Application Guide

How to Apply for Midwife Program Officer

at United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

🏢 About United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

UNFPA is the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency, uniquely focused on delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person's potential is fulfilled. Working at UNFPA means contributing to global humanitarian efforts with a specific mandate that combines development work with emergency response, particularly in challenging contexts like Burkina Faso.

About This Role

This Midwife Program Officer role focuses on strengthening midwifery systems in Burkina Faso through program development, stakeholder coordination, and integrating sexual/reproductive health into humanitarian responses. The position is impactful because it directly addresses maternal mortality by improving midwifery practice and deploying midwives to crisis-affected areas where needs are greatest.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve virtual meetings with Burkinabé health ministry officials to coordinate midwifery program activities, reviewing monitoring data from field operations, developing training materials for obstetric personnel, and contributing to emergency response plans for deploying midwives to crisis-affected regions. Remote coordination requires strong communication skills across time zones and contexts.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Is Looking For

  • A certified midwife/maieutician with either a Bachelor's plus 2 years' experience OR high school diploma with 5 years' hands-on maternal health program experience
  • Has specific experience developing, implementing, and evaluating maternal/reproductive health programs, particularly in resource-limited or humanitarian settings
  • Fluent in French with working English proficiency, capable of engaging with Burkinabé stakeholders and UNFPA's international framework
  • Possesses technical expertise in training obstetric/reproductive health personnel and understands how to align midwifery issues with national health strategies

📝 Tips for Applying to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

1

Explicitly mention your State Midwifery/Maieutician diploma and any higher SIO/SOG diplomas in your resume's education section

2

Quantify your program experience: specify how many maternal health programs you've developed/implemented, their scale, and measurable outcomes

3

Highlight any experience working in Francophone West Africa or humanitarian contexts, as Burkina Faso operations are central to this role

4

Demonstrate your bilingual capability by preparing application materials in both French and English if possible

5

Reference UNFPA's specific initiatives in Burkina Faso, such as their work on emergency obstetric care or midwifery workforce strengthening

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

["Your direct experience with midwifery program development and how it aligns with Burkina Faso's national health strategies", 'Specific examples of stakeholder coordination in maternal health, particularly with government or humanitarian partners', 'Experience integrating sexual/reproductive health services into emergency or humanitarian response contexts', 'How your technical training expertise has improved service delivery quality in challenging environments']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → UNFPA's specific country program in Burkina Faso, particularly their maternal health and humanitarian response initiatives
  • → Burkina Faso's national health sector plan and current challenges in maternal healthcare delivery
  • → UNFPA's Global Midwifery Strategy and how it's implemented in Francophone Africa
  • → Recent UNFPA humanitarian responses in the Sahel region and their approach to deploying midwives

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Describe your experience developing a midwifery improvement program and how you ensured alignment with national strategic frameworks
2 How would you approach establishing relationships with maternal health stakeholders in Burkina Faso's complex humanitarian context?
3 Share a specific example of integrating sexual/reproductive health interventions into an emergency response
4 What methods have you used to train obstetric personnel for quality service delivery in resource-limited settings?
5 How would you monitor and evaluate the impact of midwifery strengthening programs in a remote monitoring context?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Applying with only clinical midwifery experience but no program development/management background
  • Failing to demonstrate specific experience with monitoring and evaluation of maternal health programs
  • Not showing awareness of Burkina Faso's specific maternal health challenges or UNFPA's work there

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)!

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