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

In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children’s rights in partnership with government, civil society, children, and families.  UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally – click the link to learn more about UNICEF in Nigeria: https://www.unicef.org/nigeria/.

Organizational 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 programmes, 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.

Job organizational context:

Nigeria has embarked on an ambitious reform of the health sector, focused on achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and strengthening Primary Health Care (PHC) under a sector-wide approach (swap). The Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Program (NSRIP) is premised on four main thrusts: effective governance; efficient, equitable and quality health system; unlocking value chain; and health security. The health section of UNICEF Nigeria is prioritizing these efforts by providing technical assistance on Primary Health Care (PHC) and Health System Strengthening (HSS), by implementing catalytic flagship programs, such as the PHC Leadership Challenge and PHC Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) in 14 states, intending to strengthen PHC in key states based on evidence and good practices; Maternal Newborn, Child, and Adolescent Health (MNCAH); and Immunization program that prioritizes equity – addressing Zero Dose children and public health emergencies.

UNICEF Field Office in Bauchi supports health development assistance to five States to five States (Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau, and Taraba) with an estimated total population of 25,504,174 people in North-East Nigeria, a region known to have poor health outcomes for women and children. Under-five mortality for the five State averages 104 per 1000 live births, with significant disparity across the States.  Access to basic health services is limited across the States, with less than one in two (45 Percent) of mothers receiving skilled attendance during childbirth; 58 percent of mothers have access to post-natal care services within 72hrs of delivery while only 27 percent of children receive full complement of due vaccines by their second birthday.

Bauchi Field Office manages significant health development assistance investment. Three States – Bauchi, Gombe, and Taraba, are beneficiaries of multi-agency partnerships for strengthening primary health care and immunization systems, including leadership and accountability to accelerate coverage and equity for immunization and PHC service. All five states enjoy UNICEF assistance for strengthening routine immunization, polio eradication, covid-19 vaccination and public health emergencies, all integrated within broader Reproductive Maternal, Newborn, Child, and Adolescent health and Nutrition program. Four of the States – Bauchi Gombe, Plateau, and Taraba – are priority States for the immunization Zero Dose reduction program. UNICEF plans to extend the MoU arrangement to Adamawa State in 2024.

The Health Officer is to support Bauchi Field Office of UNICEF, Nigeria towards the realization of these programs.

How can you make a difference?

The Health Officer reports to the Health Specialist, under the overall guidance of the Chief Field Office Bauchi Field Office, for supervision. The Health Officer supports professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for the Health Programme within the field office, from development planning to delivery of results, by preparing, executing, managing, and implementing a variety of technical and administrative programme tasks to facilitate programme development, implementation, programme progress monitoring, and evaluating and reporting of results.

Key responsibilities:

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Support to Programme development and planning.
2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results.
3. Technical and operational support to Programme implementation
4. Networking and partnership building
5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

1. Support to Programme development and planning.

• Conduct and update the situation analysis for the development, design and management of health-related programmes. Research and report on development trends (e.g. political social, economic, health) for higher management use to enhance Programme management, efficiency and delivery of results.
• Contribute to the development and establishment of sectoral Programme goals, objectives, strategies, and results-based planning through analysis of health needs and areas for intervention and submission of recommendations for priority and goal setting.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing and administering a variety of technical Programme transactions, preparing materials and documentation, and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support Programme planning, results-based planning (RBM), and monitoring and evaluation of results.
• Support the development and/or domestication of national health strategies, State Strategic Health Development Plans for primary health care, reproductive maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH), and immunization.
• Prepare required documentation and materials to facilitate the Programme review and approval process.

2. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results.

• Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss operational and implementation issues, provide solutions, recommendations, and/or to alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level intervention and decisions. Keep record of reports and assessments for easy reference and to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
• Support the development of program workplans, State Annual Operational Plans (AOPs), Immunization plans (REW Microplans) guidelines and operational tools.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, Programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other counterparts to assess programmes and to report on required action/interventions at the higher level of Programme management.
• Participate in health data management ensuring regular update and granular data analyses using Health Management Information System (DHIS2) and Community Health Information System, and program monitoring exercises, including Integrated Monitoring and Supportive Supervision (IMSS) for PHC programs.
• Monitor and report on the use of sectoral Programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets), and verify compliance with approved allocation and goals, organizational rules, regulations, procedures, as well as donor commitments, standards of accountability, and integrity. Report on issues identified to ensure timely resolution by management and stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.
• Prepare regular and mandated sectoral programme/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

3. Technical and operational support to Programme implementation.

• Support capacity building exercises including development and application of training materials, tools and guidelines for PHC, RMNCAH+N, Routine Immunization, immunization campaigns and other related interventions.
• Participate in collaborative implementation of convergence, and Child Survival and Development (CSD) interventions with other UNICEF sections – WASH, Nutrition, SBC, Child Protection, and Social Policy.
• Contribute to the implementation of RMNCAH+N interventions, including Routine Immunization, outreach, polio and non-polio supplementary immunization campaigns, including integrated COVID and RI exercises.
• Conduct regular Programme field visits and surveys and share information with partners and stakeholders to assess progress and provide technical support and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.
• Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners, and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes, and best practices on health-related issues to support Programme implementation, operations and delivery of results.

4. Networking and partnership building.

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with health sector government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to enhance Programme implementation and build the capacity of stakeholders to deliver concrete and sustainable results.
• Draft communication and information materials for CO Programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances, and support fundraising for health programmes.
• Participate in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) on health programmes to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF operational planning and preparation of health programmes/projects and to integrate and harmonize UNICEF’s position and strategies with the UNDAF development and planning process.
• Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fundraising and partnership development purposes.

5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building.

• Identify, capture, synthesize, and share lessons learned for knowledge development and to build the capacity of stakeholders.
• Apply innovative approaches and promote good practices to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable Programme results.
• Assist with oversight of research and ensure results are available for use in knowledge products.
• Participate as a resource person in capacity-building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients and stakeholders.

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

Education:

A university degree in one of the following fields is required: public health/nutrition, pediatric 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.

Experience:

A minimum of two 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 considered as an asset.

Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

• The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
  • Builds and maintains partnerships (II)
  • Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (II)
  • Drive to achieve results (II)
  • Innovates and embraces change (II)
  • Manages ambiguity and complexity (II)
  • Thinks and acts strategically (II)
  • Works collaboratively with others (II)
  • Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (II)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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 female candidates are encouraged to apply.

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

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 may also be 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.