Maternal & Child Health Specialist at UNICEF

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged in order children to save their lives, to defend their right and 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, Love

UNICEF is committed to support government’s efforts in reducing maternal, newborn and child death. This commitment can be demonstrated in various national documents, which include Tanzania Vision 2025, the National Strategy for Growth and Reduction of Poverty (NSGRP), National Health Policy, and the Health Sector Strategic Plan IV. These commitments are also defined in the UNICEF Strategic Plan 2018-2021 and UNICEF Health Strategy (2016-2030). UNICEF will continue to provide technical support to government and nongovernment organizations at the national, subnational and community level in priority setting to reduce maternal and neonatal mortality through joint planning, development and implementation stages of safe motherhood, newborn and child health programmes within the framework of the harmonised Sector Wide Approach strategies. Additionally, UNICEF is expected to assist in the development and /or introduction of new approaches, methods and practices in service delivery, management, evaluation, information and reporting systems.

How can you make a difference?

Specific Tasks

1. Data-driven and results-based management

• Participate in regular data-driven situational analyses (including epidemiological, gender

equality and emergency assessments)

• Provide technical and operational guidance and support to government and non-government partners with health system strengthening to scale -up cost effective and high impact interventions;
• Champion results-based management;
• Monitor developments at regional and decentralized levels in collaboration with UNICEF Field Offices

2. Upstream activities

• Provide specific technical expertise on health policies, maternal, new born and child health strategies and other issues, including advocacy in gender equality, emergency preparedness and response, as appropriate and as defined by supervisors.
• Provide technical support through participation in SWAp mechanisms, technical and programme management committees.
• To work with CAP to develop, strengthen and implement advocacy strategy on Perinatal mortality, teenage Pregnancy with robust monitoring and evaluation.
• To work with CAP to and strengthen strategic partnerships for advocacy with NGOs and CSOs and ensure strategic approach to deploying these partners to increase our advocacy impact.

3. Downstream activities (UNICEF Field Offices)

• Contribute to the development and implementation of detailed sectoral work-plans and budgets for scaling-maternal, new born and child health and interventions.
• Provide technical and operational guidance to partners for programme implementation in UNICEF supported districts.
• Contribute to UNICEF country office’s readiness to deliver on the Health-related CCCs.
• Conduct regular meetings with policy makers and partners.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned of scaling-up Health interventions.
• Share good practices in gender equality programming, sharing good practices at the national level.

4. Monitoring, evaluation and reporting

• Collaborate with Health Manager (PHC) and PMFC Section to timely, efficiently, rigorously and transparently monitor, evaluate and report on related maternal, new born and child health programs.
• Contribute to the preparation of relevant sections of the annual Health sector status reports.
• Prepare transparent and timely reports to donors and other partners.

5. Accountability

• Ensure related UNICEF, government and non-government staff comply with UNICEF’s financial rules including emergency fast-track procedures.
• In close collaboration with Operations and Supply staff, regularly monitor and report on use

of related supplies and other resources donated to the government and non-government

partners.

• Collaborate with the Operations Section and Government authorities to maintain sound

internal controls, supportive of specific Health interventions as well as to ensure

accountability.

6. Knowledge management

• Plan and implement maternal, new born and child health studies as necessary.
•  Document and disseminate lessons learned.
• Implement country-specific capacity building activities.

7. Rights-based programmes through Results-Based Approach

• Ensure UNICEF, government and non-government staff apply right-based approaches to programming and humanitarian principles.
• Promote the quality of rights-based Health programmes through the formulation of programme goals and strategies and approaches.

8. Partnerships and leveraging resources

• Maintain close working relationships with other related UNICEF sectors, particularly Nutrition, Children and AIDS, WASH, and programme communication.
• Coordinate with related UNICEF Regional Advisers and HQ Officers to ensure strategies are aligned with global and regional strategies.
• Establish active and participatory partnerships with related Health sector stakeholders (Government, WHO, other UN agencies, NGOs and bilateral agencies) and interact with them at different stages of Health programme design and implementation and identify opportunities for leveraging resources to be brought to the attention

To qualify as an advocate for every child you are required to have the following¦

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Medicine or Public Health.
• A minimum of Eight years of relevant professional experience at the national international levels in programme planning, management, monitoring and evaluation in relation to Safe Motherhood, new born and child health including PMTCT and HIV/AIDs, EPI and IMCI. Experience working in the UN or other international development organization, and field work experience an asset. Background/familiarity with Emergency and gender main streaming.
• Strong Advocacy skills on maternal and child health agenda
•  Strong interpersonal skills and ability to negotiate with programme counterparts.
• Strong planning, organization and strategic thinking skills
• Strong communication skills, including writing and public speaking, fluency in English(verbal and written). Good written and spoken skills in the language of the humanitarian operation and knowledge of another UN language an asset and local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

The competencies required for this post are Builds and maintains partnerships, Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness, Innovates and embraces change, Drive to achieve results for impact, manages ambiguity and complexity, Thinks and acts strategically, Work Collaboratively with others.

View our competency framework 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.