Health Specialist (Polio Outbreak Response), NOC, Temporary Appointment, Kaduna #132459

UNICEF, guided by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, works together with partners in 190 countries and territories to promote and advocate for the protection of the rights of every child.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, a champion 

In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children’s rights in partnership with the government, civil society, children, and families.  UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally – click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/

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 programs, 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.

 The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) seeks to ensure that future generations of children will be free from the threat of polio paralysis. Achieving this goal depends on ensuring rapid and effective responses to poliovirus outbreaks occurring.

How can you make a difference? 

The Health Specialist (Polio Outbreak Response) reports to a Health Specialist for guidance and general supervision. The Health Specialist (Polio Outbreak Response) is responsible for the managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting the programme progress of the UNICEF polio outbreak response across the core accountabilities of campaign design, advocacy and vaccine management. The candidate will provide technical support to the EOC Health authorities and other polio eradication partners in designing, implementing and evaluating interventions that increase uptake for Polio immunization including areas that are hard to reach, and security compromised. The candidate will be supporting polio outbreak response in Kwara, Kaduna, Nasarawa and Niger states.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Support Chief of UNICEF Kaduna office with strategic and operational oversight of polio outbreak response operations, particularly around the areas of campaign design, implementation, vaccine management and advocacy, ensuring that they address the needs of the population and are aligned with plans and strategies of the national polio outbreak response.
• Ensure Internal coordination between various sections within the field office in preparation and implementation of polio outbreak response.
• Represent UNICEF at meetings and EOC, provide direct feedback to the CFO and NCO about outbreak response progress, challenges and ways forward.
• Foster close coordination with SPHCDB and other partners, and assist in the organization of regular coordination meetings, teleconferences, and updates.
• Work with SPHCDB/SMOH/WHO/The Gates Foundation and other partners to develop a state outbreak response plan, including a budget as may be needed.

Major Responsibilities

• In coordination with Polio partners and EOC, map and identify high risk, inaccessible settlements as well as low performing settlements, Wards and LGAs and by using evidence interventions reach identified areas
• Ensure Internal coordination between various sections within the field office in preparation and implementation of polio outbreak response.
• Represent UNICEF at meetings and EOC, provide direct feedback to the CFO and NCO about polio outbreak response progress, challenges and ways forward
• Foster close coordination with SPHCDB and other partners, and assist in the organization of regular coordination meetings, teleconferences, and updates.
• Work with SPHCDB/SMOH/WHO/The Gates Foundation and other partners to develop a state polio outbreak response plan, including a budget as may be needed.
• Support and contribute to the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis for the sector(s) to establish a strategic plan for development, design and management of polio outbreak response. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance polio eradication programme management, efficiency and delivery.
• Participate in strategic programme discussions on the planning of polio eradication programmes. Formulate, design and prepare a sector of the polio eradication programme proposal, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, the Country Programme, as well as coherence/integration with the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), regional strategies, and national priorities, plans and competencies.
• Establish specific programme goals, objectives, strategies, and implementation plans based on results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required documentations for programme review and approval.
• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies, and to determine national polio eradication priorities and competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of polio eradication programming processes to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.
• 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 polio eradication programmes.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with the government and other counterparts to assess progress 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes, and best practices and approaches on polio eradication-related issues to support programme development planning, management, implementation and delivery of results.
• Participate in discussions with national partners, clients and stakeholders to promote polio eradication and development issues, especially in the areas of gender, emergency preparedness, maternal and neonatal polio eradication, and child survival and development.
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and consideration.
• Participate in emergency preparedness initiatives for programme development, contingency planning and/or to respond to emergencies in country or where designated.
• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with polio eradication sector government counterparts, national stakeholders, as well as global partners, allies, donors, and academia. Through active networking, advocacy and effective communication, build capacity and exchange knowledge and expertise to facilitate the achievement of programme goals on child rights, social justice and equity.
• Prepare communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances, and support fund raising for polio eradication programmes (maternal, neonatal and child survival and development).
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on polio eradication-related issues to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF planning and preparation of polio eradication programmes/projects, ensuring organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda setting.
• Apply and introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders, and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.
• Keep abreast and conduct research to provide evidence for implementation of best and cutting-edge practices in health and polio eradication.
• Assess, institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.

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

Minimum requirements:

An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: public health/nutrition, paediatric health, family health, health research, global/international health, health policy and/or management, environmental health sciences, biostatistics, socio-medical, health education, epidemiology, or another relevant technical field.

Experience:   

• A minimum of five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: public health /Immunization/nutrition planning and management, maternal and neonatal health care, or health emergency/humanitarian preparedness.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as 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.

Language Requirements:   

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset. For every Child, you demonstrate…

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about children’s rights and making a lasting difference on children’s lives, one of the global leading entities on children’s rights would like to hear from you.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, Sustainability (CRITAS), and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. 

UNICEF is also proud of a diverse workforce who are profoundly committed to supporting the full realization of children’s rights, and in uplifting a rights-based approach in all that we do.

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (1)

(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (1)

(3) Drive to achieve results for impact (1)

(4) Innovates and embraces change (1)

(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

(6) Thinks and acts strategically (1)

(7) Works collaboratively with others (1)

(8) Nutures,leads and Manages people (1)

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

Remarks:  

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

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.