External Vacancy Announcement : Health Specialist (Emergency), NO-C, (For Ethiopian Nationals only) Shire, Ethiopia, Temporary Appointment 364 days

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Health

How can you make a difference?

The Health Specialist (Emergency) supports the development and preparation of the Health (or a sector of) program/s and is responsible for managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reporting of progress of the Health emergency programs/projects within the Tigray region. The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the programming processes to facilitate the administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable results in emergency health programs/projects according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM) and UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.

Responsibilities.

1. Support to program/project development, planning and coordination

• Contribute to situation analysis for the Health sector/s to ensure timely comprehensive and current data on health are available to guide design and management of health programs/projects.
• Participate in strategic program discussion on the planning of health programs/projects.
• Formulate, design and prepare a sector of the health programs/projects proposal, ensuring alignment with the overall UNICEF’s Strategic Plans and Country Program, response plan and coherence/integration with UN Development Sustainable Assistance Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.
• Establish specific goals, objectives and strategies and implementation plans for the health sector/s based on results-based planning. Prepare required documentations for program review and approval.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes and to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programs/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.
• Work collaboratively with the Health Cluster and Partners to contribute to Ethiopia’s Humanitarian Needs Overview and design of an efficient response plan that adequately addresses the needs.
• Contribute to preparation of UNICEF Humanitarian Action for Children (HAC) and contribute to resource mobilization to finance implementation of these actions.

2. Program management, monitoring and delivery of results

• Plan and collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurement to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector in health programs.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required interventions to accelerate results.
• Prepare monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths and weaknesses in program and management, identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for planning and timely intervention to accelerate achievement of goals.
• Actively monitor projects through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners and stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues, including referral to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Monitor and verify the appropriate use of sectoral program resources (financial, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity and ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
• Prepare regular/mandated program/project proposals, briefs and reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of program progress.
•  Planning, Forecasting, procurement and efficient management of health supplies.

3. Technical and operational support to program implementation

• Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and others partners and donors on interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices and approaches on health and related issues to support program development planning, management, implementation and delivery of results.
• Participate in discussions with national partners/clients/stakeholders to promote health and development issues, especially in the areas of emergency preparedness and prevention and treatment of children, mothers, and routine immunization.
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic program materials for management use, information or consideration.
• Participate in emergency preparedness initiatives program development and contingency planning and to participate in response to emergencies in hot spots.
• Support and participate in Health Cluster activities and initiatives.

4. Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with health sector government counterparts, regional stakeholders and partners/allies/academia through active networking, advocacy and effective communication to build capacity and exchange knowledge/expertise to facilitate the achievement of program goals.
• Prepare communication and information materials for FO program advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for health programs (maternal, newborn and child survival and development).
• Drafting donor proposals, donor reports and advocacy briefs.
• Participate or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter UN agencies discussions and planning on health and related issues to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on prevention and treatment of wasting.

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Apply/introduce innovative approaches and good practice to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable program results.
•  Keep abreast, research, benchmark and implement best and cutting-edge practices in health management and information systems. Assess, institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programs and projects.
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on health.
• Contribute into knowledge generation through support and participation in research and publications through peer-reviewed journals.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in public health, epidemiology, global/international health, health research, policy and/or management, or other health related science field is required.
  *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in medicine, public health, related research or planning and management in relevant areas of maternal, newborn, and child health, at the national/international level some of which preferably in a developing country is required.
• Experienced in the implementation of emergency health programmes, outbreak response, and immunization campaigns, and working with disrupted health system is required.
• Relevant experience in health program/project development and management in any UN system agency or organization is an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Builds and maintains Partnerships (level 1)
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (level 1)
• Drive to achieve results for impact (level 1)
• Innovates and embraces change (level 1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (level 1)
• Thinks and acts strategically (level 1)
• Works collaboratively with others (level 1)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

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