Health Officer, NO-B/TA, 364j, Antananarivo, Madagascar

Entry Medical & Health Programme & Policy

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’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, a hope

Madagascar faces major health challenges. Respiratory infections, diarrheal disease, malaria, malnutrition, maternal and neonatal mortality, poor hygiene and sanitation, and limited water infrastructure are a burden on Madagascar’s families, its communities, its health system, and the economy. With limited access to basic health services, every day 100 Malagasy children die primarily from common and preventable illnesses and 10 Malagasy women die from complications related to pregnancy and childbirth. The country’s high maternal mortality rate has essentially remained unchanged for more than two decades. Across Madagascar utilization of health services is low; over the past several years, use of health services has remained at about one-third, the key reasons being cost of and distance to services.

Despite significant progress towards achieving its Millennium Development Goals, Madagascar was unable to meet many of its targets. The Government of Madagascar has identified community health as a priority for improving health outcomes and is therefore updating its National Community Health Policy and Strategy. At the institutional level, Madagascar has a National Community Health Policy (PNSC) document in 2009 and updated in July 2017. Working in many of Madagascar’s 22 regions, 119 districts, 1579 communes, 17,485 fokontany (here “villages”), and 121,679 localities, many CHWs receive a small income from socially marketed products.

The support for CHWs and their integration into health systems and communities are uneven across and within Madagascar; good-practice examples are not necessarily replicated and policy options for which there is greater evidence of effectiveness are not uniformly adopted. There is a need for evidence-based guidance on optimal health policy and system support to optimize the performance and impact of these health workers

With support from UNICEF, Madagascar has undergone a wide and representative process of consultations with stakeholders and come up with important reforms that will surely improve community based PHC going forward. The Community health Operational Model provides a comprehensive approach to implementing integrated health and nutrition service at community level, with key focus on the capacity building and supervision, community information and supply systems, governance, legislation, and coordination. This reforms also addresses weaknesses related to policy options, harmonization, and uniformity in implementation.

The purpose of this assignment is to provide quality technical support to key ministries and other partners for piloting the National Community Health operational model. In this support, accountability mechanisms will be established at decentralized levels to facilitate the delivery of an integrated community-based package of promotive, preventive and basic curative health, nutrition, WASH, HIV, communication for behavior change and ECD services to the communities focusing on the hard to reach and vulnerable communities.

How can you make a difference?

1. Support the MoH to implement the pilot of the community health operational Model

▪ Guide and ensure quality implementation of the CHOM, including the package of integrated high impact essential MNCH services.

▪ Coordinate the piloting of the recently developed CHOM amongst the 09 implementing districts across two regions as well as amongst partners, supporting harmonized implementation plans, tools and job aids as required. Support the regional training bureau (BRF) in organizing capacity building for all actors (CHW, CHW supervisors, CHW trainers, CHW competency assessment and certification) in community health at given frequencies as outlined in the operational model.

▪ Develop and oversee implementation research around sustainable mechanisms for renumerating CHW in efforts to generate evidence and advocacy for national budget inclusion revitalize or establish multi-sectoral coordination mechanisms, either developing TOR, facilitating TWG or examining the opportunities of linking existing community-based platforms either through UNICEF programming or

across partners.

▪ Map out all Community health Actors in Pilot regions as the basis for the digitization of the community health information system (CHIS) and service delivery platform.

▪ Support MOH and stakeholders in developing/updating any missing core normative and process documents, including interoperability mechanisms between various government and community groups/structures

▪ Put in place functional and self-sustained accountability mechanisms at regional level including social accountability mechanisms at community level- community dialogue groups, including young people and women groups, using data and information from the digital CHIS

▪ Ensure capacity building of community actors:

o Conduct regular practical and in-service skills training through mentorship and coaching skills in the workplace;

o Production of easy community health worker tools/job-aids; training on formative supervision at all levels.

o Ensure community newborn care, particularly the curative newborn care is initiated and integrated in the community system

o Support quarterly reviews of Programme Performance at village and Commune levels in selected districts

o Support the development of concept notes and funding proposals for community health programmes and manage any related programme performance indicators

o Develop annual and mid-year reports for community health programmes at regional level

o Document best practices on community programmes as relevant

o Support Child Survival Programme for any other needs as required.

2. Programme management, monitoring, and delivery of results

▪ 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 for community health programmes.

▪ Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with the government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.

▪ Prepare and 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.

▪ Actively monitor programmes through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks, potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.

▪ Monitor and verify the optimum and appropriate use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative, and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity, ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources.

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

3. Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with health sector government counterparts, national stakeholders, as well as global partners, allies, donors, and academia. Through active networking, advocacy, and effective communication, build capacity and exchange knowledge and expertise to facilitate the achievement of programme goals on child rights, social justice and equity.

• Prepare communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances, and support fund raising for health programmes (maternal, neonatal and child survival and development).

4. Technical and operational Social and Behavior Change (SBC) support

• Collaborate with internal CO colleagues to contribute to the development of strategies, approaches,policies and the planning of SBC initiatives in support of programs/projects implementation and delivery of results, including humanitarian response.

• Participate in budget planning and management of program funds and prepare financial plan for SBC initiatives. Monitor/track the use of resources as planned and verify compliance with organizational guidelines, rules and regulations and standards of ethics and transparency.

• Implement innovative practices, approaches and latest technology on multiple media and social/digital platforms and networks for SBC that are appropriate/available for the CO context and audience.

• Institutionalize/share best practices and knowledge learned/products with national/local partners and stakeholders to build capacity of practitioners and disseminate these products to key audiences including donors and partners.

• Organize/implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders/partners (government and non-government) in SBC planning, implementation, and evaluation in support of programs/projects including in humanitarian settings.

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

▪ Apply and introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders, and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable program results.

• Keep abreast and conduct research to provide evidence for implementation of best and cutting-edge practices in health.

• Assess, institutionalize, and share best practices and knowledge learned.

▪ Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programs and projects.

• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of stakeholders to promote sustainable results on health-related programs.

Impact of Results

The efficiency and efficacy of support provided by the Health Specialist to Community health program 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 program 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.

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

• A 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.

• 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. With additional years of experience, candidates with an undergraduate degree may be considered.

• Good understanding of health system and community health and community system, MNCH, knowledge of primary health care and health in developing countries is required

• Good knowledge of the application of the equity lens and human rights perspectives to programming is

  desirable;

• Good ability to support translation of analytical findings and evidence into a cohesive programming is desirable;
• Excellent communication (writing and oral), negotiation, and other human relation skills is required;
• Excellent ability to collect, aggregate, analyze and use data for decision making is required with good computer literacy expected in Word, Excel and Power Point.
• Excellent oral and written communication and report & proposal writing skills is required.
• Fluency in French is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (English) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (CRITA) 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…

▪ Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)

▪ Works Collaboratively with others (1)

▪ Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)

▪ Innovates and Embraces Change (1)

▪ Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)

▪ Drive to achieve impactful results (1)

▪ Manages ambiguity and complexity (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 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.

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 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:

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

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.

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.

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