HIV/AIDS Specialist (MNCAH) P3, Yaoundé, Cameroon #16126

The Cameroon CO is recruiting an HIV/Aids Specialist (MNCAH) based in Yaoundé, Cameroon. If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you.

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

UNICEF has been working in Cameroon since 1975 to allow women and children to fully realize their rights to development without restriction, as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF provides financial and technical support to Cameroon across seven areas to fully realize the rights of women and children. These areas include Health, HIV/AIDS, Water-sanitation-Hygiene, nutrition, education, child protection, and social inclusion. The task is immense but not insurmountable; it requires the energy of all stakeholders in Cameroon and out of Cameroon: also, women, men, youth and children, government, technical and financial partners, donors, civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians, communities. Everyone is invited to take part in the struggle to meet the challenges that lie ahead. It is together that we will act for Cameroon, a country that summarizes the challenges and hopes of Africa.

For more information about UNICEF Cameroon, please click here.

How can you make a difference?

The Specialist will report to the Chief Health & HIV/AIDS Section for guidance and general supervision. S/he will also support the development and preparation of the HIV and Maternal Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (MNCAH) Programmes/projects and will be responsible for managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting of progress HIV & MNCAH Programmes/projects. This includes technical support, coordination, integration, evidence generation, and supervision. This encompasses both direct program work with the Government, civil society partners, and contractors as well as linkages and support to UNICEF teams working on health, nutrition, child protection, gender, water, and sanitation.

To make a difference, S/he shall be responsible for following key strategic functions, accountabilities and related duties/ tasks:

1. Support to Programme/project development and planning

Contribute to support the preparation, design and conduct, update of situation analysis and assessments on HIV-related issues to ensure that comprehensive, relevant, and evidence-based data are collected to guide country office HIV programming, monitoring, and delivery of Programme/project services.

2. Programme management, monitoring, and delivery of results

Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators, and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurements to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence, and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector/s in HIV & MNCAH Programmes

3. Networking and partnership-building

Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant sector government counterparts, national stakeholders, and global partners/allies/donors/academia through active networking and advocacy to exchange knowledge/expertise, leverage resources/action, build alliances, and engage the participation of communities in Programme design, delivery, and demand creation.

4. 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 UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices and approaches on HIV & MNCAH related issues to support Programme development planning, management, implementation, and delivery of results.

5. Networking and partnership-building

Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with relevant sector government counterparts, national stakeholders, and global partners/allies/donors/academia through active networking and advocacy to exchange knowledge/expertise, leverage resources/action, build alliances, and engage the participation of communities in Programme design, delivery, and demand creation.

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

• An Advanced University Degree (Master) in public health, pediatric health, family health, health research, global/international health, health policy and/or management, environmental health sciences, biostatistics, socio-medical, health education, epidemiology, or other health-related sciences is required.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in public HIV/AIDS & Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (MNCAH) planning and management and/or in relevant areas of health care, health emergency/humanitarian preparedness, at the international level some of which preferably in a developing country is required. Relevant experience in HIV/AIDS & MNCAH programme/project development and management in any UN system agency or organization is an asset.
• Fluent in French and good working knowledge of English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language 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

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.

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). Government employees who 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.

Cameroon is a beautiful choice for you the female candidate, so we encourage you to apply!

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