If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 60 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Vacancy No:  E-VN-2013-001270
Job Level:  P-4
Position#:  00008237

Purpose of the Position

•   The incumbent is responsible for the overall management and administration in the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the Health & Nutrition programme in the context of child survival and development within the country programme. Accountable for effective technical leadership, management guidance and programme support to facilitate the application and adaptation of UNICEF policies and strategies to achieve programme goals and expansion of UNICEF assisted Health & Nutrition interventions, including the attainment of the Millennium Development Goals.
•   As head of the Health & Nutritional group, leads, manages, develops and enables a competent team of professional and support staff to achieve the strategic goals and objectives of the Health & Nutrition programme.
•   Contributes to create synergy partnerships which reinforce other organizations, including other UN Agencies,MDG`s strategic directions in areas where UNICEF has primary responsibility or comparative advantage such as interrelated areas of maternal, new-born, and child health and nutrition.
•    Works closely, in Humanitarian Action, with the Nutrition and Health clusters within the inter-agency standing committee (IASC).

Key Expected Results

•   Timely and quality sectoral analysis, input, support and coordination contribute to the Situation Analysis, its periodic update, and all programme documents to formulate effective Health & Nutrition goals, strategy, and project planning and development, in partnerships with key stakeholders and with contribution of knowledge institutions.
•   Integrated Health & Nutrition strategies, methodologies and new approaches are developed and implemented based on results-based approach within Human Rights framework by broad  participation and collaboration with internal and external partnership Partnerships with global funds, multilateral and bilateral agencies and development banks, as well as relations with the private sector enhanced and exploited efficiently, in order to formulate common advocacy position and influence allocation of resources, as well as investment decisions on behalf of  Health and Nutrition.
•   Technical support is provided to government and non-government organizations at all stages of the programme cooperation, including capacity building of government personnel and beneficiaries, including through back-up partnerships with specialists Health and Nutrition organizations as appropriate.
•   Monitoring and evaluation of programme performance is properly undertaken for adjustment, acceleration and improvement of program delivery, capitalizing on joint global monitoring and evaluation frameworks such as the Child Health Epidemiology Reference Group for child health and nutrition, and with WFP in the areas of food and nutrition. Gender/sex disaggregated data and inputs relevant to the Health and Nutrition programme provided.
•   Work plan and objectives are effectively established, performance is managed, and planned results are timely delivered through exercise of strong programme management leadership; partnership frameworks that pool competencies and resources developed.
•   The capacities of Country Office staff are strengthened through effective capacity building programme – which also build on technical partnerships with collaborating agencies to provide state-of-the-art technical information to staff – in the development, implementation and management of the Health & Nutrition programme.
•   UNICEF and Government and implementing partners accountability is ensured for supply and non-supply assistance and disbursement of programme funds for the sector; and Government counterparts and implementing partners are orientated and trained in UNICEF supply and non-supply assistance policies and procedures.
•   Effective partnership and collaboration are achieved and maintained for advocacy, technical cooperation, programme coordination, information sharing and knowledge networking.
•   The most relevant and strategic information is provided to relevant stakeholders including in cooperation with knowledge institutions to support the Health & Nutrition Programme by the effective implementation of integrated programme monitoring system.
•   All required programme reports are timely prepared and shared with concerned partners in compliance with the established guidelines and procedures.
•   Emergency preparedness is maintained, and in emergencies, emergency responses with                       effective coordination are provided and in line with the Core Commitments for Children (CCC`s) in Humanitarian Action, partnerships with the Health and Nutrition humanitarian actors strengthened within the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC).
•   Other assigned duties and responsibilities are effectively accomplished.

Qualification Required & Experience

•   Advanced university degree in Public Health and Nutrition (preferably with specialized training in public health and nutrition planning, health and nutrition education, health care system management, HIV/AIDS prevention, immunization, or epidemiology), Child Development, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or other relevant disciplines.
•   Eight years of relevant work experience at the national and international levels in planning, programming, implementation monitoring and evaluation of health and nutrition programmes relevant to child survival, health & nutrition care. Relevant work experience in a managerial position, or a technical expert position in health, nutrition, and child survival & health care. Developing country work experience or field work experience. Background/familiarity with Emergency.
•   Fluency in English and another UN language. A local working language of the duty station is an asset.
•   A first level university degree with a relevant combination of academic qualifications and experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Competencies of Successful Candidate

•   Communicates effectively to varied audiences, including during formal public speaking.
•   Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.
•   Able to work effectively in a multi-cultural environment.
•   Has good leadership and supervisory skills; co-ordinates group activities, ensuring that roles within the team are clear.
•   Translates strategic direction into plans and objectives.
•   Analyzes and integrates diverse and complex quantitative and qualitative data from a wide range of sources.
•   Quickly builds rapport with individuals and groups; maintains an effective network of  individuals across organizational departments.
•   Identifies urgent and potentially difficult decisions and acts on them promptly; initiates and generates team- and department-wide activities.
•   Demonstrates, applies and shares expert technical knowledge across the organization.

Location: Accra

How To Apply For The Job

Click Here To Apply Online

Closing Date: 22 July, 2013

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.