Job no: 572345
Contract type: Temporary Appointment
Duty Station: Hargeisa
Level: P-3
Categories: Health, Programme Management, Health and Nutrition

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

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, [an advocate ]

How can you make a difference? 

Under the overall technical guidance of the Health Manager, the immunisation specialist will provide UNICEF’s support for immunisation in general in linkage with PHC and overall child survival agenda. The Immunisation Specialist is accountable for contributing to the planning, implementation, monitoring of the immunisation programme in the context of IA2030, Gavi 5.0 objective and the country plan to address zero dose agenda. The immunisation specialist collaboration will work with in-country and partners and regional offices, regional working group and donors to plan for and implement tailored immunisation strategies aiming to address immunisation gap in Somalia, introduce new vaccines, MNTE activities and other HSS strengthening interventions in collaboration with other programmes such as PEI (Polio Eradication Initiative) activities, Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition and WASH components to achieve the organisation's objective of providing immunisation services in an equitable manner to control VPDs, integrating COVID-19 Vaccination into routine immunisation and PHC and stopping Polio transmission.

Specific Tasks and objectives:

1. Timely sectoral analysis, input, support and coordination contribute to the Situation Analysis with consistent integration of sex disaggregated data and its periodic update for effective project planning, development and management.• Contributes towards the preparation of the Situation Analysis by compiling, analysing and evaluating information and providing the technical input. Ensures the preparation of the Situation Analysis relative to Immunisation (EPI) interventions in the country and its periodic update.• Prepares sectoral input to the Country Programme Document, and all related documents (e.g., Plan of Operations, Project Plans of Action, Country Programme Summary Sheet, Programme Summary Sheet) of the Immunisation programme.2. Quality contributions are made to the development and implementation of the Immunisation strategies and approaches through participation and collaboration with internal and external partners.• Collaborates with other UNICEF sectors, particularly Health, Nutrition, HIV and programme communication to ensure integration of the Immunisation programme with other sectors.• Participates with UNICEF, Government, non-government organizations (NGOs) and other partners in the development of the Immunisation strategies and approaches. Ensures achievement of strategic results in line with agreed Annual and Country Programme objectives and adopts corrective action to meet programme/project objectives.• Contributes to the identification of new approaches for improving programme delivery with emphasis on project management, evaluation, sustainability of intervention and community participation based on Human Rights framework and cross sector approach to programming and Community Capacity Development.3. Work plan and objectives are strategically established, technical support is effectively provided, and planned results are timely delivered through exercise of strong technical leadership.• As Immunisation Specialist, exercises technical leadership for, and participates in, the development of the results-based sectoral work plan and technical decisions as well as for administration, implementation, monitoring and follow-up of sectoral project activity, consistent with the defined project strategies and approaches. Ensures objectives and targets are timely met and achieved, through full coordination between activities, by leading and supporting a team of professional and support staff.• Meets with national and international agencies overseeing the management of programmes/projects. Participates in meetings with ministries responsible for programme/project review, and follows up on implementation of recommendations and agreements, and integration of gender mainstreaming across sectors.4. Project implementation progress is monitored and evaluated for adjustment, acceleration and improvement of program delivery and sustainability.• Undertakes field visits to monitor programmes, as well as participates in periodic programme reviews with government counterparts and other partners. Identifies necessary action for programme adjustments.• Provides technical advice and assistance to government officials and implementing partners in the planning and management of the Immunisation programme and ensure sustainability of interventions.5. The capacities of Country Office staff are strengthened through effective capacity building programme in the development, implementation and management of the Immunisation Programme.• Plans and organizes a staff training/development programme to upgrade the capacity of the Country Office staff in the programme development, implementation and management of the Immunisation Programme. Conducts relevant orientation, workshop, training and staff learning/development activities.

The following minimum requirements:

• Advance degree (Master's or higher) in public health, social sciences, development planning, statistics or related field and
• A minimum of 5 years work experience in EPI or child health or public health programs.
• Familiarity with the principles and current approaches to polio eradication in polio endemic or outbreak countries & Routine immunization.
• Experience supporting public health projects with a maternal and child health focus.
• Specific prior experience in analysis of social data as part of polio immunization campaigns desirable.
• Excellent coordination, organizational and time management skills and strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage partnerships and relationships with people.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Excellent writing and communication skills 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

The 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 

(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

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

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

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

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.

Advertised: 28 May 2024 E. Africa Standard Time
Deadline: 04 Jun 2024 E. Africa Standard Time