External Outreach: Health Specialist (Epidemiology and Disease Control) -P3/NOC, Rapid Response Rosters, Eastern and Southern Africa Region

Mid Senior Medical & Health Crisis & Emergency Response Programme & Policy

Overview

Support UNICEF's health response in emergencies across Eastern and Southern Africa.

You have:

• Advanced university degree in Public Health with specialized training on epidemiology and/or disease control.
• Eight years of professional work experience in public health, including coordination, risk assessment, planning, implementation, and monitoring of public health interventions for disease control.
• Working experience in African countries previously affected by Ebola or Marburg virus disease is essential.
• Excellent planning and coordination skills, with proven ability to work within a team setting, with multiple stakeholders and in a multi-cultural working environment.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience with either the UN and/or emergency health NGOs.
• Fluency in verbal and written English and/or French (depending on the country office's official language). Knowledge of another UN language or a local language is an asset.
• Good written and spoken skills in the language of the humanitarian operation.

Contract

This is a P-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about P-3 contracts and their salaries.

Seeking external candidates only

Contract Type: Temporary Appointment (TA) or Consultancy

Duration: 3 months to 364 days

Location: Countries based in Eastern and Southern Africa

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, hope

Since two years, countries in the ESA region have experienced an alarming increase in the number of new, or re-emerging humanitarian emergencies, including public health (including Ebola, Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever, yellow fever, wild poliovirus, and Cholera), armed conflicts and natural disasters emergencies.

UNICEF ESAR has prioritized the critical need to support countries to rapidly scale up capacity to prevent, mitigate, and manage ongoing and anticipated emergencies as well as to enhance capacity for preparedness and response to these emergencies.

Purpose

The purpose of this external announcement is to attract suitable Health Specialist (Epidemiology and Disease Control) candidates interested in working in any of the countries within UNICEF's East and Southern Africa region to respond to emergencies for the next 36 months.

The countries within each region are listed on the following website: Where we work | UNICEF

How can you make a difference?

Key activities & duties

To support the UNICEF Country Office to achieve the UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children in Emergencies (CCCs) in Public Health Emergencies and Humanitarian Crises to ensure a robust, evidence driven public health response in line with the evolution of the outbreak, that meets the needs of the most at risk and the most hard to reach communities.

• Represent UNICEF at national outbreak related for a including the national taskforce, relevant pillar meetings (case management, surveillance), IMST meetings
• In coordination with the chief of health and Health Manager and other sections, support strengthening of partnerships with WHO, Africa/US CDC and others to ensure an optimal UNICEF cross sectoral response
• Provide real time technical support and advice to the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) in responding to urgent emerging public health threats to ensure effective, timely and quality response as may be required
• Based on the identified needs, and in coordination with other UNICEF’s relevant sections – particularly Health, WASH, SBC , Child Protection, and implementing partners, develop and implement strategies and plans to:
• Reach affected populations/communities with culturally appropriate and gender sensitive interventions to mitigate transmission and reduce health risks with reference to both physical and behavioral aspects, through effective contact tracing/case detection and follow up of Ebola case contacts to ensure early detection and referral in affected communities
• In collaboration with MOH, WHO and other partners support the development of simplified protocols, SoPS and guidance as needed/requested
• Undertake any other related responsibility as requested .

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

Education-

• Advanced university degree in Public Health with specialized training on epidemiology and/or disease control.

Work Experience-

• Eight years of professional work experience in public health, with field experience in: coordination, risk assessment, planning, implementation and monitoring of public health interventions for disease control. Areas of expertise should include: data management and analysis; epidemiology & surveillance; International Health Regulations including JEEs/country core capacity assessments.
• Working experience in African countries previously affected by Ebola or Marburg virus disease is essential.
• Excellent planning and coordination skills, with proven ability to work within a team setting, with multiple stakeholders and in a multi-cultural working environment.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience with either the UN, and/or emergency health NGOs.

Language Requirement:-

• Fluency in verbal and written English and/or French (depending on the country office's official language). Knowledge of another UN language or a local language is an asset.
• Good written and spoken skills in the language of the humanitarian operation.

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: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

Drive to achieve impactful results (1)

Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

Works Collaboratively with others (1)

Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)

Innovates and Embraces Change (1)

Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)

Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

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.

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.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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 are also 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.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 3 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: unicef.org