Health Specialist (Maternal, New-born and Child Health)

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Application deadline 1 year ago: Thursday 26 Jan 2023 at 00:00 UTC

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This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

Through a consolidated Child Survival and Development (CSD) programme that encompasses health, nutrition and WASH as well as Birth Registration and evidence generation through data analytics to inform decision making, UNICEF has supported the Government, as primary duty bearer, in meeting its obligations to the rights holders, girls, boys and women. Prior to the outbreak of Ebola virus disease in 2014, from 2005 until 2013 Liberia was just recovering from a long civil war that had its toll on the population. Post-civil war, Liberia was making good progress in reducing U5MR, with an annual reduction rate of 5.5 per cent (nearly double the regional average of 2.8 per cent) and the U5MR declined from 120 to 86 per 1,000 live births in this period, according to the 2013 DHS. In the development sphere, UNICEF has increasingly supported more long-term and sustainable development efforts that include building and strengthening health systems and developing government capacities through Primary Health care system strengthening for delivering of MNCH services, Child friendly Communities and quality of care for mothers and their new-born. For MNCH and emergency interventions delivery, UNICEF has utilized the health facility, outreaches and community structures with the Community health Assistants and Supervisors as great assets to reach remote communities with health care and information. UNICEF Liberia ensures integrating recovery and resilient development components of the programme where relevant. In several parts of the country, UNICEF Liberia is in the process of strengthening its profile with a strong field presence to result in the achievement of concrete results benefitting millions of children. The overall vision of the health programme is supporting national efforts for the reduction of under-five (including neonatal) and maternal morbidity and mortality, girls, boys, adolescents and women, especially those who are marginalized and/or living in humanitarian conditions to have access to and utilize evidence-based, high-impact quality maternal, neonatal, child, adolescent health and HIV interventions, and thus survive, thrive and develop to their full potential. The programme will contribute to Liberia’s efforts towards SDG 3, ensure healthy lives, SDG 5, gender equality and women’s empowerment and SDG 10, reduced inequalities. The approach is aligned to Goal Area 1 of the UNICEF Strategic Plan (2018-21).

This Health Specialist position will be based in Monrovia, Liberia at the UNICEF Country office within the Child Survival and Development Section under the supervision of the Health Manager. The UNV Health Specialist will contribute to the strengthening of the maternal, newborn and child health service delivery including HIV and emergency response in Liberia. The UNV Health Specialist will be working closely with the Government in humanitarian response planning and with NGOs in several counties to strengthen MNCH service delivery

Under the direct supervision of Health Manager who provide general guidance and supervision the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

  1. Support to programme development and planning

 Support and contribute to the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis of women and children in Liberia for development, design, and management of health-related programmes.  Keep abreast of development trends to enhance programme management, efficiency and delivery.  Participate in strategic programme discussions on the planning of health programmes.  Formulate, design and prepare a sector of the health programme proposal, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, the Country Programme, as well as coherence/integration with the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), regional strategies, and national priorities, plans and competencies.  Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies, and to determine national priorities and competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results.  Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes to ensure integration, coherence and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated.

  1. Provide technical support for programme management, monitoring and delivery of results for health programming

 Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews  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/projects 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 offi-cials for timely resolution.  Prepare regular and mandated programme/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

  1. Technical and operational support to programme implementation  Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, on health-related issues to support programme development planning, management, implementation and delivery of results.  Participate in discussions with national partners, clients and stakeholders to promote health and development issues, especially in the areas of gender, emergency preparedness, maternal and neonatal health, and child survival and development.  Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and consideration.  Participate in emergency preparedness initiatives for programme development, con-tingency planning and/or to respond to emergencies in country or where designated.

  2. Innovation, knowledge sharing and reporting

 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 MNCH programme results.  Keep abreast and conduct at least one research to provide evidence for implementation of best and cutting-edge practices in health.  Assess, institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.  Provide a monthly written report on progress of workplan, performance indicators, budget execution for MNCH program supported

☒ Commitment and Motivation ☒ Commitment to Continuous Learning ☒ Communication ☒ Creativity ☒ Empowering Others ☒ Ethics and Values ☒ Integrity ☒ Judgement and Decision-making ☒ Knowledge Sharing ☒ Planning and Organizing ☒ Professionalism ☒ Respect for Diversity ☒ Self-Management ☒ Technological Awareness ☒ Working in Teams

one or more of the following areas is required: public health/nutrition planning and management, community health, maternal and neonatal health care, or health emergency/humanitarian preparedness and response.  Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset  Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.  Demonstrate interest in result-based management (RBM), monitoring and evaluation, statistics, and research methodology

Liberia, Africa's oldest Republic, is located at the western edge of the continent, on the Atlan-tic coast between Sierra Leone and Côte d'Ivoire. The population of Liberia is approximately 4.5 million and contains about 16 different ethnic groups. A large percentage of Liberia’s population live in the capital. The Specialist will be based in Monrovia the capital city of Liberia. The climate features a wet season and a dry season, but precipitation is seen even during the dry season. Temperatures remain constant throughout the year averaging around 26.4 °C (79.5 °F). Some visitors may feel cold during the day and evenings in the rainy season; also, most rooms are air-conditioned, so it is suggested that appropriate clothing (light sweater or jacket) be brought along.

The country is generally safer, except for petty crimes, especially in the cities. It is mandatory to complete the United Nations Security course BSAFE. The current UN security level for Liberia is level 2. Upon arrival in the country, all UN staff receive a security briefing from UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) . Security recommendations from UNDSS must be followed by all UN Staff and UN Volunteers during their assignments in Liberia.

In Monrovia, apartment-type accommodation can be found in areas such as Mamba Point and Sinkor. These are of various standards and usually come furnished with water and electricity and security guards, in compliance with UN security requirements. Prices are negotiable. The UNV Field Unit Liberia connects arriving volunteers to furnished MORSS compliant property owners. The Field Unit supports incoming volunteers to identify suitable accommodation prior to arrival. There are hotels and guesthouses in various county capitals that are comfortable and furnished with facilities such as wi-fi, laundry service, electricity, and security. There are variety of sports outfits in hotels and other accommodations for privacy. This includes gyms, swimming pools, tennis/basketball courts and stadium reserved for football. A gym is also available at the One UN House for all categories of staff based on the presentation of the UN ID Card.

The US dollar is widely used and can be exchanged with the Liberian dollar (exchange rate as of March 2021: 1 US$ = 170 Liberian dollar). Credit cards and traveller’s checks are not commonly accepted but there are several cash machines/ATMs in Liberia that take visa cards.

Added 1 year ago - Updated 8 months ago - Source: unv.org