Health Officer, NO-2, Maseru, Lesotho #57555: (OPEN FOR BASOTHO NATIONALS ONLY)

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Application deadline 2 years ago: Wednesday 19 May 2021 at 21:55 UTC

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Contract

This is a NO-2 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-2 contracts.

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 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,

Lesotho is a small landlocked country with a population of about 2 million of which 38 per cent are children under 18 years. The country is classified as a Lower Middle-Income Country (LMIC). The economy of the country is small. The under-five mortality rate declined from 85 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 76 in 2018. There are high national levels of antenatal care (91 per cent for the first visit) and delivery in a health facility (89 per cent). According to a 2018 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, the proportion of children who received the third dose of pentavalent vaccine increased from 85 per cent in 2014 to 87 per cent in 2018. The proportion of new-born receiving postnatal care within two days of births has also increased from 18 per cent in 2014 to 84 per cent in 2018. The proportion of the population of those who are practicing open defecation has also decreased from 29 per cent in 2014 to 19 per cent in 2018. Lesotho has the second highest HIV prevalence rate in the world. HIV prevalence among children 014 is 2.1 per cent which equates to 13,300 children 0-14 living with HIV in Lesotho. The percentage of children aged 0-14 years living with HIV that are receiving ART has increased from overall 72 per cent in 2017 to 73 per cent in 2019. The percentage of pregnant women living with HIV with lifelong access to ART (Antiretroviral Therapy) for PMTCT (Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission) and for their own health has also increased from 76 per cent in 2017 to 80 per cent to 2019. The mother-to-child transmission rate, including the breastfeeding period, decreased from 13 per cent in 2017 to 11 per cent in 2019 and 4,577 new infant infections were averted through PMTCT from 2017 to 2019.

How can you make a difference?

The efficiency and efficacy of support provided by the Health Officer to programme preparation, planning and implementation facilitates the delivery of concrete and sustainable results that directly impact the improvement of the health of the most marginalized and vulnerable women and children in the country. This in turn contributes to maintaining and enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to continue to provide programme services to protect the rights of children, and to promote greater social equality to enable them to survive, develop and reach their full potential in society.

Purpose of Position

The Health Officer reports to Chief Child Survival and Development for supervision with regular guidance from the HIV/AIDS specialist. Health Officer will support the Health Section in the development, management, implementation, monitoring, evaluation of all MNCAH, HIV/AIDS and related activities. The primary focus of the work will be following all activities related to MNCAH, PMTCT and HIV/AIDS Programs. Health Officer provides professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the programming process within the Country Programme.

1. Support to programme development and planning

Conduct and update the situation analysis for the development, design and management of health related programmes with a focus on MNCH (Maternal, Newborn Child Health), HIV/AIDS including PMTCT and Pediatric AIDS, and adolescent health. Research and report on development trends (e.g. political social, economic, health) for higher management use to enhance programme management, efficiency and delivery of results.

Contribute to the development and establishment of health programme goals, objectives, strategies, and results-based planning through analysis of health needs and areas for intervention and submission of recommendations for priority and goal setting.

Provide MNCH (Maternal, Newborn Child Health), PMTCT, HIV/AIDS and adolescent health technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing and administering a variety of technical programme transactions, preparing materials and documentations, and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support programme planning, results based planning (RBM), and monitoring and evaluation of results.

Prepare required documentations and materials to facilitate the programme review and approval process.

2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss operational and implementation issues, provide solutions, recommendations, and/or to alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level intervention and decisions. Keep record of reports and assessments for easy reference and to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.

Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other counterparts to assess programmes and to report on required action/interventions at the higher level of programme management.

Monitor and report on the use of MNCH (Maternal, Newborn Child Health), HIV/AIDS, including PMTCT and Pediatric AIDS, and adolescent health programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets), and verify compliance with approved allocation and goals, organizational rules, regulations, procedures, as well as donor commitments, standards of accountability, and integrity. Report on issues identified to ensure timely resolution by management and stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.

Collect, compile, clean and analyze data on UNICEF supported MNCH, PMTCT & HIV/AIDS across the first two decades of life and adolescent health & interventions in the country and generate the desired reports and give feedback for corrective actions.

Prepare regular and mandated sectoral programme/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

Track key HIV indicators, including incidence of HIV, treatment among pregnant women, children and adolescents and develop strategies for further decreasing the incidence and the mortalities due to the preventable causes, and increasing access to treatment, care and viral suppression.

3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation

Conduct regular programme field visits and surveys and share information with partners and stakeholders to assess progress and provide technical support and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.

Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners, and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes, and best practices on health-related issues to support programme implementation, operations and delivery of results.

Provide technical support to the government counterparts for promoting the integrated multi-sectoral approaches and combination approaches, for addressing the issues related to MNCH, HIV, adolescent health and nutrition.

4. Networking and partnership building

Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with health sector government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to enhance programme implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to deliver concrete and sustainable results.

Draft communication and information materials for MNCH (Maternal, Newborn Child Health), HIV/AIDS and adolescent health programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances, and support fund raising for health programmes.

Participate in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) on health programmes to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF operational planning and preparation of health programmes/projects, and to integrate and harmonize UNICEFs position and strategies with the UNDAF development and planning process.

Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fund raising and partnership development purposes

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

Identify, capture, synthesize, and share lessons learned for knowledge development and to build the capacity of stakeholders.

Apply innovative approaches and promote good practices to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results.

Assist with oversight of research and ensure results are available for use in knowledge products.

Participate as a resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients and stakeholders.

Develop trainings and Advocacy, Communication & Social Mobilization (ACSM) plans for MNCH and HIV interventions and activities; and facilitate partners in the implementation of plans and monitor ACSM activities in the field for raising awareness

To qualify as a/an [champion or advocate] for every child you will have:

A university degree in one of the following fields is required: medicine, 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.

A minimum of two 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.

Experience above 02 and up to 5 years is considered as an additional asset.

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of the local language will be an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate:

UNICEF values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The functional competencies required for this post are:

Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)

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)

Drives to achieve impactful results (2)

Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)

Functional competencies required for this post are:

Analyzing (2)

Applying technical expertise (2)

Learning and researching (2)

Planning and organizing (2)

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:

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

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