Under the general guidance of the Chief of Health and Nutrition, you will be accountable for the formulation, design, planning, implementation and management of the Maternal, Newborn and Child Health component to ensure overall efficiency and effectiveness of the programme management. You will be responsible for delivery and accomplishment of programme goals and objectives. You are to be an active member of the One UN and UNDAP inter - agency team and Development Partner and Technical Working Groups, mobilising attention to key MNCH issues through application of evidence, high level advocacy and partnerships. Responsible for strengthening national and sub-national capacity for scaled up delivery of services.
As head of the unit, you will direct, lead and manage a group of professional to develop, manage and administer the sectoral programmes with a view to integrating gender issues.
Qualification:
Advanced degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Medicine, Public Health, Pediatrics Health, Health Research, International Health, Health Policy and Management, Environmental Health Sciences, Family Health, Biostatistics, Socio-medical Sciences, Epidemiology, Health Education, or a field relevant to international development assistance in Health.* Eight years of relevant professional work experience. Field work experience. Experience in facilitating technical support in health related emergency and humanitarian preparedness. Experience in programme/project management, and UNICEF policies and strategy to address conflicts, natural disasters, and recovery. Experience working in the UN or other international development organization an asset. Background/familiarity with Emergency and gender mainstreaming. Fluency in English and a second UN working language. A good knowledge of local working language of the duty station an asset.
*A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Key Expected Results:
Data-driven and results-based management: Lead timely, regular data-driven situational analyses (including epidemiological, gender and emergency assessments) Provide in-country leadership in data-driven prioritization and implementation of Health strategies and interventions; Provide technical and operational guidance and support to government and non-government partners; Champion results-based management; Monitor developments at the international, regional and decentralized levels; Understand Health needs of vulnerable or marginalized groups.
Upstream activities: Provide in-country leadership on Health policies, including advocacy in gender , emergency preparedness and response, with a particular focus on maternal, neonatal and child Survival; Play an active role in broader Health sector discussions such as Sector-wide Approaches (Swaps), Poverty Reduction Strategies etc; Advocate for and leverage resources for scaling-up and replication of effective maternal, neonatal and child Survival interventions; Provide technical leadership in the Health sector components of UNDAP and the UN Delivering as One processes; In line with Paris Declaration commitments and the new aid modalities, ensure that the Health sector component of the country programme is fully aligned with national priorities and plans.
Downstream activities: Provide in-country technical and operational leadership and guidance on scaling-up key maternal, neonatal and child Survival interventions; Support the development, implementation and financing of detailed sectoral work-plans and budgets for scaling-up of maternal, neonatal and child Survival interventions; Ensure UNICEF country office’s readiness to deliver on the Health-related CCCs; Collaborate with Programme Communication Officer to ensure development of effective communication strategies to support community-based approaches and social mobilization efforts; Conduct field visits to monitor programmes and conduct periodic programme reviews with Government counterparts and other partners with particular emphasis on under-served populations; Document and disseminate lessons learned of scaling-up maternal, neonatal and child Survival interventions. Share good practices in gender programming
Monitoring, evaluation and reporting: Collaborate with Monitoring and Evaluation officer to timely, efficiently, rigorously and transparently monitor, evaluate and report on Health program effectiveness and impact; Ensure programme, sectoral and/or inter-sectoral efficiency and delivery through a rigorous and transparent approach to evaluation; Participate in major evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sector review meetings with government and other counterparts; Provide support to, and participate in, national, participatory monitoring and evaluation activities in the Health sector, including for PRS (MKUKTA/MKUZA), UNDAP, SWAp, etc; Support the preparation of the annual Health sector status reports; Ensure corrective action is undertaken to address bottlenecks identified during evaluation exercises; Submit transparent and timely reporting to donors and other partners.
Accountability: Ensure UNICEF, government and non-government staff understand and comply with UNICEF’s financial rules including emergency fast-track procedures; In close collaboration with Operations and Supply staff, regularly monitor and report on use of supplies and other resources donated to the government and non-government partners; Certify disbursements of funds; Collaborate with the Operations Section and Government authorities to establish and maintain sound internal controls supportive of Health programme or sectoral planning and implementation, to coordinate financial and supply management requirements as well as to ensure accountability; Monitor and submit financial status reports to management in compliance with the regulations and guidelines; Ensure corrective action is undertaken to address bottlenecks identified during the above monitoring.
Knowledge management: Document and disseminate lessons learned; Develop and implement country-specific national capacity building strategies; Explore areas and opportunities for staff development, including training and opportunities for cross fertilization with UNICEF staff from other country programmes; Provide technical leadership and coordination of relevant operational research, thus contributing to the knowledge base in MNCH.
Rights-based programmes through Results-Based Approach: Ensure UNICEF, government and non-government staff understand and apply right-based approaches to programming and humanitarian principles; Promote the quality of rights-based Health programmes through the formulation of programme goals and strategies and approaches, using results-based planning methodology and terminology. Bring coherence, synergy and added value to sectoral or programme management processes using a results-based management approach to planning and design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
Promotion of UNICEF’s global goals: Coordinate with UNICEF Regional Advisers and HQ Officers to ensure country office strategies are aligned with global and regional strategies; Actively engage in national and international policy dialogue in the Health sector. Effectively communicate on and advocate for the promotion of UNICEF’s global goals; Collaborate with Communication Officer to ensure development of effective communication materials and strategies to support advocacy and fundraising efforts; Leverage the strength of UNICEF mission, goals and programmes; Reinforce partnerships to further UNICEF global goals;
Partnerships and leveraging resources: Maintain close working relationships with other UNICEF sectors, particularly nutrition, HIV and WASH, and programme communication to ensure integration of the Health programme with other sectors; Establish active and participatory partnerships with key Health sector stakeholders (Government, WHO, other UN agencies, NGOs, bilateral agencies, donors and national and international academic institutions) and interact with them at different stages of Health programme design and implementation; Liaise with UNICEF NatComs and other donors as appropriate, to secure programme funding; Provide technical support and guidance on appropriate technical, financial and institutional capacity building capacities to achieve Health programme goals; Utilise the partnerships with stakeholders to leverage resources for Health, particularly Child Survival.
Competencies: Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking.
Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.
Has good leadership and supervisory skills; co-ordinates group activities, ensuring that roles within the team are clear.
Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives.
Analyzes and integrates diverse and complex quantitative and qualitative data from a wide range of sources.
Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; maintains an effective network of individuals across organizational departments.
Identifies urgent and potentially difficult decisions and acts on them promptly; initiates and generates team- and department-wide activities.
Demonstrates, applies and shares expert technical knowledge across the organization.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation. If you want a challenging career while improving the lives of children around the world UNICEF, the leading children’s rights organization, would like to hear from you.
Visit us at www.unicef.org/about/employ to register in our new e-Recruitment system and apply to this and other vacancies, quoting E-VN-2011-001201. Applications must be received by 11 August 2011. Please note that only candidates who are under serious consideration will be contacted.
In the selection of its staff, UNICEF is committed to gender balance and diversity without distinction as to race, sex or religion, and without discrimination of persons with disabilities: well qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
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