Maternal & Child Health Specialist (P-4), Regional Office, Kathmandu, Nepal

Provide consistent strategic and technical support for advancement of Maternal & Child Health (MCH) components in country programmes in the region, particularly in the context of the equity agenda focusing on MDG 4 and 5.

UNICEF 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.

How can you make a difference?

Under the direct supervision and general guidance of the Regional Health Advisor, your role will be to provide consistent strategic and technical support for advancement of Maternal & Child Health (MCH) components in country programmes in South Asia region, particularly in the context of the equity agenda focusing on MDG 4 and 5.

If you are committed and passionate about advancing maternal and child health thereby ensuring a better future for every child, this is the chance to make a difference by:

1. Providing strategic inputs to Country Offices in the preparation of the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) components of their Situation Analyses and their periodic updates. Prepares sectoral input to the ROSA Regional Office Management Plan and all related documents, as well as regional publications and advocacy materials. Provide technical support and guidance to UNICEF Country Offices, governments and partners in data analysis and developing South Asia approaches with equity and ensures strategic development in MCH. Ensures that decentralized planning and budgeting processes are government driven, and draws upon various tools. Supports governments in designing decentralized implementation plans which are informed by bottleneck analysis focusing on lower MCH performing districts.
 
2. Providing Country Offices with technical support in their formulation, development and review of equitable MCH strategies in their country programmes and plans of cooperation, through visits to Country Offices and online review, as well as innovative, evidence-based analysis. Support country offices in re focusing on equity and formulating MCH programmes across sectors other than health especially in the priority area of MCH & nutrition and with other sectors like education, child protection, Nutrition and WASH including Early Childhood Development (ECD). Provide guidance for Country Programme implementation and quality assurance through monitoring and evaluation. Identifies problems and proposes remedial action. Identifies alternative courses of action, to accelerate/improve programme delivery with equity.
 
3. Providing strategic support to Country Offices and their government and NGO partners in the quality evidence for equitable planning, development, budgeting and implementation stages of the MCH programmes/projects. Plans, organizes and conducts training and orientation activities for the purpose of building capacity at country and regional levels.  Strengthen partnerships with other UN and non-UN organizations with the aim of expanding coverage of services. Ensure that the decentralized planning and budgeting processes are, wherever possible, consistent with Government planning agendas, including Expenditure Programs.
 
4. Providing support to Country Offices in the development of their MCH work plans in compliance with the global UNICEF strategy and in collaboration with partners.  Advise Country Offices regarding the training needs of MCH professional staff and provide opportunities for staff to ensure their needs are met, including through the provision of on-the-job training. Ensure that MCH results and subsequently formulated strategies and policies inform government programs and are implemented, monitored at subnational level, to eventually influence towards National scale up implementation.
 
5. Participating in the preparation of MCH programme reports for management, board, donors, budget reviews, Country Programme analysis as well as regional and country office annual reports.
 
6. Building in-country capacity for MCH by building capacity in UNICEF colleagues and government representatives (workshops). Link substantive progress in MCH at the country level with broader, higher level regional and international forums.

7. Leveraging Government and partners, especially the UN H4+ agencies (UNFPA, WHO, World Bank and UNAIDS) in the development of joint strategies, methodologies and identification of new approaches for improving MCH programme delivery with equity and ensure that UN partners are involved in MCH and seek opportunities of cooperation and complementation with initiatives lead by UN partner agencies. Together with partners and key stakeholders, facilitate constant monitoring of MCH results and documentation of lessons learned and perform regular Assessments of National Strategies and plans.

8. Representing UNICEF at and present at regional and global conferences and contribute to strengthening of strategic partnerships and mechanisms for coordinated assistance at regional and global levels, especially with UN agencies and other institutions.

9. Ensuring that MCH programmes follows a pre-set Performance Framework, which sets out each key stakeholders' responsibility for particular management inputs and outcomes with three reasonably distinct levels of engagement following strategic, outcome-oriented, indicators appropriate to each of those three broad steps.

10. Coordinating MCH learning activities and exchanges information/ideas with other programmes and sectors (Nutrition, WASH, HIV/AIDS, Education, Protection, Social Policy etc.) including information sharing and dissemination about MCH in the region and beyond to contribute to achievement of programme objectives with equity. Participate in establishing effective monitoring, information and reporting systems. Participate in the development of communication materials and strategies to support advocacy and community participation.
 
11. Strengthening MCH information exchange in South Asia, using innovative means (on-line support, webinars and video conferences). Maintain the regional UNICEF MCH network and further develop regional knowledge sharing through inter-country exchange and generation of publications on MCH with equity across sectors (education, child protection, etc.). Ensure constant evaluation of results, documentation, publication and wide dissemination of MCH results, case studies and lessons learned.

12. Any other assignment in the field of MCH as determined by the Head of Office, including deployment in emergencies.

To qualify as a champion for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Public Health or a Maternal and Child Survival related field is required. A medical degree is a strong advantage.
  
  
• A minimum of Eight years of professional experience in Public Health or in relevant areas with focus on Maternal and Child Health at the national and international levels, some of which preferably in a developing country is required. Relevant experience in any UN or other international development organization is an asset.
  
  
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or languages of South Asia are 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. To view our competency framework, please click here. 

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 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.