Chief Health, NOD, Fixed term, Brasilia, Brazil

Contract

This is a NO-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. More about NO-4 contracts.

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.

And we never give up.

For every child, health, nutrition and well-being

Since 1950, UNICEF has supported the most important transformation for children and adolescents in Brazil. Currently, UNICEF Brazil is in the process of designing the new Programme for 2024-2028 and completing its 2017-2023 Country Programme. The focus of our work is towards the most vulnerable children and adolescents exposed to multiple deprivations and violence, mainly in the Amazon and Semiarid regions and the peripheral areas of large cities. With its main office in Brasília and nine field offices UNICEF reaches over 2,000 municipalities through Selo UNICEF and works in 8 territories affected by armed violence in Brazil’s largest cities. In most recent years, UNICEF has worked on emergency responses in the context of the Venezuelan Migration Crisis in the North of the country, in the context of the COVID pandemic during 2020-22, as well as on the Yanomami public health emergency.

For information of the work of our organization in Brazil, please visit our website: UNICEF Brazil

Job Context

Under the direction and guidance of the Brazil Deputy Representative for Programme, the Health Manager provides strategic guidance and overall coordination for UNICEF Health and Nutrition Programme Portfolio. The incumbent will be responsible for the development, planning, management, monitoring and evaluation of education interventions, including strategy, programming, advocacy and fund-raising for health and nutrition initiatives, with a focus on delivering lasting, equitable health and nutrition results for Brazil’s most vulnerable children and adolescents.

How can you make a difference?

The Health Manager is responsible for designing, managing and supervising all stages of health and nutrition programs/projects from strategic planning and formulation to delivery of results on strengthening primary healthcare systems to improve health and nutrition outcomes for the most vulnerable children and adolescents. S/he leads a group of professional and support staff to develop and manage the health programme in country.

Key accountabilities, Duties and Tasks

1. Managerial leadership

- Establish the Section’s annual work plan with the health team; set priorities/targets and performance measurement. 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 and coaching to enable the team to perform their duties responsibly and efficiently.

2. Program design and strategy development

- Provide technical assistance and operational support to ensure evidence-based data are available to guide UNICEF’s strategic policy advocacy, intervention and development efforts on health programs and to set program priorities, strategies, design and implementation plans.

- Keep abreast of national/regional/international development priorities on health and nutrition to leverage UNICEF position and competencies with donors, national governments, communities and constituents to advocate/promote health initiatives and policies.

- Guide strategic design and delivery of health programs and initiatives. Establish plans of action, program goals and results, using results-based planning methodology and terminology (RBM).

- Provide strategic direction and recommendations for the development of UNICEF’s Country Programme ensuring alignment with the overall UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.

- Collaborate with national/global colleagues/partners/allies to develop partnerships framework, ensuring synergy, integration, coherence, and harmonization of programs/projects with UNICEF Strategic Plans and priorities, donors’ development strategies/policies, national priorities/competencies and UN System development interventions/initiatives.

3. Program management, monitoring and quality control of results

- Plan and/or collaborate with monitoring and evaluation initiatives to establish benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators, to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results on education programs.

- Participate in major monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to engage stakeholders to take required action/interventions to achieve results.

- Stregthen knowledge management and documentation of UNICEF Programmes in support of public policy for addressing the needs of the most vulnerable children and adolescents.

- Monitor programs/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, certify and control the use of program 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/prepare program/project reports to donors and other partners to keep them informed on program progress and critical issues.

4. Advisory services and technical support

- Provide technical advice to local/national government officials, sector stakeholders and civil society on strategies and best practices to influence the design and implementation of public policies and delivery of results on health programs and related issues.

- Participate in strategic discussions to influence policy and agenda setting for combating all forms of discrimination against children by advising on and advocating strategies and approaches to promote equitable, quality health and nutrition outcomes for the most vulnerable children and adolescents in the country.

5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building

- Build and strengthen strategic partnerships through networking and advocacy with local/national governments, UN system agency partners, donors, internationally recognized institutions, NGOs, funding organizations, research institutes and private sector to reinforce cooperation and/or pursue opportunities, leverage funds, to promote goals and achieve sustainable and broad results on health programs.

- Prepare communication strategies and implementation plans and activities for maximum communication impact and outreach to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances for sustainable results and support fund raising for UNICEF and Country Office programs on health.

- Participate and/or represent UNICEF in policy discussions and planning on health and related issues to ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated at national level, as well as in the UN inter-agency development planning and agenda setting process.

6. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

- Promote critical thinking and innovative approaches and good practices for inclusive, sustainable health programs/projects initiatives through advocacy and technical advisory services.

- Keep abreast, research, benchmark, introduce and implement best and cutting edge practices on health and management. Institutionalize and disseminate best practices and knowledge learned.

- Contribute to the development of policies and procedures and introduce innovation and best practices to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programs and projects.

- Organize/plan/implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results on education and related programs/projects.

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

• Education - An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: public health/nutrition, 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.
• Experience - A minimum of eight years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: public health/nutrition planning and management, maternal and neonatal health care, or health emergency/humanitarian preparedness.

A track record in delivering equitable, sustainable health results for the most vulnerable children and adolescents.

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.

• Language - Fluency in Portuguese and English is required. Knowledge of an additional UN Language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish) is considered an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS).

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are...

• Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2)
• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
• Works Collaboratively with others (2)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies. During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. 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, 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.

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.

Remarks:

• UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process