United States of America: Health Specialist (Maternal and Newborn Health), P-4, NYHQ, #85107


Job Number: 494097 | Vacancy Link
Location: Programme Division, UNICEF NYHQ
Work Type : Fixed Term Staff


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 70 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.


Purpose of the Position


Under supervision of the Senior Advisor, Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH), the staff member is responsible for providing technical support to regions and countries to support the scaling up and monitoring of equity- based MNH programmes with a focus community newborn care. She/he will be an active member of the Health Section’s MNH team which focuses on accelerating the implementation of high impact interventions for maternal and newborn health.


Key Expected Results


  1. Provides technical support to UNICEF Regional and Country Health Advisers to scale up equity based MNH programmes with a focus on newborn care. Supports countries to establish appropriate monitoring systems and works with regional offices to strengthen in-country capacity for L3 monitoring; develops tracking mechanisms to facilitate the rapid up-dating of information related to the situation of women and children in priority countries. Supports the documentation and sharing of lessons learned from programme implementation.

End Result(s):


  • Regular systematic communication channels established with Regional Advisers

  • Technical support provided to regions and countries to scale-up newborn programmes

  • Monitoring and progress tracking mechanisms developed


  • Regional and country capacity for L3 monitoring strengthened




  • Maintains technical contacts and collaboration with ENAP (Every Newborn Action Plan) and UNH6 (WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA and World Bank) technical partners to support coordination of activities, leverages resources and ensures adequate partner commitment to support countries. Ensures all ENAP and UNH6 partners are well informed and engaged in activities. Seeks strategic opportunities to disseminate information on the ENAP and UNH6 activities in relevant meetings/conference. Works within UNICEF to ensure that information on ENAP and UNH6 is widely disseminated, works to maintain UNICEF engagement at all levels and pursues opportunities to link ENAP and UNH6 activities with UNICEF priorities and programmes. Provides technical support to UNICEF staff and to strengthen ENAP and UNH6 partnerships at country level.



End Result(s):


  • ENAP and UNH6 partnerships strengthened at country level with particular focus on CIDA and Sida project countries


  • ENAP and UNH6 technical briefs and tools developed




  • Coordinates and provides technical support to countries to plan and implement the ENAP and CIDA and Sida UNH6 project activities in project countries. Supports the Global ENAP and UNH6 M&E Group to monitor the overall implementation and evaluation of the projects. Supports the documentation of innovations, lessons learned from country implementation and wider dissemination globally.
    End Result(s):




  • Plan and mechanisms for monitoring UNICEF implementation of Project Grants developed




  • Improved management of Project Grants including timely development and submission of annual and progress reports.




  • Innovations and lessons learned from Projects documented and disseminated




  • Works with MNH team members to develop programme work plan, ensures the exchange of information to achieve programme objectives and follow up to ensure programme objectives are met. Provides support to identify and mobilize financial and technical resources to support implementation of MNH activities and programmes at country level. Provides technical support to address any other priority activities that might emerge in the context of accelerating coordinated action for strengthening maternal and newborn health.



End Result(s):


  • Consolidated HQ MNH work plan developed

  • Funding concept notes and proposals for MNH developed

Qualifications of Successful Candidate


  • Advanced university degree in public health or a related technical field*.

  • At least 8 years of solid professional work experience at national and international levels in programme management, strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation, in maternal and child survival areas.

  • Fluency in English and a second UN working language (i.e. Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish) is required.

*A relevant first-level university degree (Bachelor’s), in combination with 2 years of additional relevant work experience, may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.


Competencies of Successful Candidate


Core Values


  • Commitment

  • Diversity and Inclusion

  • Integrity

Core competencies


  • Communication – Level II

  • Working with People – Level III

  • Drive for Results – Level II

Functional Competencies


  • Analyzing – Level II

  • Planning and Organizing – Level III

  • Coping with Pressure and Setbacks – Level II



How to apply:


To apply:


http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/?job=494097


To view our competency framework, please click here.


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.
Opening Date 31 May 2016 Eastern Standard Time
Closing Date 14 Jun 2016 Eastern Standard Time





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