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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, healthcare solutions

How can you make a difference?

The Senior Immunization Specialist reports to the Regional Advisor Health, for general guidance and direction. The Senior Immunization Specialist is the authoritative and expert adviser to the Regional Advisor health, Regional office, Country Offices and governments in developing policies, strategies, programs, and systems for UNICEF’s support to immunization in the context of the Regional Health Programme and broader context of Primary Health Care , using Immunization as platform for delivering an integrated package of child survival interventions .  The Senior Immunization Specialist is responsible for providing technical leadership, management advice, advocacy , programme support and capacity building to Country Offices throughout the region. Facilitates application, adaptation, and achievement of UNICEF global and regional goals, polices, and strategies in the area of Immunization programme in countries of the region.  Provides UNICEF Immunization programmes and interventions with innovative leadership including managerial advice, vision, oversight, knowledge management, policy development, strategy articulation, situation appraisal, harmonization of programme strategies, capacity building, monitoring & evaluation support, representation, networking, and strategic partnership creation.

The Senior Immunization Specialist is accountable for providing Programme and policy guidance and leadership on UNICEF’s regional advocacy, resource mobilization, and technical assistance to equitable immunization services as part of Primary Health Care systems. This will include Routine immunization with focus on zero-dose communities to bridge the equity gap. Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination efforts, Yellow fever, Measles rubella elimination efforts as well as the introduction of new and underutilized vaccines, response to Vaccine Preventable Disease (VPD) Outbreaks  In line with UNICEF’s global Strategic Plan 2022-2025, UNICEF’s East ad Southern Africa  Regional Office Management Plan 2022-2025,  Collaboration for Children  ( C4C), and Immunization Agenda ( IA) 2030.

The incumbent will be responsible to facilitate regional immunization-related partnerships with the Gavi, WHO, African Union/Africa CDC, and GPEI, in collaboration with the polio coordinator ensuring efficient utilization of resources to strengthen systems for Primary Health Care, taking lead in the design and implementation of the Joint Action Plan (JAP), CDC-USA, private sector, and philanthropic institutions, strengthen regional coordination, and strategic approaches to reach hard to reach populations, advocating and providing technical assistance for immunization to be used as a platform for delivery of integrated services and enhancing the use of digital technology to improve immunization services, linked to other services across the continuum of care.

Within the authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primary, shared or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end results:

1. Advisory Capacity and Policy Development: Immunization Programme policies, strategies, and approaches for the region are developed and advocated for. The Regional Director, Deputy Directors, the Regional Management Team, Country Offices, and the staff are well advised on Regional programme strategy, policy, and advocacy guidelines of immunization programmes in the context of Primary Health Care, with emphasis on Health Systems Strengthening, preventing backsliding and reducing the number of zero-dose children.

2. Knowledge Management: The most relevant and latest technical expertise and information is maintained, generated,  and disseminated throughout the Region and Organization, and shared with the regional/national institutions/partners.

3.  Capacity Building: Country Offices, Regional Office staff and national partners adequately lead national programme development, implementation and management processes due to continual, effective capacity building.

4. Technical Leadership and Support: Regional and Country Offices expand, lead and deliver programmes at a high quality standard in area of expertise due to strong technical leadership.

5. Strategic Partnership and Representation: UNICEF is effectively represented and programme goals and strategies are widely advocated through networking and strategic partnerships with high level and senior government officials, multi-lateral agencies, bi-lateral agencies, NGOs, other UN agencies, and donors.

6. Advocacy and leveraging: Regional financial resources for immunization (EPI) are enhanced by effective advocacy and leveraging.

7. Regional Monitoring and Assessment: Accurate, coherent and reliable regional information is collected, analyzed and reported for monitoring, evaluation and programme report purposes.

8. Communication, Networking and Partnership: Strategic collaboration, communication, partnerships, and networking are forged to develop harmonized programme interventions and broaden UNICEF engagement.

9. Emergency Preparedness and Response: The role of immunization in emergency preparedness is assessed, needs for emergency support are identified, and emergency responses with effective coordination are provided.  

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

• Advanced degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Medicine, Public Health, Paediatric Health, Global/International, Health Policy and Management, Family Health, Socio-medical Sciences, Health Education, Epidemiology, or other fields relevant to immunization.

• A minimum of Ten years of progressively responsible professional work experience in all aspects of Programme management, and/or advisory capacity, in the technical area or Programme sector, resulting in recognized expertise in the technical area related to immunization and/or child survival and health care.
• Work experience in Public Health Emergencies especially managing vaccine-preventable Diseases outbreaks is required.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is required.
• Fluency in English is required. Proficiency in French or Portuguese is desired, and knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

[add the 8^th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for supervisory role]

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. 

Remarks:

[Remove below text if not a child safeguarding elevated risk role]

[If applicable] This position has been assessed as an elevated risk role for Child Safeguarding purposes as it is:a role with direct contact with children, works directly with children, is a safeguarding response role. Additional vetting and assessment for elevated risk roles in child safeguarding (potentially including additional criminal background checks) applies.

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable [Insert diversity profile] are encouraged to apply.

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

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be cancelled.

All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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.

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 a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

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