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For every child, Health!

The immunization (EPI) Specialist is responsible for providing professional leadership and contributing to the development, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and management of the immunization program in conjunction with the Child Survival and Development, Maternal and Child Health, and Health and Nutrition components within the national program. The goal is to achieve UNICEF's immunization plus objectives for Burkina Faso. The Immunization Specialist is also accountable for ensuring that UNICEF’s immunization program promotes gender equality, with a particular focus on gender-disaggregated data, identifying gender disparities, and mainstreaming gender considerations throughout the program.

How can you make a difference                                                                                                                                                           Under the supervision of the Health Manager

? 

•  The Immunization Specialist in Burkina Faso will work closely with colleagues from the Health and Supply Sections to provide strategic leadership, technical support, and coordination aimed at strengthening the national immunization program. The focus will be on improving vaccine coverage and ensuring equity, particularly in disadvantaged and hard-to-reach areas of the country. The role will support the development, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the immunization program in line with national health priorities and UNICEF's goals.
• The Immunization Specialist will provide technical support through: (1) ensuring effective program implementation, (2) increasing coverage in underserved areas, (3) optimizing cold chain and vaccine supply management, (4) enhancing data-driven decision-making, (5) promoting gender equality in vaccination, (6) building capacity through training, (7) fostering partnerships with key stakeholders, (8) supporting emergency immunization responses, and (9) ensuring vaccines are delivered efficiently during outbreaks and crises while maintaining high standards of vaccine quality.
•  The Immunization Specialist will be responsible for the planning, design, implementation, and management of immunization projects within the Health and Nutrition program, in alignment with the Country Programme Management Plan. The specialist’s focus will be on achieving UNICEF's immunization goals while ensuring that vaccines are effectively delivered to all children, particularly the most disadvantaged, with gender considerations mainstreamed throughout the program.
• The Immunization Specialist will collaborate with key stakeholders, including government counterparts and international partners, to develop and update strategies, tools, and guidance related to immunization supply chain policies, procedures, systems, and activities. The specialist will also foster collaboration with global and field-level partners involved in Immunization Supply Chain Management to support the successful implementation of immunization initiatives.

The role of the Immunization Specialist is pivotal in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the immunization supply chain in Burkina Faso, directly supporting UNICEF’s mission to improve child health outcomes. By leading efforts to strengthen routine immunization systems, optimize cold chain management, and build local capacity, the specialist will contribute to higher vaccination coverage and improved health outcomes. The emphasis on data-driven decision-making and capacity building aligns with UNICEF’s equity strategy, ensuring that all children, especially those from marginalized communities, have equitable access to life-saving vaccines.

Additionally, the Immunization Specialist will be responsible for ensuring that gender equality is promoted throughout the immunization program, with a focus on gender-disaggregated data, identifying disparities, and integrating gender considerations into all aspects of the program.

Key end-results:

1. Ensure comprehensive planning, implementation, and monitoring of immunization programs, including key campaigns, in line with national priorities and global standards.
2. Develop strategies to boost coverage, targeting underserved populations and addressing disparities, particularly in hard-to-reach areas.
3. Oversee the immunization supply chain, ensuring effective management of cold chain equipment and vaccine logistics to prevent stock-outs and maintain vaccine quality.
4. Strengthen information systems to ensure data-driven decisions, monitoring coverage, dropout rates, and identifying areas for improvement.
5. Integrate gender-sensitive approaches, ensuring gender-disaggregated data collection, identifying disparities, and advocating for equal vaccine access.
6. Provide technical support and training to enhance the capacity of health workers in vaccine delivery, cold chain management, and data utilization.
7. Maintain a high level of emergency preparedness and provide technical support during disease outbreaks or humanitarian crises, ensuring that immunization services are part of emergency response plans and are rapidly scaled when needed.
8. Foster strong partnerships with government counterparts, WHO, Gavi, donors, and other stakeholders. Lead the coordination of multi-partner efforts and collaborate on resource mobilization and program implementation to strengthen the national immunization program.
9. Other assigned duties and responsibilities are effectively performed.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:  GJP - Immunization (EPI) Specialist Level 3.doc

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

Minimum requirements:

• Advanced university degree in Public Health, Paediatric Health, Child Development, Child Health, Nutrition, Epidemiology, Public Administration, Social Development, Community Development, or other relevant disciplines. 

• Five years of professional work experience at the national and international levels in planning, programming, implementation monitoring and evaluation of health/Immunization programmes. Professional work experience in a technical expert position related to child survival & health care. Developing country work experience (for IP) or field work experience (for NO) Background/familiarity with Emergency.

• Fluency in French and Good working knowledge of English is required.

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

The 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 

(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 measures to include a more diverse workforce, such as paid parental leave, time off for breastfeeding purposes, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children. 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.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be 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 canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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. 

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants’ bank account information.

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

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Ouagadougou is a non-family duty station with a “Rest & Recuperation” cycle every 8 weeks.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.