Health Specialist (Immunization), NO-C, Lilongwe, Malawi #2415 (Open to Malawian Nationals Only)

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.

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, empowerment…

UNICEF Malawi Country Programme (2019-2023) is aligned with the Government of Malawi’s Growth and Development Strategy (MDGS III) and the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). The programme supports the Government of Malawi to meet its commitment to respect, protect and fulfil children’s rights in line with international conventions and standards. The country programme is guided by the principles of children’s rights, equity, gender equality, inclusion and resilience, and supports evidence-based, integrative and innovative programming. The vision is that ‘all girls and boys in Malawi, especially the most disadvantaged and deprived, realize their rights’. The programme focuses on: early childhood (parenting, high-impact social services, early stimulation and learning), middle childhood and adolescence (learning, multi-sectoral services, active citizenship), communities (decentralized services and systems, community ownership, social norms), programme effectiveness (monitoring, evaluation, HACT, Innovation, Social Protection and Social Policy and External Communication. The programme is based on ‘leaving no child behind’, realizing ‘rights for all children in Malawi’.

A critical part of Malawi's Health Programme intends to improve the country's immunization efforts. Providing technical assistance to the Malawian Government in the areas of vaccination strategy planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation will be one of your primary responsibilities as the Health Specialist (Immunization). You will be expected to help design UNICEF priority initiatives to expedite the accomplishment of Effective Vaccine Management objectives, enhance vaccination coverage, and roll-out various immunization campaigns. You will also build and sustain partnerships with key government counterparts, development partners, and other UNICEF colleagues across sectors relevant to the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). This position specifically supports the EPI in terms of Routine Immunization strengthening and new vaccine introductions, Periodic Intensification of Routine Immunization (PIRI), training and capacity building interventions for health workers, and data management capacity in the country.

How can you make a difference?

The Malawi Country Office offers an exciting and rewarding career opportunity for you to join our dynamic Health & HIV team, and more specifically the EPI unit, where you will also be responsible to assist the health and immunization programme from development planning through to results delivery by developing, executing, supervising, and implementing a wide range of technical and administrative programme duties. In your role, you will be under the overall guidance and supervision of Health Specialist (Community Health).

This job therefore presents a unique and significant opportunity for a qualified, vibrant, motivated and committed person to contribute to the overall achievement of transformative results for children with professional excellence and by delivering on the following key responsibility areas, but not limited to - you are however encouraged to read the attached and detailed job description Job Description_Health Specialist Level 3.pdf in order to view the full programmatic role:

• Expansion of cold chain capacity at national and sub-national levels
• Strengthening coordination and vaccine management at central and sub-national levels
• Strengthening the capacity of health care workers and programme managers on vaccine management and logistics, especially at the health facility level
• Support emergency preparedness for vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks at all levels
• Ensure accurate, complete and up to date programme management information is available for effective programme design, implementation, budget preparation, management, and monitoring and reporting

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

Education:

• Advanced university degree in Public Health, Paediatric Health, Child Development, Child Health, Nutrition, Epidemiology, Public Administration, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or other relevant disciplines.

Experience:

• Five years of professional work experience in planning, programming, implementation monitoring and evaluation of Health/Immunization programmes.
• Professional work experience in a technical expert position related to child survival & health care.
• Experience in an interdisciplinary approach in strategic immunization initiatives is essential.
• Knowledge of UN and/or UNICEF’s work in humanitarian action is desirable.
• Experience and proficiency in reports development, research reports, and strategic notes articulation is highly required.

Technical knowledge and skills:

• Knowledge, skills, and experience in community capacity building is an asset.
• Background and/or familiarity with emergency is considered as an asset.

Language:

• Fluency in English and a local language (Chichewa), both strong verbal and written skills, is essential.

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

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness
• Works Collaboratively with others
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships
• Innovates and Embraces Change
• Thinks and Acts Strategically
• Drives to achieve impactful results
• Manages ambiguity and complexity

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

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 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:

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. 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.

The position is not considered an elevated risk role. However, UNICEF reserves the right to conduct further vetting/assessment within the scope of child safeguarding as appropriate.

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/.

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

The vacancy announcement is open to all national Malawian candidates – both internal and external candidates.

UNICEF Malawi is seeking individuals who are motivated to make a real difference and serve the children of Malawi with resourcefulness, resilience, creativity, and professional excellence. Furthermore, applications from suitable female candidates as well as suitable persons living with disabilities are strongly encouraged.