Chief of Health 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.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Chief of Health

Job no: 577367
Location: Abuja
Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment
Level: P-5
Categories: Health

How Can You Make a Difference?

• The chief Health reports to the Deputy Representative for general guidance and direction.
• She/He is responsible for managing and leading all stages of health programmes/projects (e.g gender, maternal, neonatal, child survival, emergency preparedness) from strategic planning and formulation to delivery of results.
• S/he leads and manages the health team including establishing plans of action to achieve concrete and sustainable results according to plans, allocation, results-based management approaches and methodology (RBM), as well as UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance, and accountability framework, and does so in consultation with the Regional Health Adviser.

Summary of Key Functions / Accountabilities
Managerial leadership:

• Establish the section’s annual work plan with the health team, and set priorities and targets. Monitor work progress and ensure results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards.
• Establish clear individual performance objectives, goals and timelines; and provide timely guidance to enable the team to perform their duties responsibly and efficiently. Plan and ensure timely performance management and assessment of the team.
• Supervise team members by providing them with clear objectives, goals, direction, and guidance to enable them to perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently.

Programme development and planning:

• Lead the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis of health ( Immunization, maternal, child and neonatal health, Adolescent health) to establish a comprehensive and updated strategic plan for development, design and management of health related programmes. Keep abreast of national, regional and global development trends and priorities to determine the strategies, approaches and priorities for programming to address the country’s health needs.
• Lead, coordinate and supervise the development of health programmes (as a component of the CO and/or UNSDCF programmes) including focused acceleration plans for priority health programme and establish plans of action, programme goals and results using results-based planning methodology and terminology (RBM).
• Oversee the timely preparation of the health programme recommendation and related documentation for inclusion in the Country Office Programme recommendation ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.
• Consult and collaborate with colleagues including cross sectoral programme (such as nutrition, WASH, Education and Child Protection) and partners to provide technical guidance and operational support on programme planning, management and implementation, and to ensure synergy, integration, coherence, and harmonization of programme/project initiatives with UNICEF Strategic Plans and priorities.

Programme management, monitoring and quality control of results:

• Coordinate, plan and/or collaborate with monitoring and evaluation initiatives to establish benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators, to assess and strengthen performance accountability, coherence, and delivery of concrete and sustainable results in health programmes. 
• Participate in major monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sector reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.
• 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.
• Monitor programmes/projects to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Plan, approve, monitor, and control the use of programme resources (financial, human, administrative and other assets) certifying/verifying compliance with organizational rules, regulations and procedures, donor commitments and standards of accountability and integrity. Ensure timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
• Submit programme/project reports to donors and other partners to keep them informed on programme progress and critical issues.

 Advisory services and technical support:

• Advise key government officials, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners on policies, strategies and best practices and approaches on health and related issues to support programme development planning, management, implementation, and delivery of results.
• Participate in strategic discussions to influence policy discussions and agenda setting to promote health and development issues especially in the areas of gender, emergency preparedness, maternal, neonatal and child survival and development.

Advocacy, networking and partnership building:

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with health sector government counterparts, national stakeholders and global partners, allies, donors, and academia through active networking, advocacy and effective communication of UNICEF’s mission, goals, programmes, and resource mobilizations needs. 
• Develop communication strategies as well as implementation plans and activities for maximum communication impact and outreach to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for UNICEF and Country Office health programmes (maternal, neonatal and child survival).
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on health-related issues to ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda setting. Collaborate with inter-agency partners and colleagues in UNDAF planning and preparation of health programmes/projects.

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building:

• Promote critical thinking, innovative approaches and good practices for sustainable health programmes/projects initiatives.
• Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best and cutting edge practices in the health management and information systems. Institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Lead and/or develop 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.

Minimum Requirements

• Education: A Medical or Advanced University Degree in one of the following fields: Public Health, Pediatric 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.
• Work Experience: A minimum of ten years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas, at the international level: public health 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.

Application Closing Date
4th December, 2024.

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