Health Manager at United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF)

United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (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.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Health Manager (Primary Health Care Health Systems Strengthening)

Job No: 547013
Location: Abuja
Categories: Health
Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment

How Can You Make a Difference?

• The Health Manager reports to the Chief of Health & HIV/AIDS. S/He is responsible for supporting the Chief in managing the health section and leading the management, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of the health programme (Primary Health Care Systems Strengthening) within the country programme.
• S/He provides technical guidance, delivery of and operational support throughout the programming process to facilitate the achievement of concrete and sustainable results, according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), organizational Strategic Plans and goals, standards of performance, and accountability framework.

Summary of Key Functions / Accountabilities
Programme development and planning:

Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results:

• Manage and coordinate the Primary Health Care Health System Strengthening (PHC HSS) cluster of the Health section under the overall guidance of the Chief of Health, including planning, implementation and monitoring agreed cluster activities and results, and establishing cluster programme goals, objectives, and strategies, in close collaboration with peer health managers and other team members.
• Provide support to the Chief of Health and senior management on key strategic issues related with health system strengthening, primary health care, and UHC (Universal Health Coverage), including governance, human resources for health, health information systems, financing and sustainability, definition of essential package of health services , and others, in close collaboration with other sections  (e.g., social policy, nutrition) and field  offices.
• Manage primary health care health system strengthening grants and projects, including allocation of resources, timely implementation, reporting, and ensuring compliance with UNICEF and donor’s requirements.
• Contribute to the resource mobilization efforts of the Health section, with a focus on leading primary health care systems strengthening resource mobilization efforts, and integration of health system thinking and strategies across projects and programmes.
• Actively monitor PHC health system strengthening 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.
• Prepare regular and mandated programme/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.
• 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 PHC health system strengthening , 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.
• Prepare and assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths and/or weaknesses in programme management, identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.

Advisory services and technical support:

• Collaborate and consult with key government officials, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on policies, strategies, best practices, and approaches on PHC health system strengthening (including information systems, human resources for health, health financing, and others) related issues to support programme development planning, management, implementation, and delivery of results.
• Ensure integration of community interventions within the scope of PHC and UHC policies and programmes, and promotes sustainable financing for community and PHC interventions, including innovative financing mechanisms (challenge funds, matching grants, health insurance mechanisms)
• Contribute to ensure integration of UNICEF Emergency and COVID-19 response within the strengthen health system strengthening programmes, including building a robust Primary Health Care system and ensuring sustainable community interventions.
• Work closely with other section health managers (immunization, maternal and newborn health) 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 PHC HSS agenda, including UHC (Universal Health Coverage) and sustainable financing for health.
• Prepare policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration to influence PHC health system strengthening.
• Participate in emergency preparedness initiatives for programme development and contingency planning and/or to respond to emergencies in country or where designated.

Advocacy, networking and partnership building:

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with health sector government counterparts, national stakeholders, as well as global partners, allies, donors, and academia in the area of PHC HSS and UHC. Through active networking, advocacy and effective communication, build capacity and exchange knowledge and expertise to facilitate the achievement of UNICEF programme goals.
• Prepare communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances, and support fundraising for health programmes with a focus on PHC HSS.
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency discussions and planning on health-related issues to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF planning and preparation of health programmes/projects, ensuring organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda-setting.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building:

• Promote critical thinking, innovative approaches and good practices for sustainable primary health system strengthening programmes/projects initiatives, including promoting the use of visualization tools (dashboards) and optimization and harmonization of information systems.
• 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 health-related programmes/projects.

To Qualify as an Advocate For Every Child, You Will Have

• An advanced University Degree in one of the following fields is required: Epidemiology, Public Health, Medicine or another relevant technical field.
• Master’s Degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, or equivalent post-graduate or medical specialization (epidemiology, public health, preventive medicine)
• Equivalent educational qualification in relevant areas (health systems, epidemiology) will be an added advantage.
• Experience working in a low and or middle-income country is considered as 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 (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• A minimum of eight years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: public health/nutrition planning and management, maternal and neonatal health care, or health emergency/humanitarian preparedness.

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 functional competencies required for this post are:

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

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

Application Deadline  27th December, 2021.