Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist, P-3, Polio Eradication Programme, Nairobi, Kenya

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.

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For every child, Health

By reaching the most underserved communities with the polio vaccine, UNICEF is realizing the rights of the most excluded children and preventing girls and boys from being paralyzed. Within the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), UNICEF maintains a leading role in the areas of strategy development, strategic oversight, vaccine procurement, technical assistance in vaccine management, communication and social mobilization, social data, monitoring, and evaluation. The GPEI seeks to ensure that future generations of children will be free from the threat of polio paralysis. Achieving this goal depends on ensuring rapid and effective responses to poliovirus outbreaks in polio-free countries. Polio eradication continues to be an organizational priority and is a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The number of polio outbreaks has far exceeded global expectations in recent years. UNICEF is scaling up support to ensure countries have the resources to be prepared and respond in our areas of accountability.

The polio Outbreak Workstream of the UNICEF Global Polio Team provides oversight, quality assurance, technical assistance, and knowledge management to country offices. It places particular emphasis on communication for social and behavior change and vaccine management within the outbreak response and preparedness context.

How can you make a difference?

Under the guidance of the Emergency Specialist, Outbreak Response, Nairobi, and SBC Specialist (M&E), Polio Eradication Programme, New York, and in active partnership with the Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBC) and Vaccine Management (VM) teams and RO/CO/HQ colleagues, the incumbent will contribute to enhance UNICEF’s capacity for data-driven decision-making in polio outbreak response areas, ensuring timely and accurate data analysis to support Outbreak Response and Preparedness Group, SBC, and VM strategies.
This position will focus on providing technical guidance and support to the Outbreak team in developing data collection tools, addressing data quality challenges, and establishing standardized data systems. Additionally, the position will utilize advanced data analysis methods to extract meaningful insights from polio outbreak data, develop interactive dashboards, and translate data-driven insights into actionable recommendations. Furthermore, they will facilitate data sharing and collaboration with partners, support reporting systems, and contribute to knowledge management efforts.

Reporting Structure and Matrix Management

The M & E Specialist will report to two supervisors in a matrix management structure. The Emergency Specialist, Outbreak Response, Nairobi will provide functional guidance and the SBC (M&E) Specialist, Polio Eradication Programme, New York will provide technical guidance to the position. The incumbent will work in active partnership with the SBC and VM CO/RO/HQ colleagues, ensuring alignment and coordination across different levels of the organization. The incumbent will be expected to balance the demands and requirements of both supervisors, demonstrating flexibility, adaptability, and strong communication skills.

Key accountabilities and tasks include the following:

Technical Guidance and Support on Data Management 

• Provide technical guidance and support to the Outbreak team at HQ, ROs, and COs in the development of effective data collection tools, ensuring alignment with global standards and best practices.
• Collaborate with the Outbreak team to identify and address data quality and management challenges, ensuring the reliability and integrity of data used for polio outbreak response.
• Provide technical guidance on the development of a standardized system for data collection, collation, and compilation from various sources, supporting the SBC and VM workstreams in their data-driven decision-making.

Data analysis and visualization 

• Utilize advanced data analysis methods to extract meaningful insights from polio outbreak data on various platforms, including trend analysis, risk assessment, and identification of high-risk areas.
• Develop and maintain interactive dashboards to visualize key indicators, track progress, and inform decision-making in real-time.
• Collaborate with workstreams to translate data-driven insights into actionable recommendations for improving outbreak response strategies for SBC, VM and coordination.

Information and Knowledge Management 

• Facilitate effective data sharing and collaboration with partners to enhance knowledge exchange and promote evidence-based decision-making.
• Support RRT/IMST in development and implement comprehensive reporting systems to ensure timely and accurate data submission, analysis, and dissemination of findings to internal and externally to GPEI partners.
• Document and disseminate key best practices and lessons learned from polio outbreak response efforts, contributing to the development of a comprehensive knowledge base.

Coordination and Capacity Strengthening 

• Serve as the primary liaison between UNICEF and GPEI partners, coordinating outbreak-related M&E activities and ensuring alignment with shared objectives.
• Collaborate closely within the outbreak teamwork stream, SBC, VM, and other relevant teams to facilitate effective monitoring and evaluation of polio outbreak response activities, ensuring seamless integration and alignment within UNICEF.
• Represent UNICEF in GPEI forums related to M&E and outbreaks, providing technical expertise and advocating for evidence-based decision-making.
• Provide support to build the technical capacity of outbreak countries in the utilization of various data tools, data analysis, and presentation for effective decision-making in polio outbreak response.

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

Minimum requirements:

• Education: An advanced university degree (master’s or higher) in social sciences, statistics, planning development, planning, global health, international development, data science, social science, or a related field is required
• Work Experience:
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant progressively responsible professional experience in programme development and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, data management, data analysis and data visualization, and developing country work experience
• Proven experience in analyzing, compiling, and presenting data, using combination of different data sources.
• Proven ability to build strong collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to work autonomously and efficiently against tight deadlines, strong drive for results.
• Ability to work autonomously and efficiently against tight deadlines, strong drive for results.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

• At least one instance of exposure to emergency programming, including preparedness planning.
• Active involvement in a humanitarian crisis response programme preferred.
• Proven ability to work in STATA, R, Python or similar is an asset.
• Practical experience in development context particularly in health, polio, and / or SBC is a strong asset.
• Knowledge of French is an asset. Knowledge of another official UN 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

The 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

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 measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, 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.

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.

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

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.

Eligible staff members on fixed-term, continuing or permanent contracts applying to IP TA positions in a duty station designated as L2/L3, may be able to retain a lien and their fixed-term entitlements, subject to approval by their Head of Office. The conditions of the temporary assignment will vary depending on the status of their post and relocation entitlements may be limited as per the relevant policies.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.