UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, Health for all……

The Health Specialist will support implementation of the DRIVE initiative to scale innovative last mile direct delivery solutions in countries across UNICEF regions. The Health Specialist will ensure that the initiative is designed to increase vaccine availability for every child (and others), reduce time spent on logistics by health workers, contribute to higher coverage and targeting and reaching of underserved and zero dose populations, while leveraging this to implement context-based multi-sectoral approaches to contribute to overall primary healthcare (PHC), universal health coverage (UHC) and economic empowerment and well-being.

How can you make a difference?

Country engagement and implementation advocacy: Working with relevant regional offices and country offices.

• Introduce DRIVE Initiative to a wider pool of in-country stakeholders such as the National Logistics Working Group (NLWG) or similar and non-immunization and non-health stakeholders, to generate further buy-in and implementation readiness.
• Finalize project scope and plan for priority countries including stakeholder prioritized implementation model, identification of sub-national target populations and similar non-intervention population areas (for outcome comparison), context-based multi-sectoral approaches, timelines, budget, theory of change, monitoring, and evaluation framework, relevant stakeholder group mapping etc.
• Support conceptualization, feasibility, implementation roadmap (including pilot and scale) of fit-for-purpose last mile delivery applications that support multi-stakeholder engagements on health products sourcing and requisition, allocation, distribution tracking, delivery reporting, appropriate payments etc.

Country implementation readiness

• Develop and support use of templates to aid implementation including in-country target population/context selection matrix, implementation checklist, monitoring, and reporting templates (aligned with existing in-country reporting mechanisms and tools), health facilities/vendors/other stakeholders’ onboarding materials etc.
• Support countries to map project implementation readiness (using above templates), identify gaps and develop activities to ensure timely implementation readiness.

In-country (implementation) stakeholders mapping and engagement: Working with relevant country offices (and considering country engagement strategy and modality) and leveraging existing global, regional, and country LTAs or contracts.

• Identify required implementation stakeholders (such as local private sector organizations, 3PLs, young people, financial institutions, small and medium scale enterprises etc.)
• Initiate and execute different operating models for contracting/engaging these stakeholders and provide oversight on managing them, including for hired purchase models, fee-for-service models, opt-in-opt-out models, financial bonds etc.

DRIVE Initiative monitoring, evaluation, and evidence generation:

• Manage (as agreed in the monitoring and evaluation framework) implementation monitoring and reporting using relevant indicators
• Manage conceptualization, collection, and analysis of baseline (pre-project), mid-project and end-of-project data for project evaluation using the existing theory of change.

Health systems strengthening and Immunization Supply Chain Support

• Support UNICEF’s health systems, immunization and multi-sectoral supply chain initiatives including iSC systems strengthening, capacity building, continuous improvement, and forecasting.

The following minimum requirements..…

• An advanced university degree (Master’s degree) in Engineering, Public Health, Supply Chain, Development Studies, Social Sciences, Business or Public Administration or related field is required.

Work Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience in international public health programming including at least three (3) years in immunization and immunization supply chains, with experience in low- and middle-income countries is required.

Desirables/Assets:

• Knowledge of country’s national and sub-national distribution processes and practices including bottlenecks and diverse methodology to address is highly desirable.
• Experience with health systems strengthening including supply chain strengthening is desired.
• Experience with implementing last mile supply chain delivery interventions is desirable.
• Knowledge of programmatic approaches to identify, design, target, measure, and document evidence from supply chain/immunization interventions that seek to reach unreached and underserved populations including remote rural, urban slums, conflict settings etc. is an asset.
• Familiarity with in-country supply chain processes and strengthening such as stock and logistics management, inventory policies, allocation, ordering and distribution strategies, and other supply chain operations are added value.
• Experience in planning, coordination, management and working with teams and multiple stakeholders, in different time zones is a must.

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English (written and verbal) is required. Proficiency in French and another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) is a strong 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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others

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 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 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.

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.

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.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.