Information Management Officer (NOB), Temporary Appointment (364 days), Kabul, Afghanistan

The Afghanistan health system made considerable progress over the period of 2003-2021. Data from household surveys between 2003 and 2018 show significant improvement in the coverage of reproductive, maternal and child health services. The number of functional health facilities increased from 498 in 2002 to 2,725 in 2017 and the proportion of health facilities with skilled female health workers increased from 25% to 95.2% (MOPH HMIS department). The number of Community Health Workers (CHWs) increased from 2,682 in 2005 to 29,596 in 2017 (MoPH, CBHC department). Coverage of skilled birth attendance (SBA) for women in rural areas has increased from 4% to 59% and antenatal care (ANC) coverage from 8% to 61% between 2013 and 2018. However, Afghanistan does have a robust DHIS system in place for data and information management, which UNICEF is using as a primary data source, there exist significant gaps in terms of monitoring systems to validate the information and ensure timely provision of data and real-time monitoring system. UNICEF Afghanistan monitors its delivery against its approved Country Programme, including progress against the respective milestones which are set in a given year. The Country Programme has a mid-term and annual review and an end-of-cycle review. Progress on output level results is assessed during these reviews and data is managed through the Results Assessment Module (RAM) system at UNICEF HQ. Monitoring of the implementation of projects delivered by UNICEF Afghanistan and its implementing partners occurs throughout the year. UNICEF Afghanistan adopts a risk-based approach in relation to monitoring its implementing partners’ activities and results. Specifically, the level of monitoring it undertakes is determined by the risk assessment made of each partner during its due diligence/capacity assessment.

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, Health!

Working for UNICEF: https://youtu.be/43aiG4w2q_M?t=2 

UNICEF in Afghanistan:  https://www.unicef.org/afghanistan/

How can you make a difference?

Key Responsibilities

The incumbent will work under the overall supervision of the IM Specialist (P3), in close collaboration with the M&E Manager Health Section and Programme Monitoring and Evaluation section. This position is based in the Afghanistan Country Office in Kabul, Afghanistan, with frequent travel to the field. The Information Management Officer will support UNICEF Health section in the humanitarian as well as sector programs (as defined in annual rolling work plan) and will contribute to the provision of useful, valid and reliable information.

• Support Health programmes with data QA, data compilation and analysis
  • Support the development and maintenance of UNICEF health programme’s internal Information Management tools (both MHNTs and Sehatmandi project)
  • Ensuring compliance and consistency of data reported in UNICEF platforms, by providing technical support to ensure standard performance indicators (global or regional) are well-known and used by COs with appropriate levels of disaggregations (e.g. by gender, age, disability, location etc.)
  • Maintain database of relevant and up-to-date information e.g., health facilties mapping, partners mapping, data trends analysis and triangulate data from internal or external sources that would be useful for UNICEF’s programme
  • Support health section to identify critical data gaps, and advise on design mechanisms for collecting, storing and analyzing information, including using technologies for digital data collection
  • Backstop IM Specialist on dashboards management by technically supporting issues through programming skills.
• Increasing the use of information by health section and partners, through the delivery of quality Data Visualization and reporting products
  • Contribute to the design and provide technical support to the use of data visualization products (including maps, dashboards, infographics and financial / resource analyses) that presents information in a way that is easily understood by various decision makers, individuals and zonal offices.
  • Help maintain templates for relevant information products suitable to specific purposes and audiences
  • Help respond to data visualization requests from senior management, including products to support advocacy and resource mobilization efforts
  • Consider the use of innovative tools for data visualisation including online mapping, as relevant/applicable
• Strengthening information and data dissemination
  • Support the access and the utilization of effective methods and platforms to standardize and share programme data and humanitarian response information (e.g. on the website, mailing lists, Share Point, etc.), to strengthen the knowledge transfer
  • Prepare and maintain catalogues of IM and data products for the programmes and for humanitarian response ·
• Building capacity for Information Management to UNICEF staff, implementing partners and governments
  • Contribute to the design and delivery of capacity development activities and resources for UNICEF staff, implementing partners, government and agencies with a particular focus to those engaged in humanitarian response.
  • Support the documentation of lessons learnt from UNICEF IM and monitoring activities to identify priority areas for consideration, analysis and research in emergency context.

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

• A university degree in information management, computer sciences, social sciences, statistics, planning development, public health, or related field.
• A minimum of two years of relevant professional experience in programme development and implementation, including monitoring and evaluation activities.
• Experience in programming languages like Python, R, SQL, is required.
• Strong excel skills, PowerBI and dashboards is required.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA).

Competencies

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

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 be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

Female applicants are highly encouraged to apply.

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

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

The successful candidate for this emergency recruitment must be available to commence work within one month of receiving an offer.