As the Adolescent Health Specialist, you will provide strategic leadership and technical expertise in advancing adolescent health and well-being as a core component of UNICEF’s global health agenda.You will lead efforts to strengthen systems for adolescent-responsive health services and to promote integrated, life-course approaches that address adolescents’ unique needs. This includes advancing multisectoral programming across health, nutrition, education, protection, and WASH, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health, mental health, substance use prevention, early interventions to reduce non-communicable disease risks, and HIV prevention.
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.
At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.
UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.
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For every child, the right to Health
How can you make a difference?
This Programme aims to ensure that the most disadvantaged mothers, children, and adolescents have increased access to high-quality, equitable and age-appropriate primary healthcare and nutrition services, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. UNICEF will leverage evidence and resources from the public and private sectors to address equity gaps and to influence policies, plans and innovative programmatic approaches. Specifically, the Programme will support the Department of Health to enhance the quality of care in facilities; expand early detection and screening of children with developmental delays and disabilities; and improve delivery of immunization, HIV prevention and treatment, nutrition and environmental health services through primary healthcare and community health systems. UNICEF will also promote stronger planning, financing, forecasting and supply chain management.
The Programme will also strengthen the collection, management and strategic use of disaggregated data for programming through more robust and integrated information systems, while building the capacity of community health workers on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
UNICEF also aims to ensure that the Government has evidence, technical capacity and partnerships to improve access, quality and trust in adolescent-responsive services covering mental health, nutrition, health and HIV prevention, including for adolescents with disabilities. It will strengthen information systems that track adolescent health and well-being; generate and use disaggregated data; enhance adolescent-responsive services through the Integrated School Health Programme; and scale innovative, tech-enabled solutions with government and private sector partners.
Purpose for the job:
Under the supervision of the Chief of Section, the Adolescent Health Specialist provides strategic leadership and technical expertise in advancing adolescent health and well-being as a core component of UNICEF’s global health agenda.
The incumbent will lead efforts to strengthen systems for adolescent-responsive health services and to promote integrated, life-course approaches that address adolescents’ unique needs. This includes advancing multisectoral programming across health, nutrition, education, protection, and WASH, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health, mental health, substance use prevention, early interventions to reduce non-communicable disease risks, and HIV prevention.
The role involves active engagement in local partnerships, as well as close collaboration with UNICEF Centres of Excellence to design, implement, and monitor evidence-based programmes. Key delivery platforms include primary health care, schools, communities, and digital platforms, ensuring that adolescents are reached through equitable, efficient, and context-appropriate channels.
Through these contributions, the Adolescent Health Specialist will help position UNICEF as a leading partner in adolescent health, ensuring coherence across global, regional, and national levels, and advancing sustainable results for and with adolescents.
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
- Capacity Development & Institutional Strengthening
- Quality Improvement at Scale
- Policy Reform & Systems Transformation
- Evidence, Data & Knowledge for Action
- Equitable Access
- Programme Management & Results Monitoring
Additional Global Functions
While the primary focus of this role is on technical assistance, contributions are also made to UNICEF’s global positioning and partnership agenda. These include:
- Supporting the development and refinement of UNICEF’s global adolescent health strategic direction and priority areas, ensuring alignment with organizational strategies.
- Representing UNICEF in global adolescent health partnerships and technical working groups, and cultivating collaboration with UN agencies, development partners, youth networks, and academic institutions.
- Coordinating across sectors and divisions within UNICEF to foster integrated adolescent health programming and ensure consistent messaging.
- Shaping global advocacy messages, technical working groups, and communication materials to elevate adolescent health on global and national agendas.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 
Health Specialist (Adolescent Health), NO-3, Fixed Term Position, Pretoria, South Africa #00137966.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements
- Education: An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Public Health, Epidemiology, Health Counselling, Global Health, Adolescent Health, Health Systems and Services, Health Policy and Management, Pediatric Medicine (Adolescent), School Health/Counselling, or a related field is required.
- Work Experience: At least 5 years of progressive experience in health and partnerships, with demonstrated expertise in strategic partnership development, resource mobilization, the development of global technical and operational guidance, and the design and implementation of adolescent health programmes at national and global levels, as well as related public health fields is required.
- Skills: Experience designing and implementing Cross-Sectoral Programming initiatives that support Health Systems strengthening, foster Government partnerships, and promote SRH, MHPSS, and NCD Prevention are required.
- Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.
Desirables
- Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
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Experience working in Adolescent Health through the delivery of Technical Support, implementation of Program Monitoring frameworks, facilitation of Capacity Building activities, and engagement in Strategic Partnerships and Policy Advocacy are desired.
- Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
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
Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.
UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.
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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
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 are conditional on the selected candidates willingness to comply with current or future vaccination requirements, should UNICEF mandate it for personnel. Failure to comply with such requirements, where applicable and without a duly approved medical exemption from the relevant UN authority, will result in the cancellation of the selection or may lead to other administrative measures, including separation from service.
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 is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable national candidates are encouraged to apply.
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.
Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.
Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.
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.
Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.