Organization: UN Children's Fund
Country: Somalia
Closing date:
12 Jan 2018UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children's rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world. For every child,a champion
UNICEF Somalia played a key role in making sure that child-focused data, with attention to gender and minorities, was included in the country’s first national development plan in 30 years. We have been tackling issues such as child mortality, better access to health services, severe malnutrition, and stronger child rights. We are working with partners to address the country’s alarming food insecurity and malnutrition levels. We have provided wide scale treatment to children under-5 for severe acute malnutrition, and vaccinations against measles and polio. We also provided emergency life-saving health services to women and children in high risk areas. We have conducted wide scale testing for HIV/AIDS and provided antiretroviral therapy to both adults and children.
Join our team and help create impact for every child.
How can you make a difference?
The Health section of the UNICEF Somalia Office seeks to recruit a highly qualified polio/routine immunization professional for 364 days period to support the Ministry of Health immunization initiatives to further strengthen the immunization, cold chain & communication to effectively support immunization efforts.Support UNICEF’s efforts in intensification of activities to develop and implement the Strategic Outbreak Response and Routine Immunizations Improvement Plans. UNICEF requires additional support with high-level coordination of all the various streams of work and efforts in close collaboration with the regional office, MOH, WHO and partners.
Oversee the UNICEF polio program staff, which includes a Communication for Development (C4D) Specialist and a Program Assistant and work closely with the Immunization specialist (EPI manager).Coordinate internally within UNICEF (EPI, Health, C4D, Supply, Logistics, Nutrition, WASH staff) and provide support and advice as needed.Review the comprehensive budget of UNICEF’s polio components in the program, Routine EPI activities and accelerated disease control initiatives whilst providing feedback to all relevant staff and advise resource allocation.Ensure timely budgets are prepared and shared with regional office & HQ, funds are timely dispatched to the implementing partners through being actively involved in grant management and fund disbursement.Oversee the polio supply and logistics staff and ensure vaccines and related supplies are timely dispatched at the zones. Forecast OPV requirements for campaigns and supplementary immunization activities and make timely requests for procurement with supply division.Develop briefings for the Chief of Health to flag urgent matters pertaining to polio activities which will require his support and intervention to address any bottlenecks facing the program.Together with technical staff, coordinate closely with WHO, MOH and other partners, and together represent UNICEF at all polio eradication & EPI related meetings, and provide feedback to all relevant staff.In close collaboration with MOH, WHO and others partners, provide technical assistance to the national and zonal colleagues in developing clear implementation plans, and aid in the supervision, monitoring and evaluation & capacity building of zonal colleagues & frontline workers in developing clear, evidence based, budgeted, implementation plan, and aid its supervision, monitoring and evaluation.Represent UNICEF-Somalia polio program on national, regional, and international conference calls and meetings such as the Technical advisory group meetings.Provide monthly (or more often as requested) a report on the cold chain system and vaccine stocks & wastage to include cold-chain, OPV vaccines availabilities and requirements in each district for upcoming polio campaigns and routine EPI vaccines & programme logistics.Gather, consolidate information on polio activities, Routine Immunization & Supplementary immunization activities from the regions & districts; summarize and analyze available data to help guide the program, identify priorities and communicate with management & regional office.Provide summary of progress in implementing the plan and top priorities to the involved colleagues in relation to UNICEF’s responsibilities. Follow-up of its utilization by partners and liquidation of DCTs & utilization of supplies. Oversee various modalities of agreements with partners & implementing agencies to ensure deliverables, compliance to program & budget guidelines and monitoring results.Conduct monitoring visits within Somalia (all regions, as necessary) with aim of addressing any bottlenecks that may arise.Any other requests from the Chief of Health.Qualification of Successful Candidate
Education: Advanced university degree or equivalent background in Public Health, Medical Sciences, or relevant areas.Work Experience:8 years of progressive responsibility in Polio Eradication Initiative, project management, monitoring and evaluation, at national level. Demonstrated experience working on immunization activities with nomadic and pastoralist communities and routine immunization would be an asset. Previous working experience with UN especially UNICEF and polio outbreak response highly desirable.Language Proficiency:Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of the local working language of the duty station is an asset.For every Child, you demonstrate…
Our core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
This position is classified as “rotational” which means the incumbent is expected to rotate to another duty station upon completion of their tour of duty.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.
Remarks
* The successful candidate for this emergency recruitment MUST be available to commence work within 31 days of receivingan offer.
* Please note that this is a non-family duty station.
* Employment is conditional upon receipt of medical clearance, any clearance required, the grant of a visa, and completion of any other pre-employment criteria that UNICEF may establish. Candidates may not be further considered or offers of employment may be withdrawn if these conditions are unlikely to be met before the date for commencement of service.
How to apply:UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization. To apply, click on the following link http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=509901