrual products that women and girls living at the Base of the Pyramid can afford, and ultimately removing an important barrier to their contribution to and participation in societies.

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education

• A Master’s degree in finance, marketing, business administration, economics, international development or another relevant social science discipline.

• A bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, business administration, marketing, international development, or another relevant social science discipline with a combination of two additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the master’s degree.

Experience

• Minimum of five (5) years experience required of relevant professional and technical experience in market-based approaches to MH in the context of emerging markets/low and middle income countries.
• Experience working for a for-profit- or social- menstrual health enterprise, or supporting MH enterprises is required.
• Experience in approaches for market assessments, specifically for menstrual health markets is required.
• Experience in menstrual product standards development is desirable .
• Experience working with governments on policies or regulatory reforms in MH or related women’s health or WASH is desirable.

Languages

• Fluency ( writing, speaking and reading) in English is essential.
• Knowledge of another official UNOPS language is an asset

About the Organization

TOGETHER, WE BUILD THE FUTURE

UNOPS – an operational arm of the United Nations – supports the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by successfully implementing its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world.

Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve peace and sustainable development.

We are proud of our people and embrace diversity and are committed to equal employment opportunities. Our workforce brings together approximately 160 nationalities, represented by over 5,000 UNOPS personnel as well as some 7,800 personnel recruited on behalf of our partners. Spread across 80 countries from a range of backgrounds, and languages and have different gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities.

We encourage women and candidates from underrepresented groups in UNOPS to apply. These include candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.