Senior Adviser Health - Measles (P-5), FT, # 00041607, Health Section, PD - NYHQ

Under the guidance of the Principal Adviser Health manage the Accelerated Immunization Initiatives (AII) Team and provide overall leadership over UNICEF’s support to global disease control initiatives (e.g., Measles-Rubella, Meningitis, etc.) as well as immunization needs in humanitarian response and outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases. Provide vision, strategic direction and thought leadership within UNICEF as well as within disease control partnerships (e.g., Measles & Rubella Initiative) and serve in the various management teams as UNICEF’s technical lead. Coordinate effectively with partners and donors to maintain UNICEF’s leadership and achieve the objectives and outcomes laid out in the UNICEF Immunization Roadmap 2018-2030.

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.

UNICEF’s Health Section contributes to achieving Strategic Goal 1: “Every child survives and thrives”, and three results specific to health: Countries have accelerated the scale-up of an essential package of maternal and newborn care services, including prenatal and postnatal/home visit support; Countries have sustained immu​nization programmes at national and district level, including introduction of new vaccines, towards the realization of universal health coverage; Countries have accelerated the deliv​ery of preventive, promotive and curative services for pneumonia, diarrhea, malaria and other child health conditions. Achieving results in these areas will further global progress toward achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3, to “ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.”   

Health Section also contributes to achieving Change Strategy 8 of the Strategic Plan, “Using the power of evidence to drive change for children,” by generating, synthesizing and promoting evaluations, research and data.

For every child, good health……

You will manage the Accelerated Immunization Initiatives (AII) Team and provide overall leadership over UNICEF’s support to global disease control initiatives (e.g., Measles-Rubella, Meningitis, etc.) as well as immunization needs in humanitarian response and outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases. You will also provide vision, strategic direction and thought leadership within UNICEF as well as within disease control partnerships (e.g., Measles & Rubella Initiative) and serve in the various management teams as UNICEF’s technical lead. Coordinate effectively with partners and donors to maintain UNICEF’s leadership and achieve the objectives and outcomes laid out in the UNICEF Immunization Roadmap 2018-2030.

How can you make a difference?

Regional/Country Support

• Provide technical support and strategic guidance to government counterparts and development partners on appropriate technical and institutional capacity-building measures, to achieve immunization programme goals and expand coverage of services related to measles, rubella, meningitis, yellow fever, and overall immunization coverage.
• Ensure integration of vertical disease control programmes with routine immunization and the broader package of child survival interventions at all stages of the planning and monitoring cycle.
• Provide technical guidance at regional and country levels to test new approaches and innovations; disseminate global evidence and their implications on country programmes and influence the vision of UNICEF country programmes in support of immunization/health systems towards coverage and equity improvements.

Technical-Policy work

• Informed by UNICEF's Immunization Roadmap 2018-2030, supervise the activities leading to immunization results towards Primary Health Care revitalization, Universal Health Care expansion and ultimately towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). Specially, ensuring UNICEF’s contribution towards global Measles-Rubella, Yellow Fever, Meningitis and Cholera goals and the global immunization vision to 2030.
• Formulate the development and establishment of global policies goals, objectives and programme strategies for disease control with focus on measles-rubella, meningitis, yellow fever & cholera and strengthening of routine immunization, with special emphasis on the introduction of the second measles dose as part of the immunization schedule in the second year of life.
• Work collaboratively with other Divisions and Sections within the organization, particularly the broader Health and Nutrition Sections and Emergencies Division to optimize accelerated disease control results.
• At the global level, provides leadership, guidance and direction for UNICEF's programmes on Measles Mortality Reduction, Rubella, Yellow Fever, Meningitis, Cholera and Routine Immunization. Engage incrementally in Polio Transition efforts as we approach the eradication of polio and the mainstreaming of polio essential functions within the AII Team.
• Identify new equity-based strategies to accelerate/improve delivery of measles mortality reduction strategies and achieve programme requirements and objectives
• Provide strategic thinking and develop UNICEF's position with regards to global measles & rubella elimination initiatives. Importantly, guides and supports innovative approaches to achieve global disease control goals.

Representational- Partnership works

• Represent UNICEF as a strong technical partner in driving the strategic vision of key partnerships within the accelerated disease control initiatives in global immunizations. In particular, as a founding member of the Measles & Rubella Initiative (M&RI). In addition, ensure UNICEF’s strong technical inputs into the Ending Yellow Fever Epidemics (EYE) initiative and similar partnerships for Meningitis and Cholera. 
• Represent UNICEF in relevant partnerships related to humanitarian response and outbreak control, for example, the Global Health Cluster and the Global Outbreak Alert & Response Network (GOARN) and the International Coordinating Group (ICG) for Meningitis, Yellow Fever and cholera.
• Coordinate forecasting and availability of funding, monitors the overall planning and disbursement of measles control programme funds, and oversees the monitoring of funds utilization in accordance with the Plan of Action and the programme budget allotment. Liaise with Supply Division and WHO on issues related to allocation of vaccines and adequate monitoring of vaccine supply and safe injection equipment.
• Support the secretariat for Communications & Advocacy for the M&RI currently hosted at UNICEF HQ.

M&E Reporting/Advocacy

• Programme management and evaluation of accelerated immunization initiatives through periodic reviews, consultations, including providing updates and strategic guidance at global, regional and country level.
• Monitor measles, rubella, yellow fever, cholera and meningitis programmes, at the international, regional and country levels. In coordination and collaboration with other professional colleagues, establishes and develops effective information and reporting systems to monitor and evaluate the impact of measles control programme and achievement of targeted goals.
• Work with the Division of Communication to ensure that appropriate disease control strategies and approaches developed and implemented are adequately included in relevant UNICEF publications and other external relations initiatives.

To qualify as a champion for every child, the candidate must have…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Medicine, Public Health or related technical field (MD+ MPH, PhD) and/or related field is required.
• A minimum of ten (10) years of relevant progressively responsible professional experience at the national and international levels in management of immunization programmes and vaccine preventable disease epidemiology in developing countries, or related field is required.
• Prior specific experience in strategy development and/or implementation of vaccine preventable disease programmes is required.
• Prior experience in policy development, advocacy and resource mobilization is required.
• Prior experience in managing complex partnerships including coordinating and organizing a large group of United Nations Agencies, CSO’s, donors and other partners is required.
• Preparing and presenting clear and concise oral and written communications; preparing narrative documents, including policy statements and scientific publications desirable.
• Fluency in English (written and verbal) is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) 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. To view our competency framework, please click here.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

For more information on remuneration and benefits, please visit UNICEF’s Entitlements’ page.  If you would like to find estimates for entitlements, you may use the online Salary Estimate Calculator

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and and principles.