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, Hope

II. Organizational Context and Purpose for the job

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Job organizational context:

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.

A fair chance in life begins with a strong, healthy start. Unfortunately, many children in Somalia are still deprived of this. 4 in 100 Somali children die during the first month of life, 8 in 100 before their first birthday, and 1 in 8 before they turn five. This accounts for more than 60 percent of the under-five deaths in the country. In addition to this, 1 in 20 women aged 15-49 die due to pregnancy- or birth-related complications every year. Each of these deaths is a tragedy, especially because most of them could have been prevented.

More than 80 percent of newborn deaths are due to prematurity, asphyxia, complications during birth, or infections such as pneumonia, diarrhea, measles and neonatal disorders. These deaths can be prevented with access to well-trained midwives and nurses during antenatal and postnatal visits and delivering at a health facility. Additionally, access to clean water, and disinfectants, handwashing, breastfeeding within the first hour, skin-to-skin contact, proper cord care, and good nutrition are proven solutions. Too often, these simple cost-effective interventions are out of reach of the mothers and babies who need them most.

Low immunization levels and inadequate access to quality healthcare and life-saving supplies erode children’s chances of surviving past infancy and developing to their full potential.

The health risks for children in emergencies are higher. Life-saving health services are often unobtainable or unreachable, making newborns, children, young people, and mothers especially vulnerable to harm.

How can you make a difference?

III. Key function, accountabilities and related duties/tasks

1.Programme development and planning

Plan and provide technical support and guidance for the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis to establish a comprehensive and updated strategic plan for development, design and management of MNCAH and Health Systems Strengthening health-programmes. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance programme management, efficiency and delivery.

Prepare, coordinate and/or supervise the formulation of MNCAH and HSS programme recommendations and related documentations as a component of the Country Programme, establishing clear programme goals, objectives, strategies, and results based on results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM).

Ensure alignment of the sectoral programme with UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, Country Programme, UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDF), regional strategies as well as national priorities, plans and competencies.

Consult and collaborate with colleagues and partners to provide technical and operational support on programme planning, management and implementation on MNCAH/ Primary health Care approaches and programmes , and to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors throughout all stages of programming processes.

2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

Lead and manage the MNCAH programming, guiding the development and oversee implementation the section’s annual work plan while setting priorities and targets to ensure that they are aligned with other key sections (nutrition, SBC. WASH, Social Policy, education, protection, gender and PSEA) priorities and targets.

Supervise MNCAH members by providing them with clear objectives, goals, directions, and guidance to enable them to perform their duties responsibly, effectively, and efficiently, and maintain continuous integration and cross sectorial work with other sections colleagues, to ensure synergy and reach better comprehensive results for children and women.

Manage MNCAH grants and projects, including allocation of resources, timely implementation, reporting, and ensuring compliance with UNICEF and donor’s requirements.

Plan and/or collaborate within UNICEF and with external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators, and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurements to assess and strengthen performance accountability, coherence, and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for MNCAH/PHC with a focus on monitoring inequities.

Participate in and lead when necessary, monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with the government and other counterparts to assess progress and performance on the health sector, and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.

Actively monitor programmes /projects through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks, potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.

Plan, monitor and verify the optimum and appropriate use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative, and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity, ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources.

Contribute to the resource mobilization efforts of the health section, with a focus on MNCAH /PHC resource mobilization efforts, and integration of health system thinking and strategies across projects and programmes.

Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators, and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurements to assess and strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector in health programmes.

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3. Technical support and thought leadership

Collaborate and support key government officials, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on policies, strategies, best practices, and approaches on MNCAH and PHC related issues to support programme development planning, management, implementation, and delivery of results.

Provide technical and strategic support in the development and implementation of national policies, strategic documents, action plans, quality of care standards and training guidelines.

Ensure implementation of high impact maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health interventions.

Ensure integration of community interventions within the scope of MNCAH and PHC policies and programmes and promote sustainable financing for community and PHC /MNCAH interventions, including innovative financing mechanisms (challenge funds, matching grants).

Contribute to ensure integration of UNICEF Emergency response within the health system strengthening programmes, including building a robust Primary Health Care system and ensuring sustainable community interventions. This includes integration of themes related to climate change and resilience in programmes and initiatives.

Participate in emergency preparedness initiatives for programme development and contingency planning and/or to respond to emergencies in country or where designated.

Work closely with other section health managers (immunization, Global Funds, Emergency team) and the Chief of health to ensure integration of results and a harmonized approach to maximize impact of the section interventions.

Participate in strategic programme discussions and planning to provide cutting-edge technical advice and to contribute to policy discussions and agenda setting to promote the MNCAH/PHC and HSS agenda and sustainable financing for health.

4.Advocacy, networking and partnership building

Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with health sector government counterparts, national stakeholders, donors on MNCAH and HSS to facilitate achievement of UNICEF programme goals.

Prepare communication and information materials for SCO advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances, and support fund raising for health programmes with a focus on MNCAH/PHC and HSS.

Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency discussions and planning on health-related issues; collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNCF joint work plan planning and preparation of health programmes /projects, ensuring organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNCF process in development planning and agenda setting.

Collaborate and consult with key government officials, NGO partners, especially, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on policies, strategies, best practices, and approaches on health-related issues to support programme development planning, management, implementation, and delivery of results.

Participate in strategic programme discussions and planning to provide technical advice and to contribute to policy discussions and agenda setting to promote health and development issues especially in the areas of gender, emergency preparedness, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health and child survival and development.

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

Promote critical thinking, innovative approaches and good practices for sustainable MNCAH/ HSS initiatives.

Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best and cutting-edge practices in health management and information systems. Institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.

Contribute to the development of policies and procedures and introduce innovation and best practices to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.

Lead, plan and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of stakeholders to promote sustainable results on MNCAH and HSS  programmes /projects.

Prepare policy papers, briefs, case studies and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration to influence policy, advisory services, and technical support.

IV. Impact of Results

The efficiency and efficacy of support provided by the Health Manager, MNCAH to programme preparation, planning and implementation facilitates the delivery of concrete and sustainable results that directly impact the improvement of the health of the most marginalized and vulnerable women and children in the country. This in turn contributes to maintaining and enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to continue to provide programme services to protect the rights of children, and to promote greater social equality to enable them to survive, develop and reach their full potential in society.

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

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: public health, pediatric health, family health, health research, global/international health, health policy and/or management, biostatistics, socio-medical, health education, epidemiology or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of eight years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: public health planning and management, maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health care, or health emergency/humanitarian preparedness and response.
• Experiencing leading health programmes especially MNCAH and systems strengthening in emergency or fragile contexts is an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

[add the 8^th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for supervisory role]

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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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Remarks:

UNICEF only considers Higher education qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net.

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female are encouraged to apply.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.