Temporary Appointment: Health & Nutrition Officer, NO-B, Honiara, Solomon Islands, (#106811) *Open to Solomon Islands Nationals Only*

The UNICEF Pacific office in Solomon Islands is looking to engage a Health & Nutrition Officer (Temporary Appointment) that will report to the Maternal and Child Health Specialist in Solomon Islands for guidance and general supervision on specific functions outlined in the detailed job description. The post is only open to Solomon Island Nationals.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Nutrition

In its new multi-country programme (2018-2022) UNICEF Pacific aims to ensure more pre-primary and school-aged children, particularly the most vulnerable, are in school and learning.  There are five countries in the Pacific that will be targeted for UNICEF’s comprehensive approach for child and maternal health and nutrition: Kiribati, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, FSM and RMI.  A health systems strengthening focus will be employed, including greater emphasis on community-based health approaches, and intensified action to overcome the high levels of malnutrition.

The proposed structure reflects this aim to strengthen the integrated, health systems approach, where the Maternal, New born and Child Health (MNCH) Specialist in each of the field offices provides leadership and coordination for all child and maternal health and nutrition actions in their country.  It also reflects the greater emphasis on health and nutrition-related behaviour change. The MCO team based in Suva will continue to provide technical oversight and advice to the core programme countries and staff, and more direct programme support to the other nine countries throughout the Pacific

How can you make a difference?

The Health & Nutrition Officer will provide technical, operational and administrative support throughout the programming process for the nutrition programme/projects within the context of UNICEF Country Programme from development planning to delivery of results, preparing, executing, managing and implementing a variety of technical and administrative programme tasks.  The Health & Nutrition Officer will implement a variety of technical and administrative programme tasks to facilitate programme development, implementation and programme progress monitoring, evaluating and reporting of results.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES and DUTIES & TASKS 

Support program development and planning

• Conduct/update situation analysis for the program sector/s for development, design and management of nutrition related programs/projects. Research and report on development trends (eg. political, social, nutrition, 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 nutrition 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.

Assist 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 reviews with government and other counterparts to assess programs/projects 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.
• Prepare regular/mandated sectoral program/project reports for management, donors and partners to keep them informed of program progress.

Provide technical and operational support to program implementation

• Conduct regular program field visits and surveys/assessments 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 higher 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 and relevant stakeholders on the application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes and best practices on nutrition and related issues to support program implementation, operations and delivery of results.

Assist with networking and partnership building

• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with nutrition and health sector government counterparts and relevant national stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge to facilitate program implementation and build capacity of stakeholders to achieve program goals and social justice, equity and rights of mothers, newborn and children.
• Draft communication and information materials for CO program advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and support fund raising for nutrition programs.
• Participate in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) meetings/events on programming to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF operational planning and preparation of nutrition programs/projects and to integrate and harmonize UNICEF position and strategies with the UNDAF development and planning process.
• Research information on potential donors and prepare resource mobilization materials and briefs for fund raising and partnership development purposes.

Support 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.
• Research, benchmark and report on best and cutting edge practices for development planning of knowledge products and systems
• 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 and planning and implementation of nutrition programs/projects sector contribute to and accelerate the national development efforts to improve the nutritional status of mothers, infants and children in the country and this in turn contribute to maintaining/enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to continue to provide program services to mothers, newborn and children that promotes greater social equity in the country.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• A University Degree or higher in  nutrition, public health, nursing, nutritional epidemiology, global/international health and nutrition, health/nutrition research, policy and/or management, health sciences, nutritional epidemiology or other health related science field (nursing/medicine) is required.

• Two years professional experience in nutrition, public health, nutrition planning and management and/or in relevant areas of maternal, infant and child health/nutrition care is required.  Dynamic individuals with nursing/medical health background and with public health experience (working on Public health programs at the national or provincial level) or individuals with nursing/medical health background and with clinical experience in nutrition and with program management experience will also be considered.

• International level and/or experience in a developing country is an asset.

• Background/familiarity with Emergency situations

• Experience in health/nutrition program/project development in UN system agency or organization is an asset

Language Proficiency  

• Fluency in English required

• Knowledge of the local working language of the duty station required.

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.