Overview
The Maternal and Child Health Specialist supports the development, planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting of a sector of the health programme, focusing on maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health, including disease prevention and control, to improve the health of marginalized women and children.
Key Responsibilities
- Support programme development and planning, including situation analysis and strategic plan formulation.
- Formulate, design, and prepare health programme proposals aligned with UNICEF's Strategic Plan and national priorities.
- Establish programme goals, objectives, strategies, and implementation plans using results-based management.
- Provide technical and operational support throughout programming processes.
- Plan and collaborate on monitoring benchmarks and performance indicators.
- Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises and programme reviews.
- Prepare and assess monitoring and evaluation reports.
- Actively monitor programmes through field visits and surveys.
- Monitor and verify the use of programme resources.
- Prepare programme/project reports for management, donors, and partners.
- Provide technical guidance and operational support to counterparts and partners.
- Participate in discussions to promote health and development issues.
- Draft policy papers and strategic programme materials.
- Participate in emergency preparedness initiatives.
- Build and sustain partnerships with government counterparts, national stakeholders, and global partners.
- Prepare communication and information materials for programme advocacy.
- Represent UNICEF in inter-agency discussions on health-related issues.
- Apply and introduce innovative approaches and good practices.
- Conduct research to provide evidence for best practices in health.
- Assess, institutionalize, and share best practices and knowledge learned.
- Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures.
- Organize and implement capacity building initiatives.
Required Experience
- A minimum of five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: public health planning and management, maternal and neonatal health care, primary health care.
- Experience working in a developing country is considered as an asset.
- Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.
Qualifications
An advanced university degree (master’s or equivalent) in one of the following fields is required: public health, pediatric health, family health, health research, global/international health, health policy and/or management, biostatistics, health education, epidemiology, or another relevant technical field.
