VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
Organization: UNICEF
Health Specialist (Maternal and Newborn Health), NOC, Kathmandu – Fixed Term (Open to Nepal Nationals Only)
Job no: 508932
Position type: Fixed Term Staff
Location: Nepal
Division/Equivalent: Kathmandu(ROSA)
School/Unit: Nepal
Department/Office: Kathmandu, Nepal
Categories: Health
If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you.
For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children’s survival, protection and development. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.
Purpose of the Position
The Health Specialist (Maternal and Newborn Health) reports to the Chief of Health Section (P4) for guidance and general supervision. The Specialist supports the development and preparation of the maternal and newborn health program/s and is responsible for managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reporting of program progress of the health sector program/s within Nepal country program. The Specialist provides technical guidance and advisory and management support throughout the programming processes to facilitate the administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable results for children according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM) and organizational Strategic Plans and goals, standards of performance and accountability framework.
Key Expected Results
1. Support to program development and planning
2. Program management, monitoring and delivery of results
3. Technical advisory and operational support to program implementation
4. Networking and partnership building
5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
Accountabilities and related duties/tasks
1. Support to program development and planning
• Support/contribute to the preparation/design and conduct/update of situation analysis for the sector/s to establish a strategic plan for development, design and management of maternal and newborn health related programs. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance program management, efficiency and delivery.
• Participate in strategic policy and program discussion on the planning of maternal and newborn health program. Formulate, design and prepare a sector of the health program proposal, ensuring alignment with the overall UNICEF’s Strategic Plans and Country Program and coherence/integration with UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDF), regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.
• Establish specific program goals, objectives and strategies and implementation plans based on results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required documentations for program review and approval.
• Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies and to determine national priorities/competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes and to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programs/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated
2. Program management, monitoring and delivery of results
• Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurement to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector in health (maternal and newborn) programs.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.
• Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in program and management, identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
• Actively monitor programs/projects through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Monitor and verify the optimum/appropriate use of sectoral program resources (financial, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity and ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
• Prepare regular/mandated program/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of program progress
3. Technical advisory and operational support to program implementation
• Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices and approaches on health (maternal and newborn health) and related issues to support program development planning, management, implementation and delivery of results.
• Participate in policy and strategic discussions with national partners/clients/stakeholders to provide technical advisory and contribute to policy discussions and agenda setting to promote maternal and newborn health and development issues especially in the areas of gender, emergency preparedness and maternal, neonatal and child survival and development.
• Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic program materials for management use, information and/or consideration.
• Participate in emergency preparedness initiatives program development and contingency planning and/or to respond to emergencies in country or where designated
4. Networking and partnership building
• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with health sector government counterparts, national stakeholders and global partners/allies/donors/academia through active networking, policy, advocacy and effective communication to build capacity and exchange knowledge/expertise to facilitate the achievement of program goals on children rights and social justice/equity.
• Prepare communication and information materials for CO program advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for health programs (maternal and newborn health).
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) and sector –level discussions and planning on health and related issues to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF planning and preparation of health programs/projects ensuring organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda setting
5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
• Apply/introduce innovative approaches and good practice to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable program results.
• Keep abreast and conduct policy and implementation research to generate evidence for implementation of best and cutting edge practices in health.
• 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 programs and projects.
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on health related programs/projects
Qualifications of Successful Candidate
• An advanced University Degree in medicine (MBBS, obstetrics and gynecology/neonatal health), public health, , health systems research and policy, global/international health, health health systems management or other health related science is required. Doctorate (MD/MBBS,Dr.PH or Ph.D) strongly preferred.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in public health designing, planning and management of maternal and newborn health programs, with an experience in health emergency/humanitarian preparedness and response, at the international level some of which preferably in a developing country is required. Relevant experience in maternal and newborn health program/project development and management and health systems strengthening program (with focus on maternal and newborn health related systems) in any UN system agency or organization is an asset.
• Fluency in English and local working language of the duty station
Competencies of Successful Candidate
Core Values
• Commitment
• Diversity and inclusion
• Integrity
Core competencies
• Communication [ll]
• Working with people [ll]
• Drive for results [ll]
Functional Competencies
• Leading and Supervising [l]
• Formulating strategies and concepts [ll]
• Analyzing [lll]
• Applying technical expertise [lll]
• Relating and networking [ll]
• Deciding and Initiating action [ll]
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.
Last date to apply: Nov 30 2017
HOW TO APPLY
