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Temporary Appointment Coordinator of the Regional Working Group on Immunization for West and Central Africa, P-4 -UNICEF WCARO DAkar Senegal

Dakar

  • Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children’s Fund
  • Location: Dakar
  • Grade: Mid level - P-4, International Professional - Internationally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Public Health and Health Service
  • Closing Date: Closed

Under the supervision of the Regional Adviser, Health, the post will primarily provide overall coordination of the regional partnership around immunization through the secretariat of the sub-Regional Working Group on Immunization (RWG). Staff member will lead and coordinate actions emanating from the RWG focusing on coordination of technical support, knowledge management and progress tracking. The post will also be responsible for the management of the Gavi TCA in the West and Central Africa region. The Staff member will, in collaboration with the UNICEF WCARO Immunization and HSS Units, support planning, provision and follow up actions of technical support to countries including Joint Appraisals, the CEF process and other programme reviews. In addition, she/he will support all partnership coordination initiatives and activities involving the Health Section as necessary. This includes the partnerships with the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) and the Economic Community of Central Africa States (ECCAS).

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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

The Health Specialist reports to the Chief of the Health Section for general guidance and supervision. The Specialist is responsible for managing, implementing, monitoring, evaluating and reporting of the Health Section coordination and convening role in the area of immunization and broader health systems strengthening. Linked to UNICEF leadership role in close collaboration with WHO and other partner agencies, the Health Specialist will contribute to providing technical guidance and operational support throughout the programming process to facilitate the achievement of concrete and sustainable results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM) and organizational Strategic Plans and goals, standards of performance and accountability framework.

Under the supervision of the Regional Adviser, Health, the post will primarily provide overall coordination of the regional partnership around immunization through the secretariat of the sub-Regional Working Group on Immunization (RWG). Staff member will lead and coordinate actions emanating from the RWG focusing on coordination of technical support, knowledge management and progress tracking. The post will also be responsible for the management of the Gavi TCA in the West and Central Africa region. The Staff member will, in collaboration with the UNICEF WCARO Immunization and HSS Units, support planning, provision and follow up actions of technical support to countries including Joint Appraisals, the CEF process and other programme reviews. In addition, she/he will support all partnership coordination initiatives and activities involving the Health Section as necessary. This includes the partnerships with the West Africa Health Organization (WAHO) and the Economic Community of Central Africa States (ECCAS).  

Technical support and policy work 

  1. Position the Secretariat as a technical hub and clearinghouse of information and tools in support of Immunization agenda in the WCA region. 

  2. Support dissemination, revision of and facilitate feedback from countries and regions on Gavi Alliance and overall immunization tools, directives and policies, positioning the RWG Secretariat as a bridge between the global and country levels.  

Coordination  

  1. Facilitate the planning, the coordination and the harmonization of technical assistance to countries provided by regional partners, with a particular focus on those supported through the Gavi Alliance processes including Joint Appraisals, the CCOP and the CEF. Under his/her leadership, the Secretariat will first look to leverage the technical capacity of its membership that is active at the country level to respond. If this is not possible, the Secretariat will explore resources available at the regional level. If required support cannot be identified at the country or regional level, the Secretariat will mobilize global technical experts to respond. 
  2. Ensure priority countries are well prepared and technically supported to respond to Gavi supported initiatives, and promote better coordination and normative consistency between Gavi led initiatives and other funding and implementation support such as the Global Fund.

     

Management of the regional working group  

  1. Support coordinate advocacy conducted by the RWG with governments to allocate appropriate funding for immunization and health systems strengthening, including the follow-up of the recommendations agreed upon during the first Ministerial Conference on Immunization in Africa, held from 24 to 25 February 2016 in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia). 

  2. Plan and organize the RTWG meetings and conference calls and monitor the implementation of meetings/conference calls recommendations and reports back to RTWG meetings. Coordinate and participate in quarterly conference calls with the Chair and the Technical Committee. 

  3. Prepare and disseminate reports and recommendations of meetings within a maximum of three weeks following the meeting (including inputs from participants and consensus on the final version); 

  4. Position the Secretariat of the RWG as a liaison between the four sub technical groups and the chair of the RWG, and facilitate and participate in scheduled conference calls related to sub-working group activities. Provide active oversight of sub-working groups progress 

Progress tracking and knowledge management  

  1. Monitor the implementation of the RWG deliverables/milestones including developing and using progress tracking tools, and preparing quarterly reports on the RWG activities to send to partners.  This includes establishing and maintaining an information and indicator database on progress in implementing regional response and national programmes.  

  2. Coordinate the monitoring of GAVI PEF reporting requirements within the region (e.g. TCA milestones, PEF Functions…), identify bottlenecks and solutions for the implementation. 

  3. Support the documentation of the common successes, challenges, constraints and opportunities in strengthening national immunization programmes in the context of Health Systems Strengthening. 
  4. Position the Secretariat as a platform for the exchange of information, lessons learned and experiences between countries and the region and the global level. This will build capacity and enable, in particular, the improvement of Gavi's and partners’ national programs and processes/policies. 

  5. Support the preparation and analysis of epidemiological reports and strategic publications and data related to immunization to guide future direction regarding policy, strategic and operational frameworks; provide technical support for the dissemination and implementation of  recommendations and  guidance addressing issues related to coverage, access, equity and progress monitoring through various means 

Other Duties

  1. Contributes to the development of the WCARO annual work plan, monitors its implementation and provides support to ensure expected results are obtained.  
  2. Participates in the preparation of all reports related primarily to immunization required by management, the Board and donors;
  3. Participate in budget reviews, programme analysis and annual reports.

 

  • Key Expected Results
  • Technical assistance to countries provided by regional partners successfully, with a particular focus on Gavi Alliance processes including Joint Appraisals, the CCOP and the CEF
  • Progress tracking and monitoring tools (dash boards, score cards,) developed by the RWG and progress of countries in achieving the GVAP goals and targets tracked through the use of established mechanisms
  • RTWG meetings and regular coordination conference calls well planned and organized and the implementation of action points and recommendations monitored and reports produced and disseminated. Reports and recommendations of meetings are finalized and disseminated within a maximum of three weeks following the meeting
  • Minutes of quarterly conference calls with the Chair and the Technical Committee produced and disseminated
  • The Secretariat is positioned as a platform for the exchange of information, lessons learned and experiences between countries and the region and the global level
  • Summary reports of analyses of epidemiological reports and strategic publications and data related to immunization produced to inform future direction regarding policy, strategic and operational frameworks
  • Technical support provided for the dissemination and implementation of  recommendations and  guidance addressing issues related to coverage, access, equity and progress monitoring through various means
  • Common successes, challenges, constraints and opportunities in strengthening national immunization programme in the context of Health Systems Strengthening documented and disseminated
  • The RWG’s website and other relevant communication tools and channels are used to maintain the knowledge exchange function of the RTWG. 
  • Qualifications of Successful Candidate

EDUCATION

  • Advanced university degree in Public Health, Social Sciences, Health Financing or related technical field.

 WORK EXPERIENCE

  • A minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible professional work experience at the national and international levels in programme management, monitoring and evaluation, in a related field.
  • Demonstrated skills in writing and communications in both French and English, working with others and coordination.
  • Experience in managing complex partnerships including coordinating and organizing with and between a large group of United Nations Agencies, donors and partners.
  • Experience in convening national partners and working with Ministries of Health on the revision of policies and programmes.
  • Experience in programming around Immunization and health systems strengthening including good understanding of health systems in resource limited settings.
  • Experience in planning, designing and conducting assessments and evaluations, including defining assessment methodology, writing protocols, organizing data collection, analysis of epidemiological data, preparing technical and scientific papers for publication 
  • Experience in establishing standards and evaluating programme performance, and reviewing and analyzing a variety of technical review comments on projects, and recommending appropriate actions;
  • Experience in preparing and presenting clear and concise oral and written communications; preparing a variety of narrative documents including scientific publications; 
  • Experience working with the United Nations, particularly UNICEF and other key partners involved in Immunization

 LANGUAGES

Fluency in both French and English is required.


  • Competencies of Successful Candidate


Core Values

  • Commitment
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • Integrity
  • Core competencies
  • Communication
  • Working with people
  • Drive for results


Functional Competencies

  • Leading and supervising
  • Formulating strategies and concepts
  • Analyzing
  • Relating and networking
  • Deciding and Initiating action
  • Applying technical expertise

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.

Closing date: October, 04 2017

This vacancy is now closed.
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