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 the 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/

Background:

The Policy Intervention Lead will drive PVAC’s mission to build a robust, supportive environment that enables the sustainable development of the Nigerian healthcare sector. This role is crucial for addressing existing regulatory, financial, and operational barriers faced by healthcare stakeholders and promoting cross-sector partnerships that strengthen healthcare services delivery in Nigeria. Given the complexity and strategic importance of this role, it requires a high-level professional with extensive experience in healthcare ecosystem development, policy advocacy, and stakeholder engagement

How can you make a difference? 

Main Responsibilities and Tasks:

1. Strategy Development: Formulate and implement a comprehensive ecosystem enablement strategy targeting key priorities, including regulatory improvement, policy advocacy, talent development, R&D, and access to financing for the healthcare sector.

2.Regulatory Advocacy: Lead efforts to engage with Nigerian healthcare regulatory bodies, advocating for policies that foster innovation, enhance accessibility to healthcare services, and improve the sector’s investment climate.

3.Stakeholder Collaboration: Cultivate collaborative relationships across the healthcare value chain, including government entities, private healthcare providers, academia, and industry leaders, to foster alignment on key initiatives.

4.Program Development & Oversight: Oversee the design and rollout of programs that address workforce development, R&D advancements, and operational support for healthcare organizations, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities.

5. Trend Analysis and Strategic Insights: Monitor sector trends and identify challenges impacting Nigeria’s healthcare landscape, proposing solutions and actionable strategies to mitigate these issues

6. Team Leadership: Manage a team of specialists responsible for identifying and mitigating regulatory and operational challenges within Nigeria’s healthcare ecosystem.

7. Budget Management: Ensure effective management of the unit’s budget and resources, optimizing expenditures to maximize impact

Work Assignments

1.Develop a strategic framework for collaboration between PVAC and key stakeholders to advance locally relevant healthcare product R&D

Deliverable/Output:

Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration Strategy Document.

2. Develop a comprehensive roadmap for regulatory improvement and capacity building to support local healthcare product manufacturing.

Deliverable/Output:

Needs Assessment Report and Capacity Building Program Proposal.

3. Develop a proposal for aligning PVAC initiatives with development partners’ health programs in Nigeria.

Deliverable/Output:

Partnership Proposal Document and Collaboration Plan

4. Prepare briefings for stakeholders on PVAC’s healthcare initiatives

Deliverable/Output:

Briefing and Engagement Strategy Document

5. Identify areas for alignment on technology transfer with relevant stakeholders

Deliverable/Output:

Technology Transfer Opportunities Proposal

6.Develop a strategic plan to secure financial commitment from key Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) to support PVAC programs

Deliverable/Output:

DFIs Engagement and Strategy Document

7. Enhance Nigeria’s domestic manufacturing ecosystem for specific disease control technologies, diagnostics, and therapeutics

Deliverable/Output:

Strategic Ecosystem Development Plans for key diseases

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

• A master’s degree in public health, Healthcare Management, or a related field.
• Minimum of 4 years of experience in the Nigerian healthcare sector with a proven track record in ecosystem enablement, policy advocacy, and stakeholder engagement.
• Demonstrated expertise in leading teams, formulating strategic initiatives, and influencing policy and regulatory changes.
• Strong abilities in negotiation and relationship-building with diverse stakeholder groups.
• Skilled in leading, managing, and motivating a high-performing team.
• Capability to assess complex regulatory and operational challenges, developing strategic solutions.
• Ability to manage and optimize budgetary resources.
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment and handle evolving priorities
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• 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, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS).

To view our competency framework, please visit  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.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment.

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: 

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

Applicants must submit their financial and technical proposals along with this application. Applications without these will not be considered. Use this form to provide your financial proposal. 

 All-Inclusive Financial Proposal Form-Current.docx

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements