Senior Advisor Communication for Development (Immunization), P-5, NYHQ, #84591

Manage team and provide overall leadership in communication and community engagement for immunization within UNICEF and immunization partnerships.

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Purpose of the Position

Manage team and provide overall leadership in communication and community engagement for immunization within UNICEF and immunization partnerships. Articulate strategic and programmatic direction to drive an innovative agenda to promote and sustain community demand for immunization services in program countries to address inequities and raise immunization coverage. Provide thought leadership and help set global, regional, and national agendas related to advocacy, behavior and social change communication, social mobilization and community engagement for immunization; Coordinate with partners and donors to maintain UNICEF leadership and achieve the objectives and outcomes laid out in the UNICEF Immunization Roadmap, 2017-2030.  

Key Accountabilities and Duties & Tasks

1. Coordinates global partners on demand for immunization focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Representation of UNICEF leading demand & communication for Immunization hub;
• Convening of global experts in social and behavior change communication, behavioral sciences, implementation research, and immunization together from UN agencies, CSOs, academia and donors for technical collation and review of evidence, tools and interventions to promote, sustain, and monitor community demand for immunization;
• Coordination of partners engaged in demand for immunization related to evidence generation, information sharing, and monitoring and evaluation of UNICEF and joint activities.

2. Leads the coordination of evidence-based programming in demand and communication for immunization as part of UNICEF health system strengthening approach focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Resource series available on demand related issues and communication for integrated immunization interventions (e.g. GAPPD) with the following potential themes: i) Demand and communication for immunization overview, ii) community engagement, iii) social mobilization, iv) Social and behavior change communication, v) Capacity building/motivation of health workers, vi) advocacy, vii) innovations, among others.
• Review of evidence on diagnostic tools used to identify and address demand related challenges in immunization (supported by demand and communication for immunization hub). 
• Compilation of a set of resources to guide the design and implementation of integrated interventions on immunization demand along with appropriate approaches to monitor impact (supported by demand and communication for immunization hub).
• Design, field testing, scaling-up and monitoring of innovative social & behavior change communication, community engagement and demand creation strategies, and sharing lessons learned and document lessons.
• Contribute to the community engagement, and social and behaviors change communication components of UNICEF Primary Health care and Community Health System Operational framework.
• Tracking of progress on status of demand for immunization globally and in priority regions/countries

3. Influences global policies through governing bodies and funding mechanisms focusing on the achievement of the following results:

• Use documented lessons on design, field testing, scaling-up and monitoring of evidence-informed and innovative social and behavior change communication, community engagement and demand promotion strategies to influence global, regional priorities and country programming;
• Engage with GVAP SAGE working group and IPAC to share latest evidence around the status of demand for immunization, sound demand & communication for immunization strategies and monitoring practices for recommendation to member states through GVAP and WHA processes;
• Presenting to Gavi decision making bodies on latest evidence on status of demand for immunization and sound strategies to sustain and enhance community health system strengthening and community empowerment for immunization for inclusion in Gavi funding processes.
• Publish peer-reviewed articles and demonstrate UNICEF thought leadership on topics related to stimulating and sustaining community demand for immunization
• Engage in broader social and behavior change and community engagement processes with maternal and child health partners such as WHO, USAID, BMGF, among others and use immunization as an entry point to strengthen other community processes for child survival and development

4. Manages Communication for Immunization team focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Design and implementation of a strategic UNICEF workplan on demand generation, in coordination with UNICEF ROs and COs, within the Gavi Alliance and other partnerships, and in line with UNICEF's Immunization Roadmap, 2017-2030
• Tracking of progress, formulation and sharing of good practices
• Share progress with immunization unit, health section and program division senior management
• Capacity building within the team and across regions and countries

5. Reporting and proposal writing required for management, board, donors focusing on achievement of the following results:

• Reporting and proposal writing required for management, board, donors

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

• Advanced university degree in the social/behavioural sciences, (Communication, Anthropology, and Health Education) or related field, with emphasis on participatory communication, communication planning, social mobilization, participatory research, training and impact evaluation of communication interventions*.
• Ten years of relevant professional work experience.
• Experience at the global level with a focus on public health in developing countries is desirable.
• Familiarity with a global immunization landscape is a definite asset
• Peer-reviewed publications in public health and social sciences or communication are a definite asset.
• Fluency in English (written and verbal) is required. Knowledge of another UN language (particularly French) is an asset.

*A relevant first-level university degree (Bachelor's), in combination with 2 years of additional relevant work experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Competencies of Successful Candidate

Core Values 

• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity

Core competencies

• Communication - Level III
• Working with People - Level III
• Drive for Results - Level III

Functional Competencies

• Leading and Supervising - Level III
• Formulating Strategies and Concepts - Level III
• Relating and Networking - Level III
• Persuading and Influencing - Level III
• Analyzing - Level II
• Entrepreneurial Thinking - Level III

To view our competency framework, please click here. 

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 organisation.