International Consultant: Senior Technical Officer - Public Health Emergency Preparedness and International Health Regulations Strengthening based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 11.5 months (For n

Contract

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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, health

How can you make a difference?

Purpose of the job

Join our team to carryout a variety of technical and program management support for outbreaks, epidemics and pandemics preparedness and strengthening the implementation of International Health Regulations (IHR) by African Union Member States. Provide technical assistance to member states and implementing partners, and coordinate regional and international public health actions, to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

The expert, shall perform the following major duties and responsibilities:

• Support the development of a Pandemic preparedness plan for Member States (MS)
• Develop and recommend frameworks for multisectoral regional pandemic preparedness and response in line with International Health Regulations (IHR).
• Assist in simulation exercises on emergency preparedness jointly with MS and other partners, including WHO
• Support MS in responding to disease outbreaks and other Public Health Emergencies
• Assist in efforts to build the pandemic response capacity of MS and operationalize Emergency Operation Centers (EOC).
• Develop operational guidelines to guide the effective implementation of the PHE division work plan
• Provide technical guidance and supervision to improve emergency response n the region and the continent
• Support capacity development and sustainability of emergency response activities in the region and the continent
• Represent Africa CDC in meeting with MS and partners
• Prepare weekly, monthly and annual reports on PHE PR

Conditions of service:

The selected individual will be seconded by UNICEF to Africa CDC under the partnership framework (2022-2024)

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline

- Work plan and inception report (first 4 weeks of the consultancy)

• Summary of emerging and ongoing public health events including those with cross border impact, with recommendations for Africa CDC focus at continental and regional levels.
• Monthly analytical update on public health risks and emerging events at continental and regional levels.
• Monthly performance reports on remote and/or onsite support to country offices preparedness and/or response efforts.
• Technical onsite and trip/mission reports (as needed)
• Contribute to key continental and regional reports on major public health emergencies as needed.
• Conduct missions to country offices to provide technical assistance for risk assessment, preparedness, and surge support for a PHE response as needed.

Monthly Progress Report, which includes details and deliverables attached as below:

11.5 months

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in in Public Health or a related field from an accredited academic institution
• A minimum of 5 [Five] years of relevant professional experience in in a team management support role with demonstrated involvement in the successful development and management of public health emergency preparedness and response programs
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

Knowledge/Expertise/Skills required

• Strong analytical capabilities
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team and personal qualities of integrity and credibility
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with exceptional attention to details
• Ability to work under pressure, stay on track and meet deadlines
• Analytical and problem-solving abilities
• Proven ability to produce precise and intelligible reports and office briefs in line with the requirements of the African Union.
• Able to operate in a multicultural environment
• High level of autonomy at work, yet with profound team-spirit
• Adaptive, patient, resourceful, resilient and flexible
• Pro-active and solutions-oriented
• Must be conversant with survey design and questionnaire development and with data management programs such as Epi Info, SPSS

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

Core Competencies:

• 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)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

To view our competency framework, please visit 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. Qualified female candidates are highly encouraged to apply.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. The Senior Technical Officer will be based at the Africa CDC Headquarters located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

DSA will not be paid while you are at the base duty station, if you travel for official business outside of the duty station the ticket cost will be covered and applicable DSA will be paid based on UNICEF policy. Travel ticket costs during arrival to duty station and departure are not covered by UNICEF and associated costs should be included in the financial proposal. In addition, visa and related costs shall be covered by the consultant.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.