Health & Nutrition Specialist, NOC FT - Gao & Kayes au Mali

Mid Medical & Health Programme & Policy

Contract

This is a NO-3 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-3 contracts.

1. Context and rationale

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.

In Mali, children under 5 represent 17 per cent of the 19.8 million inhabitants. With a demographic annual growth rate of 3.6 per cent, the under-5 population is expected to reach 4.6 million children in 2030. While some results have been achieved in the past years, children under 5 continue to face challenges that affect their survival, development and thrive. In terms of vulnerability, children under five still suffer from multiple deprivations with 3.3 million children living with 3 deprivations. Children suffer from deprivations in nutrition, protection, and safe drinking water, sanitation and hygiene services. Furthermore, the insecurity and worsening conflict affecting the country limit the improvement and sustainability of social services provided to children under 5.

Moreover, the child mortality is not behind, under five mortality has increased by 6 points from 2012 and 2018 (101‰). Subsequently, newborn mortality represented 61 per cent of under one-year mortality and 33 per cent of under-five mortality in Mali in 2018. Newborn mortality rate is higher in young mothers below the age of 20 in a context of high adolescent fecundity (151‰). Regarding, the maternal mortality, it remains a serious public health problem. Maternal mortality is at 325 per 100,000 live- births and one in fifty women is at risk of dying from maternal causes during her life span.

According to the Mali’s Investment Case on maternal, newborn and child care , child mortality is predominantly linked to three main causes: i) neonatal (33 per cent), ii) malaria (24 per cent), and iii) vaccine preventable diseases (22 per cent). Malnutrition however is the underlying causes of 30 per cent child mortality in Mali. In addition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene related diseases are underlying causes of 43 per cent of the child mortality. For newborn mortality, asphyxia and septicemia represent respectively 27 per cent and 24 per cent of the causes. As for maternal mortality, the main causes are pre- and post-natal hemorrhages (42%), followed by pre-eclampsia (26%). Other indirect causes of maternal mortality are respectively malaria (56%) and anemia (30%). Moreover, there is no significant variations in the child mortality rates in emergency and non-emergency affected regions.

The nutritional status of under-five children remains precarious and progress over the past decades have been mixed, with boys generally more affected by malnutrition than girls. Indeed, the prevalence of anemia in this age group has remained stagnant at more than eighty per cent since the early 2000s (DHS Mali 2001 to 2018). Between 2012 and 2018, the prevalence of stunting among children aged 0 to 59 months decreased from 38 per cent to 27 per cent. However, this overall progress conceals important regional and sociodemographic disparities (e.g. 28 per cent among boys vs. 25.7 among girls and three times as high in lowest quintile as in highest quintile). This represents a 21 percent reduction towards the 2025 target of 40 percent reduction in the number of stunted children (DHS, 2018). Wasting remains high, at 9 per cent (DHS, 2018) and affects more boys (10.3 per cent) than girls (7.6 per cent). Case management of child malnutrition continues to be a challenge linked to limited community mobilization. The 2015 coverage surveys report only 27% of SAM children reached.

There is regional disparity and inequity in terms of vulnerability of children between 0 to 5 years according to 2018 MODA report, ---

UNICEF Country Programme 2020-2024 has five key programmatic shifts that will help achieving key results for children in Mali: i) the Programme will be structured based on the life cycle approach with all interventions organized according to the specific needs of children from the conception up to the second decade (age of 18 years) including empowerment and participation; ii) the holistic and intersectoral approach for key results for children; iii) the links between humanitarian and development interventions continuum ; iv) the central role of adolescent girls and boys as a transformation agents, including their empowerment and participation and v) strengthening systems in an integrated way at the community level.

The pillar 1 vision of UNICEF Country Programme 2020-2024 is that by 2024, all children under 5 years in Mali, particularly the most disadvantaged / deprived and those living in hard-to-reach areas, live in a safe environment promoting, protecting, respecting and realizing their rights to survival, development and thrive. By 2024, young girls and boys (0–5 years of age), particularly the most disadvantaged/ deprived and hard-to-reach, will be immunized, well nourished, healthy (treated against common illnesses), protected, registered at birth, and prepared for school, including in humanitarian situations

These key results will be achieved in collaboration with the Government of Mali, in conjunction with other UN agencies (common chapter, UN reform), civil society organizations and community groups.

For every child, hope

The Health & Nutrition Specialists (NOC) in Gao and Kayes work under the direct supervision of the Chiefs Field Office of Gao and Kayes. With the technical oversight of the Bamako Health & Nutrition section, they will be accountable for providing quality and integrated support for the improvement of routine immunization, the roll out and continuity of quality of Maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition interventions at primary health care level. It also implies a support for the implementation of preventive, curative and promotional interventions both in humanitarian and development context as well across the continuum of health service delivery platforms, with focus on community system. Multisectoral and innovative approaches will be promoted.

How can you make a difference?

1. Key Accountabilities, Duties and Tasks

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primary, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results.

1.1. Timely sectoral analysis, input and support contribute to the Situation Analysis and its periodic update for effective project planning, development, and management:

o Contributes to the preparation of the Situation Analysis by compiling, analyzing and evaluating information and providing the technical input and support to Health & Nutrition interventions and its periodic update.

o Prepares sectoral input to the Country Programme Document and all related documents (e.g., Country Programme Recommendation, Plans of Action, Country Programme Summary Sheet).

o Contributes to the consultation and coordination with key partners at all levels.

o Identify bottlenecks in the synergistic implementation of activities, and included in gender and gender mainstreaming, and propose solutions.

1.2. Quality technical contributions are made to the development and implementation of Integrated Health & Nutrition strategies and approaches through participation and collaboration with internal and external partnership:

o Works with other UNICEF sectors, particularly Health, Nutrition, CSD, HIV/AIDS, WASH and programme communication to ensure integration of the Health & Nutrition programme with other sectors.

o Contributes to build on intersectoral experience and establish partnerships to promote innovative approaches to address immediate and underlying determinants of maternal, newborn and child health and nutrition, recognizing that health and nutrition outcomes are not the results of action in the health and nutrition sectors alone.

o Participates with UNICEF, Government, non-government organizations (NGOs) and other partners in the development of strategies and approaches relating to Health & Nutrition.

o Monitors status to ensure achievement of strategic results in line with agreed Annual and Country Programme objectives and adopts corrective action to meet programme/project objectives.

o Contributes to the development, update and implementation of Health strategy in regional COVID response Plan Ensures follow-up and coordination of the implementation of the work plan with the CBZ and the Gender Working Group (Gender Focal Points).

o Contributes to the identification and introduction of new approaches, methods and practices in project management for improving programme delivery with emphasis on sustainability of intervention and community participation.

1.3.Work plan and objectives are strategically established, implementation support is effectively provided, and planned results are timely delivered through application of technical expertise:

o As functional leader of the Health & Nutrition group, exercises technical and programme management leadership for the development and implementation of the results-based sectoral work plan and objectives as well as for administration and monitoring of sectoral project activities, consistent with the defined project strategic priorities and approaches.

o Ensures objectives and targets are timely achieved, through full coordination between activities and collaboration with implementing partners, by providing guidance and support to staff of Health & Nutrition.

1.4.Project implementation progress is monitored and evaluated for adjustment, acceleration and improvement of program delivery and sustainability:

o Undertakes field visits to monitor programmes, as well as participates in periodic programme reviews with government counterparts and other partners. Identifies necessary action for programme adjustments.

o Provides technical advice and support to government officials and implementing partners in the planning and management of the Health & Nutrition interventions and ensures their sustainability.

o Support maintenance of information system for monitoring gender sex aggregated data.

1.5.Technical support is provided to government and NGOs at various stages of the project implementation, monitoring and evaluation, including capacity building of government personnel and beneficiaries:

o Provides technical support to government and NGOs in the planning, development, implementation, and evaluation stages of the programmes/projects.

o Identifies training needs; designs and conducts training and orientation activities for government personnel and beneficiaries and other relevant partners, for the purpose of capacity building, sustainability of programme/projects and expansion of coverage of services.

o Strengthen existing and establish new strategic partnership for influencing Health, HIV and Nutrition policies and actions at regional and district level

1.6.The capacities of Country Office staff are strengthened through effective capacity building support in the development, implementation and management of the Health & Nutrition programme:

o Designs and implement a staff training/development programme to upgrade the capacity of the Country Office staff with regard to competencies for technical requirements as well as for the programme development, implementation and management of Health & Nutrition programme.

o Conducts relevant orientation, workshop, training, and staff learning/development activities, including relying on technical partnership with collaborating agencies to provide state –of the –art -technical information to staff.

1.7.UNICEF and Government accountability is ensured for supply and non-supply assistance and disbursement of programme funds for Health & Nutrition:

o Coordinating with Operations and Supply staff on supply and non-supply assistance activities, ensures UNICEF, Government partner and all implementing partners accountability.

o Certifies disbursements of funds, ensuring those activities are within established plans of action and programme budget allotments; and to orientate and train Government and UNICEF implementing partners in UNICEF supply and non-supply policies and procedures.

o Monitors the overall allocation and disbursement of programme funds, making sure that funds are properly coordinated, monitored, and liquidated.

o Submits financial status reports to management in compliance with the regulations and guidelines.

1.8.Effective working relationships with internal and external counterparts are kept maintained for advocacy, technical coordination, information sharing and knowledge networking:

o Coordinates activities and exchanges information and knowledge with other programmes to contribute to achievement of overall country programme objectives.

o Builds up effective monitoring, knowledge database/network and reporting systems to ensure the availability of current and accurate programme information/data, and contributes to the development of communication materials and strategies to support advocacy and community participation for Health & Nutrition; and to widen partnership with all stakeholder at national, regional , district, community and household levels as well as with funding partners including the private sector in order to accelerate achievement of Health and Nutrition related MDGs goals.

o Facilitates partnership and collaboration with external counterparts, including those of the UN and national partners, to improve the ability to collect and disseminate relevant data, and to exchange information on programme/project development and implementation.

o Facilitates exchange of knowledge, information, experience and lessons learned.

I.9. Relevant and strategic information is kept available to support the Health & Nutrition Programme by the effective implementation of an integrated monitoring system.

o In collaboration with monitoring and evaluation and program communication colleagues, conducts accurate and timely monitoring and data collection, and supports an integrated monitoring system, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

o Coordinates with partners to ensure that monitoring systems are properly designed, and that data collection and analysis from field visits are coordinated and standardized across programmes to feed into to programme performance monitoring.

o Provides assistance for evaluation exercises, programme mid-term review, annual sector review and preview meetings with Government counterparts and all other relevant partners.

o Analyses and evaluates monitoring data, ensures achievement of objectives, and proposes corrective measures as appropriate.

1.10.****Required programme/project reports are timely prepared in compliance with the established guidelines and procedures.

o Contributes to the timely preparation of annual sector status reports and shares information with relevant partners as required in compliance with the established guidelines and procedures.

o Participates in the preparation of all programme reports for management, Board, donors, budget reviews, programme analysis, and annual reports.

1.11. Emergency preparedness is maintained, and in emergencies, emergency responses with effective coordination are provided.

o Supports emergency preparedness plan relating to Health & Nutrition. In case of emergency, assists in monitoring and assessing the nature and extent of the emergency in the assigned area, as required. Provides assistance to the Country Office in identifying where support is required. In line with the Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) in Humanitarian Action, strengthens partnerships with the Health and Nutrition humanitarian actors s within the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC).

o Ensure technical leadership for the contribution to health response and resilience - disease outbreaks (Polio, measles) response in affected districts of the region

o Contribute to the preparation of emergency strategic response documents (Health Cluster Plan and Reports, COVID Response Plan) including the country office monthly SitRep …)

1.12. Other assigned duties and responsibilities are effectively accomplished.

Assumes any other duties and responsibilities assigned as appropriate to the purpose of this post, and delivers the results as required.

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

• Advanced university degree in Public Health and Nutrition, Child Development, Water Sanitation, Community Development, or other relevant disciplines.
• Five years of professional work experience at the national and international levels in planning, programming, implementation monitoring and evaluation of technical cooperation programmes related to Health and Nutrition. Professional work experience in a managerial position, or a technical expert position in child survival & development, health and nutrition care.
• Developing country work experience or field work experience.
• Background/familiarity with Emergency.
• Fluency in French and English is required. Knowledge of the local language of the duty station is an asset

3. Additional requirements & Experience

For every Child, you demonstrate…

. UNICEF’ values and competency Required (based on the updated Framework)

i) Core Values

• Care
• Respect
• Integrity
• Trust
• Accountability

ii) Core Competencies

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Innovates and embraces change
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others
• Nurtures, leads, and manages people

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.

Remarks:

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.

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Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: unicef.org