Mission and objectives

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan, focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. UNFPA has been operating in India since 1974.

Context

The India Country Office is now in its 10th Country Programme (CP-10). CP-10 envisions an India where every woman and young person, including those from the most vulnerable groups, enjoys gender equality, fully realizes sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, and fully contributes to sustainable development. Guided by the new UNFPA Strategic Plan, 2022-2025, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the new country programme will galvanize efforts to end preventable maternal deaths, unmet need for family planning, and gender-based violence and harmful practices, including in humanitarian situations. The country programme was developed in consultation with national and State governments, civil society, United Nations organizations and other stakeholders, including women and youth-led organizations, based on the principles of inclusion, human rights and gender equality. Government of India (GOI) has decided to roll out a new cadre of midwifery in India in 2018, and is planning to establish 7 National Midwifery Training Institutes (NMTIs), which in turn are meant to train the State Midwifery Educators, who will set up 3-4 State Midwifery Training Institutes in each of the states. Each of the NMTIs will have International Midwifery Educators (IMEs), who will prepare State Midwifery educators. UNFPA is hiring for the position of International Midwifery Educators to be based in the National Midwifery Training Institutes (NMTI) in Patiala, Punjab. The position will work closely with the Colleges of Nursing, attached clinical sites (department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of medical colleges) and other health care providers as part of an inter-professional collaborative team and UNFPA. The overall aim is to prepare National and State level Midwifery Educators at par with ICM standards and WHO educational competencies, that will support the implementation of the government program to establish midwifery services in India. Therefore, the International Midwifery Educators will play a critical role in supporting Government efforts to establish Midwifery as a professional cadre in India, a critical strategy to accelerate improvements in maternal and newborn health, and family planning programmes and universal access to quality sexual and reproductive health services, achievement of the ICPD plan of action and of SDGs 3 and 5.

Task description

The International Midwifery Educators will be under the overall guidance of the Deputy Representative and direct supervision of the Midwifery Programme Specialist. They will receive day to day guidance from the Dean of the facility. In addition, they will also benefit from support provided by the UNFPA technical team based in Delhi. Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of UNFPA Representative or his/her designated mandated representative(s), the UN Volunteer International Midwifery Educator will perform the following tasks:

A. Education and mentorship

i) Training of Midwifery Educator trainees as per the Indian Nursing Council (INC) curriculum

ii) Using a variety of student-centered teaching / learning approaches, support the acquisition of knowledge, necessary skills and behaviors to attain essential (Intensive Care Medicine) ICM and WHO educator competencies

iii) Plan and prepare lessons for academic, lab-oriented, clinical teaching and learning

iv) Periodically assess and record students; performance and provide timely and constructive feedback

v) Maintain records of trainees’ academic and clinical work

vi) Guide midwifery educators through research and use of evidence-based guidelines in line with available national maternal health and newborn care guidelines

viii) Provide mentoring support to the midwifery educator trainees in acquiring the necessary skills in the midwifery model of care, competencies for modern teaching, conducting skilled laboratory practice sessions and clinical instruction.

B. Clinical training

i) Demonstrate evidence-based clinical practices and values needed to change historical practices, as required ii) Serve as role models for best practices in midwifery and providing women-centered respectful compassionate care

iii) Support in establishment and operationalization of Midwifery Led Care Unit (MLCU) at the clinical practice site

iv) Prepare clinical site and plan clinical rotation for the trainees at the MLCU supported by National and other international educators

v) Support and demonstrate quality clinical supervision of midwifery educator trainees in the clinical practice site/s as per ICM standards

Results/expected outputs:

As an active UNFPA team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to Ministry/Department of Health at national and state level and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:

i) Training of Midwifery Educators at NMTIs in order to strengthen their technical knowledge, clinical skills and facilitation skills.

ii) Onsite mentoring of Midwifery Educators after they have been posted at State Midwifery Training Institutes

Required experience

5 years of experience in the domain of midwifery services post registration experience in recent years, of which minimum 3 years should be clinical experience in maternity units.

• Experience as an academic and/or clinical midwifery educator

• Prior experience in introducing the midwifery model of care, especially in low- & middle-income countries is desirable

• Passionate to address global inequity in maternal and child health

• Excellent communication, both written & oral and presentation skills

• Demonstrated ability to support student-centered learning using a variety of teaching and training approaches

• Demonstrated ability to support competency- based education

• Ability to provide continuity of care to pregnant women and their newborns using the midwifery model of care

• Ability to multi-task and get on well with people from a wide range of cultural backgrounds

• Willingness to travel to training sites across India and physically fit to travel

• Proficiency in computers – Microsoft Office.

• Excellent interpersonal skills; culturally and socially sensitive; ability to work inclusively and collaboratively with a range of partners, including grassroots community members, religious and youth organizations, and authorities at different levels; familiarity with tools and approaches of communications for development

• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel

• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines.

Languages

English, Level: Fluent, Required

Required education level

Technical/vocational diploma in midwifery from an accredited/recognized institute. Registration as a Midwife in home country.