Health & Nutrition Specialist, NO-3, Fixed Term, Cotabato City, Post no. 72233

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, a fair chance

UNICEF has been an active partner of the Government of the Philippines and civil society in realizing the rights of every Filipino child, in line with priorities to achieve the SDGs. UNICEF efforts have been focused on the most vulnerable regions identified by the Government of the Philippines Development Plan, particularly in the regions of Visayas and Mindanao. To ensure that interventions are sustainable and scaled up, UNICEF supports both the national, regional and local government units (LGUs) as the main instruments of delivering services and building systems. The level of engagement with government institutions will consider capacities, economies of scale and sector issues.

UNICEF Philippines has two offices. One office is based in Manila and a field office in Cotabato City, the second largest city in Mindanao, Southern Philippines, with some 300,000 population. The city is the regional administrative centre of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and over 80 percent of the population is Muslim. Mindanao is both conflict-affected and prone to frequent earthquakes and typhoons. 

Visit this link for more information on Philippine Country Office: https://www.unicef.org/philippines/

How can you make a difference?

Under the supervision of the Chief, Mindanao Field Office and overall technical guidance and direction of the Chief, of Health and Nutrition (H&N), the H&N Specialist manages the H&N programme in Mindanao, southern Philippines. The Specialist will bring H&N expertise to support development and implementation of H&N programmes in conflict-affected Mindanao and is responsible for managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reporting on the progress of H&N programmes/projects including in the Muslim majority Bangsamoro Autonomous Region, a new region with political and fiscal autonomy and its own devolved Parliamentary system of governance.

The H&N Specialist will have the following Tasks and Responsibilities:

1. Timely sectoral analysis, input and support contribute to the Situation Analysis and its periodic update for effective project planning, development, and management.

• Contributes to the preparation of the Situation Analysis by compiling, analyzing and evaluating information and providing the technical input and support to Health & Nutrition interventions and its periodic update. Prepares sectoral input to Country Programme documents and all related documents (e.g., Country Programme Document, Plans of Action). Contributes to the consultation and coordination with key partners at all levels.

2. Quality technical contributions are made to the development and implementation of Integrated Health & Nutrition strategies and approaches through participation and collaboration with internal and external partnership.

• Works with other UNICEF sectors, particularly Health, Nutrition, WASH and programme communication to ensure integration of the Health & Nutrition programme with other sectors. Contributes to build on intersectoral experience and establish partnerships to promote innovative approaches to address immediate and underlying determinants of maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition, recognizing that health and nutrition outcomes are not the results of action in the health and nutrition sectors alone.
• Participates with UNICEF, Government, non-government organizations (NGOs/CSOs) and other partners in the development of strategies and approaches relating to Health & Nutrition. Monitors status to ensure achievement of strategic results in line with agreed Annual and Country Programme results and adopts corrective action to meet programme/project objectives.
• Contributes to the identification and introduction of new approaches, methods, and practices in project management for improving programme delivery with emphasis on sustainability of intervention and community participation.

3. Work plan and objectives are strategically established, implementation support is effectively provided, and planned results are timely delivered through application of technical expertise.

• As functional leader of the Health & Nutrition group, exercises technical and programme management leadership for the development and implementation of the results-based sectoral work plan and objectives as well as for administration and monitoring of sectoral project activities, consistent with the defined project strategic priorities and approaches.
• Ensures objectives and targets are timely achieved, through full coordination between activities and collaboration with implementing partners, by providing guidance and support to staff of Health & Nutrition.

4. Project implementation progress is monitored and evaluated for adjustment, acceleration and improvement of program delivery and sustainability.

• Undertakes field visits for monitoring and assurance of programmes, as well as participates in periodic programme reviews with government counterparts and other partners. Identifies necessary action for programme adjustments. Provides technical advice and support to government officials and implementing partners in the planning and management of the Health & Nutrition interventions and ensures their sustainability. Support maintenance of information system for monitoring gender sex aggregated data.

5. Technical support is provided to government and NGOs/CSOs at various stages of the project implementation, monitoring and evaluation, including capacity building of government personnel and beneficiaries. 

• Provides technical support to government and NGOs in the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation stages of the programmes/projects.
• Identifies training needs; designs and conducts training and orientation activities for government personnel and beneficiaries and other relevant partners, for the purpose of capacity building, sustainability of programme/projects and expansion of coverage of services.

6. The capacities of Field Office staff are strengthened through effective capacity building support in the development, implementation, and management of the Health & Nutrition programme.

• Designs and implement a staff training/development programme to upgrade the capacity of the Field Office staff regarding competencies for technical requirements as well as for the programme development, implementation and management of Health & Nutrition programme. Conducts relevant orientation, workshop, training, and staff learning/development activities, including relying on technical partnership with collaborating agencies to provide state –of the –art -technical information to staff.

7. UNICEF and Government accountability is ensured for supply and non-supply assistance and disbursement of programme funds for Health & Nutrition.

• Coordinating with Operations and Supply staff on supply and non-supply assistance activities, ensures UNICEF, Government partner and all implementing partners accountability. Certifies disbursements of funds, ensuring those activities are within established plans of action and programme budget allotments; and to orientate and train Government and UNICEF implementing partners in UNICEF supply and non-supply policies and procedures.  Monitors the overall allocation and disbursement of programme funds, making sure that funds are properly coordinated, monitored, and liquidated. Submits financial status reports to management in compliance with the regulations and guidelines.

8. Effective working relationships with internal and external counterparts are kept maintained for advocacy, technical coordination, information sharing and knowledge networking.

• Coordinates activities and exchanges information and knowledge with other programmes to contribute to achievement of overall country programme objectives. Builds up effective monitoring, knowledge database/network and reporting systems to ensure the availability of current and accurate programme information/data, and contributes to the development of communication materials and strategies to support advocacy and community participation for Health & Nutrition; and to widen partnership with all stakeholder at national, regional , district, community and household levels as well as with funding partners including the private sector in order to accelerate achievement of Health and Nutrition related SDG goals.
• Facilitates partnership and collaboration with external counterparts, including those of the UN and national partners, to improve the ability to collect and disseminate relevant data, and to exchange information on programme/project development and implementation. Facilitates exchange of knowledge, information, experience, and lessons learned.

9. Relevant and strategic information is kept available to support the Health & Nutrition Programme by the effective implementation of an integrated monitoring system.

• In collaboration with monitoring and evaluation and program communication colleagues, conducts accurate and timely monitoring and data collection, and supports an integrated monitoring system, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders. 
• Coordinates with partners to ensure that monitoring systems are properly designed, and that data collection and analysis from field visits are coordinated and standardized across programmes to feed into to programme performance monitoring.
• Provides assistance for evaluation exercises, programme mid-term review, annual sector review and preview meetings with Government counterparts and all other relevant partners. Analyses and evaluates monitoring data, ensures achievement of objectives, and proposes corrective measures as appropriate.

10. Required programme/project reports are timely prepared in compliance with the established guidelines and procedures.

• Contributes to the timely preparation of annual sector status reports and shares information with relevant partners as required in compliance with the established guidelines and procedures. Participates in the preparation of all programme reports for management, Board, donors, budget reviews, programme analysis, and annual reports.

   11. Emergency preparedness is maintained, and in emergencies, emergency responses with effective coordination is provided.

• Supports emergency preparedness plan relating to Health & Nutrition.  In case of emergency, assists in monitoring and assessing the nature and extent of the emergency in the assigned area, as required. Provides assistance to the Field Office in identifying where support is required. In line with the Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) in Humanitarian Action, strengthens partnerships with the Health and Nutrition humanitarian actors s within the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC).

    12. Other assigned duties and responsibilities are effectively accomplished.

• Assumes other duties and responsibilities assigned as appropriate to the purpose of this post, and delivers the results as  required.

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

• An *advanced university degree in Public Health and Nutrition, Child Development, Water Sanitation, Public Administration, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or other relevant disciplines. 

*First level relevant university degree in combination with 8 years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

• Five (5) years of professional work experience in planning, programming, implementation monitoring and evaluation of technical cooperation programmes related to Health and Nutrition.
• Professional work experience in a managerial position, or a technical expert position in child survival & development, health, and nutrition care.
• Field work experience is a must.
• Background/familiarity with Emergency.
• Experience working in a relevant post-conflict-emergency prone context is considered as an asset.
• Familiarity / background in Islamic settings is considered an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered an asset.
• High level of writing and communication skills, computer skills.
• Dynamic, independent, self-motivated, and well organized.

How to apply

Qualified candidates are requested to complete an online candidate profile in http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/ by 25 August 2021. Only applications sent through the e-recruitment portal will be considered.

By applying through our Talent Management System (TMS) you agree to our privacy statement which is in line with the Philippines’ Data Privacy Act. You are strongly advised to read carefully through the privacy statement before submitting your application.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

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…

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

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.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.