Health Officer (RRM), NO-B, Juba, South Sudan, (6 months) (Batch recruitment open to nationals of South Sudan only)

UNICEF South Sudan seeks Health Officers NO-B for a six month assignment. This opportunity is open to nationals of South Sudan only.

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.

For every child, a champion

Background:
The Republic of South Sudan continues to face considerable challenges in meeting maternal, new-born and child health (MNCH) care needs and improving health outcomes. Ongoing instability and population displacements have undermined the already limited scope of available child health services at community and health facility level. This has also retarded health infrastructure growth, human resources for health increase and further fragmented maternal and child health services delivery. According to the Health Sector Development Plan (2012-2016), Effective Health Services Coverage has been low (about 42%): 58% of the population does not have access to health facilities. In many places the health facilities are not functional (looted and destroyed), or health workers are not available (they may have fled or have not been paid for months). Subsequently, according to the HNO, about 5.4 million people are in need of humanitarian health care in 2018.

Many places are not accessible due to security reasons and rapid response mechanisms (RRM) missions, in collaboration with WFP, are used to provide services to those hard to reach populations whenever there is a window of opportunity. In 2017, UNICEF conducted 52 RRM missions providing essential basic services to over 700,000 people including 145,000 children under five. The mechanism is increasingly becoming the only modality of reaching the populations cut from health care and in inaccessible areas whenever security allows.

Key Responsibilities: Under the supervision of the Health Emergencies Specialist, he/she will be responsible for the health interventions component directly delivered during the RRM missions and will work closely with the other program sections (e.g. nutrition, child protection, WASH) and health partners for effective and successful integrated RRM missions.

- Mapping of existing/potential UNICEF implementing partners (IPs) in the locations for RRM, during and prior to the RRM mission deployment
- Provide technical support to government and non-government organizations, including to negotiate access to hard-to-reach beneficiaries.
- In line with the Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) in Humanitarian Action and needs assessed, develop new partnerships and strengthen existing partnerships (SSFAs/PCAs) with the humanitarian actors within the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC).
- Build and sustain effective collaboration and partnerships through sharing of information and knowledge to enhance program implementation, including capacity building of personnel and beneficiaries.
- Coordinate and plan each RRM mission with the emergency/field operations, supply and health sections, ensuring that supplies are prepared and distributed/released on time. Act as the RRM team leader, when required, on a rotational basis.
- Participate in rapid assessments and programme reviews with government and other counterparts to assess programs and to report on gaps/required actions.
- Work closely and collaboratively with internal and external colleagues (e.g. cross-sectoral) 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.
- Monitor and report on use of program resources (financial, supplies), verify compliance with approved allocation/goals, organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity. Follow-up and report on issues identified to ensure timely resolution by management/stakeholders
- Prepare regular/mandated analytical reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of program progress. Keep record of related reports and assessments for easy reference and/or to capture and institutionalize lessons learned.
- Assist in the planning and implementation of emergency preparedness and response relating to Health/section. In case of emergency, assists in monitoring, reporting and assessing the nature and extent of the emergency in the assigned area and provide assistance to the Country Office as required
- Participate in the implementation of emergency health response activities including emergency vaccination and outbreak response.
- Liaise with country office in maintaining effective coordination and communication with national level cluster partner and other technical working group within the cluster
- Support the Health Specialists and Health Officers in the zonal and field Offices in regards to UNICEF supported health responses and any other assigned duties and responsibilities effectively and as appropriate and required.

To qualify as a/an [champion or advocate] for every child you will have…
- A University Degree in Medicine, public health, pediatric health, family health, health research, global/international health, health policy and/or management, environmental health sciences, or other health related sciences is required
- A minimum of 2 years of professional experience in public health 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 program/project development in UN system agency or organization is an asset
- Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is 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.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply.