Health Officer at the 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.

  Job Title: Health Officer, NO-B, FT Job Number: 530479 Location: Sokoto, Nigeria Work Type: Fixed Term Appointment

• UNICEF Nigeria is looking for an experienced Health Officer to become part of a highly motivated and committed team of over 500 staff who work to bring visible changes in the lives of the most disadvantaged children in Nigeria.
• In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children's rights. UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally. In partnership with government, civil society, children and families.

How can you make a difference? You will help with planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of scaling-up cost-effective Health intervention packages. You will also participate in data-driven situational analyses, including epidemiological and emergency assessments; provide specific technical expertise on Health policies and other issues; provide in-country technical and operational support; and help monitor, evaluate and report on related Health programs. The key responsibilities include: Support to program development and planning:

• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing/administering a variety of technical program transactions, preparing materials/documentations and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support program planning, results-based planning (RBM) and monitoring and evaluating results.
• Prepare required documentations/materials to facilitate the program review and approval process.
• Conduct/update situation analysis for the program sector/s for development, design and management of health-related programs. Research and report on development trends (e.g. political social, economic, health) for higher management use to enhance program management, efficiency and delivery of results.
• Contribute to the development/establishment of sectoral program goals, objectives and strategies and results-based planning through analysis of health needs and areas for intervention and submission of recommendations for priority and goal setting.

Program management, monitoring and delivery of results:

• Monitor and report on the use of sectoral program resources (financial, administrative and other assets), verify compliance with approved allocation/goals, organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity. Report on issues identified to ensure timely resolution by management/stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.
• Prepare regular/mandated sectoral program/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of program progress.
• Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external colleagues and partners to discuss operational and implementation issues, provide solutions, recommendations and/or alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level intervention and/or decision. Keep record of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other counterparts to assess programs and to report on required action/interventions at the higher level of program management.

Technical and operational support to programme implementation:

• Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices on health and related issues to support program implementation, operations and delivery of results.
• Conduct regular program field visits and surveys and/or exchange information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress and provide technical support, take appropriate action to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.

Networking and partnership building:

• Participate in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) on health programs to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF operational planning and preparation of health programs/projects and to integrate and harmonize UNICEF position and strategies with the UNDAF development and planning process.
• Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fundraising and partnership development purposes.
• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with health sector government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to enhance program implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to deliver concrete and sustainable results.
• Draft communication and information materials for CO program advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fundraising for health programs.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building:

• Assist with oversight of research and ensure results are available for use in knowledge products
• Participate as resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders.
• Identify, capture, synthesize and share lessons learned for knowledge development and to build the capacity of stakeholders.
• Apply innovative approaches and promote good practice to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable program results.

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

• Experience working in the UN or other international development organization, and fieldwork experience an asset.
• Background/familiarity with Emergency.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset.
• University degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Health, Public Health, Global / International Health, Health Policy and Management, Environmental Health, Family Health, Health Research, Biostatistics, Socio-medical Sciences, Epidemiology, Health Education, Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Educational Interventions in Health Care, Demography, Social Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, or a field relevant to international public health development assistance.
• Two years of relevant professional work experience related to developmental assistance in health.

For every Child, you demonstrate:

• UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

View our competency framework at: http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf

Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply Important Information / Notice

• 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, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• 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.