Health Officer, (NO2), Djibouti - Djibouti

The Health Officer reports to the Health Specialist for supervision. The Officer provides professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for the Health Program within the Country Program from development planning to delivery of results, preparing, executing, managing and implementing a variety of technical and administrative program tasks to facilitate program development, implementation, program progress monitoring, evaluating and reporting of results.

Context

UNICEF Office in Djibouti is committed to ensure every child and young person benefits from opportunities to survive, develop and reach their full potential. A special focus of the UNICEF Djibouti Programme is on the most vulnerable groups, including children from the rural areas, children with disabilities, children living in poverty. While various social factors, beliefs and norms affect the realization of children rights in Djibouti, UNICEF undertook concrete steps to explore and better understand them, to support evidence based programming and create a supportive environment for children and their families.

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.

Job organizational context: The Health Officer GJP is to be used in a Country Office (CO) where the Health Program is a component of the Country Program (or UNDAF). The Health Officer reports to the Health Specialist who is at Level 3.

Purpose for the job: The Health Officer reports to the Health Specialist for supervision. The Officer provides professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for the Health Program within the Country Program from development planning to delivery of results, preparing, executing, managing and implementing a variety of technical and administrative program tasks to facilitate program development, implementation, program progress monitoring, evaluating and reporting of results.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:  

1. Support to program development and planning
2. Program management, monitoring and delivery of results
3. Technical and operational support to program implementation
4. Networking and partnership building
5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

Support to program development and planning

• Conduct/update situation analysis for the program sector/s for development, design and management of health related programs. Research and report on development trends (e.g. political social, economic, health) for higher management use to enhance program management, efficiency and delivery of results.
• Contribute to the development/establishment of sectoral program goals, objectives and strategies and results-based planning through analysis of health needs and areas for intervention and submission of recommendations for priority and goal setting.
• Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes by executing/administering a variety of technical program transactions, preparing materials/documentations and complying with organizational processes and management systems, to support program planning, results based planning (RBM) and monitoring and evaluating results.
• Prepare required documentations/materials to facilitate the program review and approval process.

Program management, monitoring and delivery of results 

• Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external colleagues and partners to discuss operational and implementation issues, provide solutions, recommendations and/or alert appropriate officials and stakeholders for higher-level intervention and/or decision. Keep record of reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, program reviews and annual sectoral reviews with government and other counterparts to assess programs and to report on required action/interventions at the higher level of program management.
• Monitor and report on the use of sectoral program resources (financial, administrative and other assets), verify compliance with approved allocation/goals, organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity. Report on issues identified to ensure timely resolution by management/stakeholders. Follow up on unresolved issues to ensure resolution.

Technical and operational support to program implementation 

• Conduct regular program field visits and surveys and/or exchange information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress and provide technical support, take appropriate action to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for resolution. Report on critical issues, bottlenecks and potential problems for timely action to achieve results.
• Provide technical and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices on health and related issues to support program implementation, operations and delivery of results

Networking and partnership building 

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with health sector government counterparts and national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to enhance program implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to deliver concrete and sustainable results.
• Draft communication and information materials for CO program advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for health programs

Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Identify, capture, synthesize and share lessons learned for knowledge development and to build the capacity of stakeholders.
• Apply innovative approaches and promote good practice to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable program results.
• Assist with oversight of research and ensure results are available for use in knowledge products
• Participate as resource person in capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders.

Impact of Results:

The efficiency and efficacy of support provided by the Officer to program preparation, planning and implementation of health programs/projects facilitates the delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the Health Program that directly impacts the improvement of the health of the most marginalized and vulnerable women and children in the country, and this in turn contributes to maintaining/enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to continue to provide program services to protect the rights of children, promote greater social equality to enable children to survive, develop and reach their full potential in society.

Education:

A University Degree in public health/nutrition, global/international health, health policy and/or management, biostatistics, socio-medical, health education, epidemiology or other health related sciences is required.

Experience:

A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in public health/nutrition planning and management and/or in relevant areas of maternal and neonatal health care, health emergency/humanitarian preparedness, at the international level and/or in a developing country is required. Experience in health/nutrition program/project development in UN system agency or organization is an asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in French and English is required.  Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset

Core Values

• Commitment
• Diversity and inclusion
• Integrity

Core competencies 

• Communication (II)
• Working with people (I)
• Drive for results (I)

Functional Competencies:

• Formulating strategies and concepts (I)
• Analyzing (II)
• Applying technical expertise ((II)
• Learning and researching (II)
• Planning and organizing (II)