Country: Kenya
Closing date: 25 May 2016
Job Number: 495858 | Vacancy Link
Location: Programme Division, UNICEF NYHQ
Work Type : Fixed Term Staff
If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.
For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.
Purpose of the Position
Under the general guidance of the Senior Immunization Specialist in the Immunization Unit, Health Section, the incumbent will provide technical assistance to regional and country offices primarily in Africa in the design, formulation, management, execution, monitoring and evaluation of routine immunization programs, ensuring that corresponding plans of action and programme activities are in place and funded to improve routine immunization coverage and equity. They will provide support to UNICEF Regional and Country offices and national governments, with a special focus on ensuring health systems are inclusive of children who are socially, geographically and economically marginalized from accessing routine immunization services, and other basic health and nutrition packages. In coordination with the HQ and regional colleagues, the incumbent will monitor progress of countries based on regular review of key immunization indicators and support the reporting to global partners.
Key Expected Results
1.Equity and immunization analysis and strategy development:
-Assists Regional and Country Office teams in the design, planning, monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of routine immunization activities including support for formative research and data monitoring to improve country programme delivery. In coordination with HQ immunization colleagues (Communication for Development Immunization Specialist, Immunization Supply Chain Management Specialist and Immunization focal points), regional offices, and country offices, provides technical assistance to governments to identify children in unreached communities, map the barriers to access to immunization, and develop focused strategies to immunize every child.
End Result: Countries receive comprehensive technical support for programme implementation in all aspects of evidence-based routine immunization activities including formative research and management and use of routine monitoring data. Priority countries have analysed and defined communities in which children are not being reached by immunization services, the major bottlenecks are identified, and country strategies and plans updated to address these.
2.Monitoring and evaluation of equity strategies in immunization:
-Undertakes field visits to monitor and evaluate implementation of projects/programme activities, with a special focus on ensuring immunization equity, including effective community based strategies to reach children in underserved populations with multiple lifesaving interventions. Identifies constraints and suggests solutions to relevant counterparts to improve programme delivery.
End Result: Increased community ownership and engagement in routine immunization including the use of participatory community empowerment approaches, are effectively monitored and evaluated. Corrective measures recommended to regions and countries to improve results.
3.Advocacy for Immunization and equity:
-Assist regional and country office teams with mainstreaming strategies to improve immunization equity as part of wider country processes around annual immunization and health sector planning and coordination of this with health partner support, specifically GAVI Alliance planning and evaluation processes.
End result: Strategies to address immunization equity are included in country immunization plans and are a coordinated with support from health partners.
4.Documentation of equity strategies in immunization:
-Prepares reports and publications that document the lessons learned and experiences gained in immunization-related equity improvement strategies. Findings, experiences, lessons learned, best practices and new methods are systematically captured, analysed and shared with programme staff at Headquarters, Regional and Country Offices as well as other partners. Other tasks assigned by supervisor.
End Result: Contribution to document lessons learned.
5.Representation:
-Represents UNICEF in meetings with government and partners to advocate and promote UNICEF's leadership role in Immunization, coordinating and collaborating with partner agencies through teleconferences and periodic face-to-face meetings in support of joint activities, including resource mobilization.
End Result: UNICEF is an active partner in immunization partnerships. UNICEF's goals and objectives are reflected in the outcome of the various regional immunization meetings and plans, both technical and financial.
Qualifications of Successful Candidate
-Advanced university degree in public health, or a related technical field required.
-Ten years relevant experience in public health programs, of which at least 6-8 years is in developing countries. Experience in more than one country is an advantage.
-Extensive experience in providing technical assistance to and/or managing a national routine immunization program, especially a developing country context. Specific experience in supporting health and/or immunization programs develop and implement successful strategies to reach out to and actively engage populations containing children who are socially, geographically and economically marginalized from accessing health and/or routine immunization services is desirable.
-Demonstrated experience in health policy development, advocacy and financial/program management, workforce training and presenting at conference/large meetings.
-Technical expertise in epidemiology, disease control and immunization. Peer-reviewed publications on immunization is an advantage.
-Previous work experience in a UN context an asset.
-Fluency in English is required (another UN language, i.e. French is desired).
Competencies of Successful Candidate
Core Values
-Commitment
-Diversity and Inclusion
-Integrity
Core competencies
-Communication: Level III
-Working with People: Level III
-Drive for Results: Level III
Functional Competencies
-Applying Technical Expertise: Level III
-Planning and Organizing: Level III
-Formulating Strategies and Concepts: Level III
-Relating and Networking: Level III
-Learning and Researching: Level III
-Creating and Innovating: Level III
-Technical Knowledge: Level III
How to apply:
Link to view our competency framework: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf
Link to apply: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=495858
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.
Opening Date 4 May 2016 E. Africa Standard Time
Closing Date 25 May 2016 E. Africa Standard Time