UNICEF Health & Nutrition Specialist at United Nations Children’s Fund

Job Title: Health & Nutrition Specialist, P-4, Kampala
Organisation: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
Job Purpose: Under the general guidance of the Chief, Health and Nutrition (Alive Programme), you will be responsible for the overall management, development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of maternal and newborn health programme in the context of ‘Keeping Children Alive’.
Duties & Responsibilities:
·         Support the development, implementation and financing of detailed sectoral work-plans and budgets for scaling-up of maternal, neonatal Survival interventions through the continuum of care encompassing maternal and new-born nutrition and HIV/AIDS intervention.
·         Formulates and develops integrated facility- and community-based strategies, methodologies and innovative approaches and implements based on results-based approach and Human Rights framework by broad participation and collaboration with internal and external partnership.
·         Establish partnerships for sustained maternal and newborn health and play a convener role in advocating for and leverage resources for a sustainable scaling-up and replication of effective and integrated maternal, neonatal and EMTCT interventions; performance-based financing of districts in the implementation of the Uganda Essential Health Package.
·         Reviews and evaluates the technical, institutional and financial feasibility and constraints of maternal and newborn Health programmes in coordination and collaboration with government and other partners.
·         Contribute to the Situation Analysis, its periodic update, and all programme documents to formulate effective Health goals, strategy, and project planning and development, in relation to Maternal and New-born health.
·         Provides in-country technical and operational leadership and guidance to government and non-government organizations at the national, regional and provincial levels in the planning, development and scaling-up key maternal, neonatal survival interventions, including maternal and new-born nutrition and HIV interventions and applicable innovative E-health strategies and linkages with mTrac and U report
·         Undertakes field visits in order to monitor and evaluate maternal, newborn Health programme performance/implementation; identifies problems and proposes remedial action; identifies alternative courses of action, to accelerate/improve efficiency of programme delivery.
·         Plans, organizes and conducts training and orientation activities for government personnel and beneficiaries, for the purpose of capacity building at the central and regional levels, and expansion of coverage of services.
·         In collaboration with the Nutrition and ANC/HIV/AIDS Specialists, develops the work-plan for the maternal and newborn health components of the Child Survival programme and monitors compliance to ensure that maternal and newborn HIV and nutrition intervention are integrated; objectives and targets are met and achieved.
·         Ensures training needs are met, and provides on-the-job training.
·         Coordinates with Operations/Supply staff on supply and non- supply assistance activities.
·         Approves disbursement of funds ensuring proper utilization and accountability, and those activities are within established plans of action, and the programme budget allotments.
·         Coordinates activities and exchanges information/ideas with other programmes, to contribute to achievement of overall country programme objectives.
·         Participates in establishing effective monitoring, information and reporting systems, and in the development of communication materials and strategies to support advocacy and community participation.
·         Participates in the preparation of all programme reports for management, Board, donors, budget reviews, programme analysis, annual reports, etc.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience:
·         Advanced university degree in Public Health and Nutrition (preferably with specialized training in public health and nutrition planning, maternal, newborn health and nutrition education, health care system management, HIV/AIDS prevention, immunization, or epidemiology), Child Development, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or other relevant disciplines.
·         Eight years of professional work experience at the national and international levels in planning, programming, implementation monitoring and evaluation of maternal and newborn health and HIV/AIDS programmes relevant to child survival, health & nutrition care.
·         Professional work experience in a managerial position, or a technical expert position in health, nutrition, and newborn survival & health care.
·         Developing country work experience and background/familiarity with Emergency. Fluency in English. Knowledge of another UN language and local language of duty station is an asset
·         A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Competencies:
·         Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking.
·         Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
·         Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.
·         Has good leadership and supervisory skills; co-ordinates group activities, ensuring that roles within the team are clear.
·         Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives.
·         Analyzes and integrates diverse and complex quantitative and qualitative data from a wide range of sources.
·         Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; maintains an effective network of individuals across organizational departments.
·         Identifies urgent and potentially difficult decisions and acts on them promptly; initiates and generates team- and department-wide activities.
·         Demonstrates, applies and shares expert technical knowledge across the organization.
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 organisation. If you want a challenging career while improving the lives of children around the world UNICEF, the leading children’s rights organization, would like to hear from you.
How to apply: 
Visit us at www.unicef.org/about/employ to register in our new e-Recruitment system and apply to this and other vacancies, quoting E-VN-2012-001420. Applications must be received by 8 October 2012.
Please note that only candidates who are under serious consideration will be contacted.
In the selection of its staff, UNICEF is committed to gender balance and diversity without distinction as to race, sex or religion, and without discrimination of persons with disabilities: well qualified candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Visit us at www.unicef.org/about/employ to register in our new e-Recruitment system and apply to this and other vacancies, quoting E-VN-2012-001420. Applications must be received by 8 October 2012.

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