HIV/AIDS Specialist (Adolescents), NO-3, Lilongwe, Malawi, 364 days, Open to Nationals of Malawi 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’.

The HIV/AIDS Programme in Malawi aims to improve the quality of newborn care and achieve elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and ensure Adolescent Girl and Young Women (AGYW) are equipped with capacity and skills to handle their sexual reproductive health and HIV issues. As HIV Specialist (Adolescents), you will drive and coordinate UNICEF’s support and delivery of an integrated effort at achieving HIV free and healthy newborns, ensuring that there is support for adolescent girls, young women living with HIV, their children and partners.

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 where you will be responsible for planning, implementing, monitoring and managing adolescents HIV and Sexaul Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) work, including support to the global fund technical assistant for AGYW to which UNICEF is an official technical asistance provider.

In your role, you will operate in a matrix management structure, where you will directly and functionally report to the Programme Manager (HIV & RMNH) and technically you will be guided by your matrixed supervisor, Chief of Education & Adolescent Development. This matrixed arrangement will help the Health/HIV section to use the education platform to reach in-school adolescents with HIV and SRHR interventions.

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_TA NOC HIV Specialist (Adolescents) 10 May2022 - signed MS.pdf in order to view the full role and its requirements:

1. You will advocate (including providing policy inputs), engage and coordinate partners/stakeholders on adolescents girls and young women’s access to HIV and sexual reproductive health and rights services, using school, community and health facility platforms.
2. Conceptualise, plan, develop, implement, monitor and report on key adolescents HIV and SRHR program interventions.
3. Create new and maintain existing strategic partners in adolescent HIV and SRHR space including USG partners, UNFPA, WHO, GIZ and government entities.
4. Technical support to the cross-cutting technical working group with respect to HIV programming in schools and communities, including close collaboration with UNESCO on the finalization of the national life skills curriculum with comprehensive sexual education and SRHR components.
5. Effective coordination of adolescent HIV programming between different ministries and departments, i.e. Ministry of Health Department of HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health Unit, Ministry of Education Department of School Health, Nutrition and HIV/AIDS, National AIDS Commission, GFATM Country Coordination Mechanism, United States Government President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief Country Operational Plan and Umoyo Wathu through participation in different forums including technical working groups.
6. Convene and coordinate all platforms/forums/networks of stakeholders implementing the AGYW workplans in line with the NFM3 grant application to the Global Fund.

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

Education****:

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: public health, pediatric health, family health, health research, global/international health, health policy and/or management, environmental health sciences, biostatistics, socio-medical, health education, epidemiology or health related sciences.

Experience:

• A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional work experience is required in experience in adolescent HIV planning and management and/or in relevant areas of health care in a developing country is required.
• Relevant experience in HIV programme/project development and management in any UN system agency organization is an asset.
• Previous experience in adolescents HIV programing under global fund mechanism is considered a strong asset.
• Experience working in a developing country in the area of HIV and SRHR is considered as a strong asset
• Background and/or familiarity with emergency is considered desirable.

Technical knowledge and skills****:

• Specific experience and expertise on national and subnational HIV and Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) programming is essential.
• Specific experience and understanding of adolescents HIV/AGYW programing in Malawi is a strong asset.
• Familiarity with Global Fund and PEPFAR funding and programmes would be an asset.
• Knowledge of adolescent HIV programing using eduction and community platforms is desirable.

Language****:

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

For every Child, you demonstrate...

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

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

To view our competency framework, please visit 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.

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:

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/.

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.

The vacancy announcement is open to all qualifying Malawian candidates – both within UNICEF and outside UNICEF.

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

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.