Technical Specialist (Public Health Emergencies), P-4, UNICEF Supply Division, Out posted to Nairobi, Kenya

Contract

This is a P-4 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 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 135,454 USD and 174,640 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, Health

https://youtu.be/wc8tbXb9QRs?si=u3MejzWVvr8Yd5X3

Strategic office context and purpose for the job

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Strategic Office context

UNICEF has a key role to play across the value chain for medical countermeasures (MCMs) and other essential life-saving supplies that are needed for Health Emergency Response and Preparedness (HEPR), given the agency’s multi-sectoral programmatic and supply footprint. In particular, as the largest UN procurement agency with a throughput of almost $7 billion annually, UNICEF Supply Division is able to use its scale and scope to play a unique role to influence markets for novel health, nutrition, and WASH products. Operating in 190 countries, Supply Division is able to serve as a broker between governments, private sector actors, and other global health partners to ensure equitable access to MCMs and other essential life-saving supplies. The agency works to improve equitable access to affordable, acceptable and geographically accessible and quality essential supplies from upstream product development to delivery to end users in low-resource settings.

UNICEF has performed these roles and honed its strategy, partnerships, and operational approaches to respond to public health emergencies (PHEs) including the COVID-19 pandemic, Cholera, Ebola Virus, mpox and Zika Virus multi-country outbreaks, as well as repeated and often more localized outbreaks of polio, measles, yellow fever, and meningitis among others.

Purpose of the Job:

Reporting to the health senior advisor outposted to Geneve and leading Centre for Health Emergency Strategy & Partnerships (CHESP), the technical specialist will support the division efforts to prepare for- and respond to- public health emergencies (PHEs) – striving for equitable access to affordable, acceptable and geographically accessible and quality medical countermeasures. The Technical specialist will be outposted to Nairobi to support the key structural shift in the 2022-25 Supply Division OMP and deliver on the localization agenda through providing technical expertise and coordination including product technical support aiming to overall strengthening of Health Emergency Preparedness and Response in the region and in support to key UNICEF regional initiatives (Africa CDC MOU, Pandemic Pool, and Global Health Initiative (GHI)).

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Coordinate Supply Division public health emergency multisectoral response and preparedness in East Africa.
2. Develop surge PHE technical support for ESR.
3. Develop and review technical supply specifications and requirements to ensure completeness and appropriateness and support local sourcing. Advises requesting offices on technical matters relating to the commodities for public health emergency supplies to support country response. Clarifies inadequate specifications with requesting office, proposing substitute or alternative as necessary.
4. Develop ad hoc country communications materials given evolving public health emergency and related supply stock situations.
5. Collaborate with Programme Group and/or other UN agencies in promotion and improvement in use, availability and appropriateness of product and service.
6. Coordinate the supply function for PHE in field offices by assisting in monitoring and evaluation of supply inputs to UNICEF PHE preparedness and response.
7. Conduct periodical review of the emergency supply list to inform the strategic role for SD PHE team.
8. Develop internal and external partner network around operational supply across all sectors for public health emergencies in the ESAR.
9. Develop strategic data compilation on products needed across all sectors for public health emergency response and preparedness and its supply operations in the region.
10. Conduct market research, provide analyses, background information, recommendations for improving the suitability and range of products within specialized area, resulting in more appropriate equipment, better delivery, and lower costs. Investigate world markets, maintain resource files on a global basis, recommending new areas of purchase.
11. Conduct research, evaluation, and promotion of the development of new technologies when appropriate, to improve response to public health emergencies.
12. Any other duties or assignments as requested by the supervisor.

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

• Education: An advanced university degree in health sciences, nursing, pediatrics, public health or relevant discipline. A completed 1st University Degree (Bachelor’s Degree) health sciences, nursing, pediatrics, public health or relevant discipline along with 10 years of relevant experience, may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree.

  Studies in maternal, new-born and child health will be an asset.

• Experience: Minimum eight years of progressively responsible professional experience in a technical field of health and/or medical device programming or procurement.

  At least three years of progressively responsible professional experience in a technical field of health and/or medical device procurement at the international level.

  Knowledge of medical devices including standards, regulatory requirement and/or essential medical devices in integrated child health services.

  Knowledge of medical devices systems and products, worldwide sources, suppliers and markets.

  Has preferably worked within the UN or a similar organization/NGO

• Language: Fluency in English is required.

  Proficiency in another UN language (Arabic, Russian, French, Spanish, or Chinese) is an advantage.

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. All selected candidates will, therefore, 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.

Remarks:

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

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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). 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.