Internal/External vacancy: CAI Research Officer (Team Lead), P-2, Goma, DRC

Contract

This is a P-2 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 2 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 57,661 USD and 78,318 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

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, good health

During the 2018-2020 Ebola outbreak in the DRC, UNICEF led the setup of an integrated, multi-actor social sciences analytics cell (Cellule d’Analyse Intégrée - CAI), which worked alongside the Epidemiological Analysis Cell to be able to provide real time, Integrated Outbreak Analytics. The work of the CAI was to provide rapid understanding of potential causal factors in epidemiological trends, identify secondary impacts of the outbreak and map changing community and public health and healthcare seeking behaviours during and after the outbreak. The study results are aimed to influence response actors, interventions, and strategies. The CAI seeks to use evidence to influence and improve outbreak and public health interventions for greater public health outcomes.

The IOA approach that was led by the DRC CAI, was reviewed, and modelled to support its replication in other public health emergencies across different countries and context. Since, the IOA model has been replicated in the DRC for Ebola, cholera, measles, meningitis, polio and the public health impacts of displacement and conflict (including malnutrition and gender-based violence).

In 2022 the CAI was set up within the National Institute for Public Health (INSP) at national level and in 2023 the first provincial level unit was formalized in North Kivu. The UNICEF CAI team have continued to support the Ministry of Health to apply the IOA approach to address new and recurrent outbreaks. In 2022 this resulted in 281 co-developed and evidence-based actions of which, 91% had been actioned before the end of year.

In 2019-20 the IOA approach was reviewed, and a logic model developed and support other public health emergencies globally. In 2023, It has been adopted as an initiative by Global Outbreak Alerts and Response Network (GOARN); lead by UNICEF, WHO, CDC-Atlanta, IFRC, MSF-Epicentre. The DRC continues to be the lead country to develop IOA and build IOA tools, case studies and lessons learned.

How can you make a difference?

1. Develop and Monitor CAI partnerships

• Oversee partnerships (fiche technique; ToR; SOPs) with the national and international partners, including Ministry of Health at provincial and national level to reinforce CAI operations.
• Work with supply and contractual partners to ensure rapid support do data collectors across the country.
• Ensure reported activities and payments match work produced (supervise and monitor workplan).
• Work with Operations and Supply Sections, as well as with government authorities and other implementing partners, to establish and maintain sound internal controls, to coordinate financial and supply management requirements and ensure accountability.

2. Oversee UGPDSS REDISSE – CAI projects

*Integration and recycling data (reducing burden on households, increasing trust by using partners pre-existing data). (****Academic engagement)*** Support academic testing / evaluation of CAI rapid trends analysis, comparing health risks, health outcomes, displacement (conflict events) and interventions of large scale.

UGPDSS-REDISSE

• Gender and IOA: Supervise REDISSE Gender/Polio consultant – to understand gaps in collection analysis and use of sex and gendered data in polio vaccine surveys and polio data. This is part of a global project (using DRC as lead/ pilot) to understand factors which contribute or limit the collection of sex desegregated and gendered data in public health emergencies and, in polio both the MoH and the GPEI have requested to engage in this work – which include a review of all existing polio vaccination surveys. Oversee weekly workplan and progress against indicators; provide technical capacity and coaching within IOA.
• Monitor Wash associated health trends (diarrhee, typhoid etc.) in the DHIS2 against key indicators (e.g., displacement; surveillance trends etc.) across health zones supported by REDISSE – UNICEF. Work with clusters, MoH surveillance and displacement data to present cluster and partners to reinforce evidence use and action.
• Support monthly provincial-level integrated / holistic risk analysis in hotspot health zones using DHIS trends (CPON1; CPN4; at home delivery; <20 pregnancy), support MoH with requested maps and trends analysis for associated planning.
• Collate recurrent results and information on community health situation (disease risks, services use across multiple types including pre/post-natal care, health data (DHIS2, surveillance) as well as risks data (displacement; conflict etc.) in health areas with REDISSE programming (UNICEF included in detailed monitoring however should be raise das early warning via surveys and should b explored via qualitative (teams have excellent qualitative skills
• Project management: Review and amend tools over time as required; Plan and monitor the implementation of integrated analysis activities for REDISSE projects; Produce CAI reports for REDISSE projects.

3. Monitor the 2024 UNICEF CAI workplan and team planning

• Oversee weekly CAI planning to improve overall CAI efficiency. Work with teams to identify bottlenecks to deadlines and solutions which can be tested. Support manager on reporting. Work with CAI teams to prepare for routine product development (midterm CAI, cholera or provincial level reports).

4. Review MONITO and health trends

Support the CAI monitoring team to review changes in health outcomes or situations by location after codeveloped actions have been completed.

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

Education

A University degree in epidemiology, public health or similar.

Experience required:

• At least 2 years working in humanitarian contexts and with a focus public health operational research or programming using evidence to inform decision-making. Must have skills and experience in using research / evidence generation and use within humanitarian and public health/ outbreak contexts.
• qualitative research skills, managing teams, field epidemiology and report writing
• public health emergencies
• health research in humanitarian or development programs
• using evidence to inform humanitarian / health or wash programming is required.

Experience specifically working in cholera, Ebola, measles is preferred.

Experience within humanitarian operational context is required: public health, epidemiology, or another relevant technical field.

Additional relevant post-graduate courses that complement/supplement social sciences research in health is an asset.

Languages:

Fluency in French is required, and some level of English is preferred. Knowledge of another official UN language or local language of the duty station is considered as an asset.

Technical requirements:

• Operational research /analytics / epidemiology;
• Experience in conducting public health research in humanitarian / emergency context;
• Experience working on operational research/analytics for Cholera, Measles, or Ebola;
• Field Epidemiology; Research and Humanitarian programming;
• Nutrition, WASH, SRH/ GBV, Gender programming in humanitarian context;
• Monitoring and evaluation in humanitarian programs;
• Programme management;
• Knowledge management;
• Human rights and humanitarian programming;
• Gender equality and humanitarian programming.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

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 here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic. 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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

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 are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be cancelled.

All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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.

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.

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