Senior Health Specialist

Job Description

Job title
Senior Health Specialist (MNCAH and HIV) P5

Job Number:
550412

Location:
Senegal

Work Type:
Short-term contract assignment

Description:

West & Central African Region is home to 11% of children globally, but bears disproportionate burden: highest under-5 mortality rates from preventable diseases and second-highest HIV burden with very low coverage on early-infant diagnosis and treatment. Neonatal disorders, the third top killer in 1990, have become the number 1 killer of children in West & Central Africa Region even with a rapid regional work in improving the coverage of high-impact interventions including skilled birth attendants and facility-based deliveries. Therefore, our main focus is strengthening primary health care as entry point to ensure children and adolescents survive and thrive with access to quality, essential, and appropriate health care.

Strategic office context:

In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (2015-2030) and the UNICEF Strategic Plan (2022-2025), the UNICEF Regional Office in West and Central Africa (WCARO) is implementing the 2022-2025 Regional Office Management Plan (ROMP) in response to regional priorities. By 2025, UNICEF WCARO aimed to increase countries’ capacity to provide essential prevention, diagnostic, treatment and care services for maternal newborn, child, adolescent health (MNCAH) and HIV/AIDS.

Under the direct supervision of the Regional Advisor for Health, the Senior Health Specialist (Maternal newborn, child and adolescent health/HIV-AIDS) is responsible for managing and leading all stages of health programmes, projects and initiatives on maternal, newborn, child, adolescent and community health, including HIV-AIDS programming, from advocacy, leveraging and coordination partners, policy formulation, strategic planning and formulation to actual delivery of results. This includes developing, implementing and monitoring plans of action to achieve key results for children, allocation of necessary resources, result-based management (RBM), standards of performance and accountability framework. She/He provides strong leadership in leveraging and sustaining global, regional and national partnerships in the area of MNCAH and HIV-AIDS in the context of renewed Alma Ata and institutionalization of community health towards the Sustainable Development Goals. He/she will be coordinating with other sections of WCAR for synergies in Nutrition, WASH, Education, Child Protection, SBCC/C4D, Supply, Social Policy, Emergencies, Partnerships and PMR & Evaluation, and maintaining strong strategic partnerships such as BMGF, Global Funds (GFTAM), GAVI, Harmonizing for Health in Africa (HHA), Muskoka, the Regional Inter-Agency Task team (IATT), JURTA, bi-lateral, multi-lateral, West Africa Health Organization (WAHO), Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), research institutions, academic and Civil Society Organizations.

Key function, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

1. Strategic representation, coordination and partnerships

1. Represent UNICEF West and Central Africa Regional Office (WCARO) in relevant meetings, events and fora at global, regional and national levels to ensure UNICEF priorities and perspectives are adequately represented in relevant strategies and frameworks related to MNCAH and HIV-AIDS
2. Establish, strengthen and maintain high level contacts and active collaboration with globally and regionally active partners to coordinate activities to leverage technical and financial resources MNCAH and HIV-AIDS. This includes accessing and mobilizing donor resources, including from the World Bank, bilateral (especially USAID) and the GFATM, PMI and Gates Foundation at the regional and country level, as appropriate.
3. As part of the regional team, lead the Health section’s efforts to promoting synergies, programmatic linkages and broader convergence of MNCAH and HIV-AIDS into nutrition, Immunization, C4D, HIV and AIDS, WASH, child protection, gender and other relevant programme areas through relevant coordination platforms and mechanisms, exchange of information, meetings, documentation and dissemination of best practices.
4. Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant global, regional and country-level structures working in maternal, newborn, child & adolescent health and HIV/AIDS.
5. Contribute to resource leveraging UN agencies, bilateral cooperation agencies, regional and sub-regional partners such as AU, ECOWAS, ECCAS, national Governments, Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organizations, and promotes the implementation of policies, programmes, strategies to advance maternal, newborn, child & adolescent health and HIV/AIDS.

2. Support to programmes/projects development, planning and management

1. Advise and supports the Regional Advisor for Health country offices and government counterpart on strategy, policy, and advocacy in relation to MNCAH and HIV-AIDS programs.
2. Lead the provision of strategic, policy and programming guidance and support to UNICEF Country Offices in their engagement with governments and other collaborating partners in defining priorities, formulating policies, strategies, methodologies, and identification of new approaches for advancing the child and community health agenda in the context of the SDGs, including in humanitarian context.
3. Coordinate support to countries for the development and implementation of strong monitoring and evaluation components for high-impact interventions for child and community health. This includes guidance and technical support for capacity development and establishment of systems for Real-Time Monitoring (RTM) including at the community, facility and district levels.
4. Lead the provision of guidance and coordination to enable UNICEF country offices to prepare MNCAH and HIV-AIDS related funding proposals that are of high technical quality, and provide inputs to regional and global resource leveraging efforts as required.

3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation

1. Support and provides technical guidance to Country offices in their engagement with government and other partners in the development of PHC and community health/HIV-AIDS policies, strategies, and operational plans, and programs on social protection, care and support response for children affected by HIV and AIDS. Promotes approaches which improve referral and linkages with facility-based services and strengthen quality of care.
2. Provide technical support to operationalize and support the roll out of FHT in WCAR.
3. Review, monitors and evaluates the institutionalization of community systems including community-based HIV-AIDS programmes in collaboration with Government and other partners and advocates for resources to be mobilized to support these programmes.
4. Undertake field visits and surveys in order to monitor and evaluate programme implementation. Identifies problems and proposes remedial action. Identify or decide on alternative courses of action to accelerate/improve programme delivery and ensure capacity building and programme sustainability.
5. Provide guidance and direction in the implementation of innovative approaches to ensure greater coverage and quality associated with delivery of services related to PHC and community health/HIV-AIDS programs for children and their families.

4. Programme quality assurance and monitoring of results

1. Participate in inter-sectoral collaboration with other sectors in the Regional Office, particularly Immunization, Nutrition, WASH, Education, Child Protection, Social Protection and Emergencies with the focus on Key Results for Children.
2. Work Closely with WHO, WAHO, UNFPA, USAID, UNAIDS, UNWOMEN, ECCAS, The Global Funds, USAID, AU, BMGF, GAVI, JURTA, NGOs and other key partners in the development of new strategies and approaches to strengthen health systems within the broader context of MNCAH and HIV/AIDS.
3. Represent WCARO in meetings with senior government officials as well as multi-lateral and bi-lateral agencies, to advocate and promote UNICEF programme goals and objectives, and communicate with major partners on organizational priorities related to MNCAH and HIV-AIDS programs.

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

1. Conceptualize, develops, and disseminates regional technical analyses, reports and publications by compiling and scrutinizing information, tabulating and analysing data, and presenting findings and results.
2. Provide guidance in exchange and dissemination of information, including organization of country-to-country exchange of experience, webinars, consultations, peer-reviewed articles on relevant topics on MNCAH and HIV-AIDS programs particularly with regard to generating new evidence, sharing lessons learned and monitoring progress.
3. Contribute to the development/documentation of innovative approaches implemented, best practices and lessons learned.

6. Management /Supervision and Monitoring

1. Provide guidance, leadership and support to staff under her/his supervision and evaluate performance for achievement of established goals and objectives.
2. Submit periodic progress reports to supervisor and senior management.
3. Provide guidance and oversight to the child and community health team for development and monitoring of the annual work plan with clear deliverables.
4. Oversee Management and Monitoring of the Unit budget. Ensure the timely reporting and accounting of all programme transactions.
5. Carry out any other duties that may be assigned by the Regional Health Adviser and Regional Office from time to time.

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

Education:

Advanced University Degree in public health, laboratory science, Medicine, and related technical fields.

Experience:

• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in public health programme planning and management at national and/or international levels, preferably in a developing country, is required.
• Relevant experience in, MNCAH, HIV/AIDS.

Other skills and attributes:

• Current knowledge of MNCAH and HIV/AIDS issues, policies and international standards
• Current knowledge of development and technology in the related field.
• Proven ability to conceptualize, develop, plan, and manage programs and transfer knowledge and skills.
• Good analytical, negotiating, communication and advocacy skills.
• Ability to work in an international or multicultural environment.
• Knowledge of computer management and applications.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in French and English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are:

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2)
• Builds and maintains partnerships (3)
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3)
• Drive to achieve results for impact (3)
• Innovates and embraces change (3)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (3)
• Thinks and acts strategically (3)
• Works collaboratively with others (3)

Deadline: 08 May 2022 Greenwich Standard Time

About the Organization

UNICEF is out to change the world for children vaccination by vaccination, blanket by blanket, biscuit by biscuit, book by book. In most of America, these things are considered completely ordinary. But in many parts of the developing world, they can save a child's life. UNICEF is unique among world organizations and unique among those working with young people. As a global movement, we use our authority to influence decision makers and diverse partners to turn the most innovative ideas into reality. In 155 countries and territories, UNICEF's field staff uses hard-won expertise to meet the challenges facing children and those who care for them. Our history has given us a profound understanding of development and the importance of child health, education, equality and protection in advancing humanity. All that we do helps children realize their full potential. In support of UNICEF's work, the U.S. Fund for UNICEF focuses on five major priorities: education, emergencies, HIV/AIDS, immunization and malnutrition.