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Chief Health and Nutrition

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, HEALTH!

How can you make a difference?

The Chief Health & Nutrition will be responsible for the overall management and administration in the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Health & Nutrition programme in the context of child survival and development within the country programme. Accountable for effective technical leadership, management guidance and programme support to facilitate the application and adaptation of UNICEF policies and strategies to achieve programme goals and expansion of UNICEF assisted Health & Nutrition  interventions, including the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.

As head of the Health & Nutritional group, leads, manages, develops and enables a competent team of professional and support staff to achieve the strategic goals and objectives of the Health & Nutrition programme.

The key accountabilities and duties of the incumbent will include:  

1. Timely and quality sectoral analysis, input, support and coordination contribute to the Situation Analysis, its periodic update, and all programme documents to formulate effective Health & Nutrition goals, strategy, and project planning and development.
2. Integrated Health & Nutrition strategies, methodologies and innovative approaches are developed and implemented based on results-based approach and Human Rights framework by broad participation and collaboration with internal and external partnership.
3. Technical support is provided to government and non-government organizations at all stages of the programme cooperation, including capacity building of government personnel and beneficiaries.
4. Monitoring and evaluation of programme performance is properly undertaken for adjustment, acceleration and improvement of program delivery.
5. Work plan and objectives are effectively established, performance is managed, and planned results are timely delivered through exercise of strong programme management leadership.
6. The capacities of Country Office staff are strengthened through effective capacity building programme in the development, implementation and management of Health & Nutrition programme
7. UNICEF and Government accountability is ensured for supply and non-supply assistance and disbursement of programme funds for the sector.
8. Effective partnership and collaboration are achieved and maintained in the advancement of advocacy, technical cooperation, programme coordination, information sharing and knowledge networking.
9. The most relevant and strategic information is provided to support the Health & Nutrition Programme  by the effective implementation of integrated programme monitoring system
10. All required programme reports are timely prepared in compliance with the established guidelines and procedures
11. Emergency preparedness is maintained, and in emergencies, emergency responses with effective coordination are provided.
12. Other assigned duties and responsibilities are effectively accomplished.

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

The following minimum requirements:

Education: An advanced university degree in Public Health and Nutrition (preferably with specialized training in public health and nutrition planning, health and nutrition education, health care system management, HIV/AIDS prevention, immunization, or epidemiology), Child Development, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or other relevant disciplines

Work Experience: Eight years of professional work experience at the national and international levels in planning, programming, implementation monitoring and evaluation of health and nutrition programmes relevant to child survival, health & nutrition care. Professional work experience in a managerial position, or a technical expert position in health, nutrition, and child survival & health care. Developing country work experience and Background/familiarity with Emergency.

Important Notes Regarding This Job and the Required Working Experience: 

1) Candidates who have applied before do not need to apply again.
2) Combination of Health & Nutrition programme experience is a requirement for this position
3) Current or recent experience managing and supervising a medium-sized team is a requirement for this position.

Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic is an asset.

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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

Builds and maintains partnerships, Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, Drive to achieve results for impact, Innovates and embraces change, Manages ambiguity and complexity, Thinks and acts strategically, Nurtures, leads and manages people as well as Works collaboratively with others.

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be 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 canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable [Insert candidates from targeted underrepresented groups] are encouraged to apply.

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

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.