Health Specialist – Emergencies (Cholera Coordination) – P4  

UNICEF Zambia is urgently looking for a talented, motivated and self-driven candidate to fill the position of Health Specialist to support the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) to design, development, planning, monitoring, and reporting of the implementation of cholera outbreak responses in line with Zambia’s Multisectoral Cholera Elimination Plan (MCEP).

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.

UNICEF Zambia is a medium-sized Country Office, with just over 100 staff. The Country Programme 2023-2027 promotes the rights of every child and reaches the most disadvantaged children in Zambia. UNICEF works with the Government of the Republic of Zambia to improve social policies and systems, and on the ground to make sure that these systems reach all children, with a particular emphasis on the most vulnerable.

The UNICEF Programme of Cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) is designed to address and mitigate the threat of poverty the country’s children face while responding to the needs with interventions addressing the multiple causative factors.

To find out more about UNICEF’s work in Zambia, please visit 

For every child, Health

The UNICEF Programme of Cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ) is designed to address and mitigate the threat of poverty the country’s children face, while responding to the needs with interventions addressing the multiple causative factors.

To find out more about UNICEF’s work in Zambia, please visit

How can you make a difference?

Under the overall direction and guidance of the Chief of Health and HIV Section, the Health Specialist Emergencies (Cholera) will support the Ministry of Health (MoH) and Zambia National Public Health Institute (ZNPHI) to design, development, planning, monitoring, and reporting of the implementation of cholera outbreak responses in line with Zambia’s Multisectoral Cholera Elimination Plan (MCEP). The incumbent will, specifically, support MoH and ZNPHI to strengthen the cholera case management through setting-up of community-based Oral Rehydration Points (ORPs) and the Cholera Treatment Centres (CTCs) with attention to paediatric case management; advising on referrals from communities and ORPs to CTCs; supporting micro-planning and preparation for Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV) campaign; and collaborating with WHO, US-CDC, Africa-CDC, and other health cooperating partners to strengthen the coordination and management of cholera Incident Management System (IMS) led by MoH and ZNPHI.

Key function, accountabilities, and related duties/tasks

Programme Design, Development and Planning

• Support and contribute to the preparation, design and updating of the on-going cholera situation analysis (e.g., weekly situation reports) to establish a strategic plan for development, design, and management of health-related interventions. Keep abreast of recent trends to enhance programme management, efficiency, and delivery.
• Participate in strategic programme discussions on the planning and management of health sector response to cholera outbreak, , noting that children are disproportionately affected. Formulate, design, and prepare health sector response and accompanying programme proposals and reports, ensuring alignment with the Government response and health sector priorities and plans.
• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies, and to determine priorities and competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete results.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes to ensure integration, coherent linkages, and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors (WASH, SBC, and Nutrition) and achievement of results as planned and allocated.

Programme management, monitoring, and delivery of results

• Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators, and other indicators and measurements to assess and strengthen performance accountability, coherence, and delivery of concrete and sustainable results on cholera outbreak response.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises to actively monitor cholera outbreak response interventions and activities through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks, potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Monitor and verify the optimum and appropriate use of resources (financial, administrative, and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity, ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
• Prepare regular and mandated programme/project reports, including situation reports, for management, donors, and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

Technical and operational support to programme implementation

• Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes, and best practices and approaches on health-related issues to support programme development planning, management, implementation, and delivery of results.
• Draft relevant strategic and programme materials for management use, application and information with attention to planning and/or responding to the cholera outbreak ? with attention to children (e.g., paediatric case management).
• Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of stakeholders to promote sustainable results on health-related programmes/projects.

Networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with health sector/cluster government counterparts, national stakeholders, as well as global partners, allies, and donors. Through active networking, advocacy, and effective communication, build capacity and exchange knowledge and expertise to facilitate the achievement of programme goals with attention to children and equity.
• Prepare communication and information materials for programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances, and support fund raising.
• Represent UNICEF in appropriate sector/cluster discussions and planning on cholera health-related issues, ensuring organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated into relevant planning and agenda setting.

Please review the details in the attached job Profile for the position: ToR_TA_Zambia_Health Specialist Emergencies (plus Cholera Coordination)_26 Jan 2024.pdf

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

• An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: public health/nutrition, paediatric health, family health, health research, global/international health, health policy and/or management, environmental health sciences, biostatistics, socio-medical, health education, epidemiology, or another relevant technical field
• A minimum of eight years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: public health/nutrition planning and management, maternal and neonatal health care, or health emergency/humanitarian preparedness.
• Experience working in a developing country is required.
• Solid experience leading/managing responses to public health emergencies (like cholera) is required.
• Experience with paediatric case management would be an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as 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 competencies required for this post are?

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

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 promoting 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 to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
• 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.
• 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

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

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