Fixed Term: Chief Nutrition, P-5, Islamabad, Pakistan

Contract

This is a P-5 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 10 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 160,427 USD and 201,052 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

UNICEF works in some of the world toughest places, to reach the world most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfil 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, Nutrition!

Pakistan was the sixth country in the world to sign and ratify the Convention on the Rights of the Child, less than one year after it was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1989. However, children and adolescents living in Pakistan still face acute challenges.

UNICEF supports the Government of Pakistan to accelerate progress for children, work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and help children realize their rights under the Convention on the Rights of Children. This will be made through, among others things, strong partnerships with provincial authorities, teachers and health professionals, frontline workers and social mobilisers, communities and families, and of course the children and adolescents themselves.

In particular, UNICEF will work so that:

• Every child survives and thrives -- being in good health, immunized, protected from polio and accessing nutritious food.
• Every child learns.
• Every child is protected from violence and exploitation and registered at birth.
• Every child lives in a safe and clean environment, with access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

To learn more about UNICEF work in Pakistan, please visit the country website www.unicef.org/pakistan and videos on YouTube and Vimeo

The Chief, Nutrition reports to the Deputy Representative for general guidance and direction. The Chief is responsible for managing and supervising all stages of the nutrition programme, from strategic planning and formulation to delivery of results. The Chief is also responsible for leading and managing the Nutrition team. The Chief is accountable for ensuring that concrete and sustainable results in maternal, infant and child nutrition programmes are achieved in accordance with plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM), as well as UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance, and accountability framework. The position also supports the Deputy Representative to coordinate the inter-sectoral team on Early Childhood Development in the office.

To make a difference, the incumbent shall be responsible for following key strategic functions, accountabilities and related duties/ tasks;

1. Managerial leadership

• Establish the section’s annual work plan with the nutrition 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
• Support the Deputy Representative to coordinate the inter-sectoral team on Early Childhood Development in the office

2. Programme development and planning

• Lead and support the planning and updating of the situation analysis to ensure comprehensive and current data on maternal, adolescent and child nutrition is available to guide policy development and design and management of nutrition programmes and projects.
• Keep abreast of development trends to enhance programme management, efficiency and delivery to achieve sustainable, effective and equitable coverage of maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition programme results.
• Engage with Government and partners to build broad based consensus to address malnutrition in country, including leveraging of resources, policy and programmes
• Lead, coordinate and supervise the formulation and design of nutrition programme/project recommendations and related documentations as a component of the Country Programme, establishing clear programme goals, objectives, strategies and results based on results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM).
• Oversee the timely preparation of nutrition programme recommendation to ensure the alignment of nutrition programmes with the overall UNICEF Strategic Plan, Country Programme, and coherence and integration with the UN Sustainable Development Assistance Framework (UNSDF), regional strategies, and national priorities, plans and competencies.
• Lead UNICEF humanitarian action on nutrition, including over-sight guidance to the nutrition sector partners in emergencies
• Consult and collaborate with colleagues and externa; partners to provide technical and operational support on programme planning, management and implementation, and to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programmes/projects with UNICEF Strategic Plans, donors’ development strategies, policies, country level national priorities and competencies, and UN system development interventions and initiatives.
• Provide technical guidance to the office work on Early Childhood Development, including on policy, standards and monitoring approaches and systems

3. Programme management, monitoring and quality control of results

• Coordinate, plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurements to assess and strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results in nutrition programmes.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual health reviews with the 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 and 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, administrative and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations, procedures, standards of accountability and integrity, donor commitments. 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.

4. Advisory services and technical support

• Advise key government officials, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners on policies, strategies, best practices and approaches on nutrition, ECD and related issues to support Programme development planning, management, implementation and delivery of results.
• Participate in strategic programme discussions and planning to provide technical advice, contribute to policy discussions and agendas, and promote health/nutrition interventions, especially in the areas of gender, emergency preparedness and maternal/newborn/child health and nutrition.
• Prepare policy papers, briefs and other strategic Programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration.
• Participate in emergency preparedness initiatives Programme development and contingency planning and/or to respond to emergencies in country or where designated.

5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with nutrition/health sector government counterparts, national stakeholders, global partners, allies, donors, and academia, through active networking, advocacy and effective communication. Build capacity, exchange knowledge and expertise, and/or promote cooperation and alliances to achieve programme goals on maternal and child rights as well as social justice and equity.
• Develop communication and information materials to highlight programme goals, achievements and/or needs to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances and support fund raising for nutrition programmes (maternal, infant and child survival and development).
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on nutrition-related issues to ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNSDF process in development planning and agenda setting. Collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNSDF planning and preparation of nutrition programmes/projects.

6. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Promote critical thinking, innovative approaches and good practices for sustainable nutrition programme/project initiatives through advocacy and technical advisory services.
• Keep abreast, research, benchmark, and implement best and cutting edge practices in health management and information systems. Institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Lead the development of policies and procedures and introduce innovation and best practices to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects.
• Lead, plan and/or implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients and stakeholders to promote sustainable results on health/nutrition related programmes/projects

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or above) in one of the following fields is required: nutrition, public health, nutritional epidemiology, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, policy and/or management, health sciences, nutritional epidemiology, or another health-related science field.
• A minimum of ten years of professional experience in a developing country in one or more of the following areas is required: nutrition, public health, nutrition planning and management, or maternal, infant and child health/nutrition care.
• Experience in health/nutrition programme/project development and management in a UN system agency or organization is an asset.
• Experience working in a humanitarian/ emergency context is an asset.
• Fluency 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 values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

The competencies required for this post are Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (2), Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (3), Works Collaboratively with others (3), Builds and Maintains Partnerships (3), Innovates and Embraces Change (3), Thinks and Acts Strategically (3), Drives to achieve impactful results (3), Manages ambiguity and complexity (3)

View our competency framework at Competency Framework Brochure.pdf

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

Female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Remarks:

• UNICEF is committed to achieving 50/50 gender balance in its staff and at all levels. UNICEF may give priority consideration to suitable female candidates in specific functional areas or positions at the P5 level where women are significantly underrepresented. This position falls under this category
• UNICEF offers attractive wellbeing services: breastfeeding policy, parental and family leave and flexible work.
• Islamabad, Pakistan is a family duty station.
• This position also oversees the office approach to Early Childhood Development
• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.