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For every child, Health
Background and Strategic Context
Sudan is the third largest country by land area in Africa and is geo-strategically important being located at the cross-roads of Sub-Saharan Africa, East Africa, and the Middle East. It has long been a center of trade and commerce and link between neighboring countries. The country has significant natural resource endowments, including vast arable lands, water, forests, minerals, and precious metals.
Sudan’s history has been marked by coups, political instability, and conflict, which is hindering socio-economic development gains.
The last five years were marked by several rapid political changes. Despite the efforts to shield Sudan’s poor from the effects of the economic adjustments, Sudan’s economic crisis worsened over time, exacerbated by the effects of COVID-19. In April 2023 the situation escalated further into open violent conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), reactivating over time also prior fault lines in different parts of the country. With the state of the economy already precarious, exacerbated by social unrest, shortages of basic services and livelihood inputs, and freezing of foreign assistance, the military conflict risks pushing the country into a state of collapse.
Fighting between the RSF and the SAF in various states as well as heavy clashes in Khartoum and other urban areas has led to significant displacement of millions of people, both internally and across the border into neighboring countries. Approaching a year of conflict, almost all schools across the country remain closed.
UN entities are working with international and national NGOs to address the immediate needs. Basic services across Sudan have been characterized by weak capacity for delivery, low levels of public expenditure, shortage of qualified personnel, and inadequate infrastructure; further strained by the conflict, including pressure by displaced populations.
UNICEF is responding to the crisis by providing integrated Health, Nutrition, WASH, Education, Child Protection, and Cash assistance. While much of the response is focused on humanitarian interventions UNICEF and other partners are also aiming to build on Sudan’s strong community- based organizations, and lessons learned from other projects, to provide sustainable community led basic services.
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III. Key function, accountabilities, and related duties/tasks
Summary of key functions/accountabilities:
Support to programme development and planning. Programme management, monitoring, and delivery of results. Technical and operational support to programme implementation Networking and partnership building Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building Support to programme development and planning. Support and contribute to the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis for the sector(s) to establish a strategic plan for development, design, and management of health-related programmes. Keep abreast of development trends to enhance programme management, efficiency, and delivery. Participate in strategic programme discussions on the planning of health programmes. Formulate, design, and prepare a sector of the health programme proposal, ensuring alignment with UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, the Country Programme, as well as coherence/integration with the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), regional strategies, and national priorities, plans, and competencies. Establish specific programme goals, objectives, strategies, and implementation plans based on results-based planning terminology and methodology (RBM). Prepare required documentations for programme review and approval. Work closely and collaboratively with colleagues and partners to discuss strategies and methodologies, and to determine national priorities and competencies to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results. Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes to ensure integration, coherence, and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors and achievement of results as planned and allocated. Oversee the procurement process of vaccines and related supplies, ensuring timely availability and cost-effectiveness. Manage the end-to-end supply chain, from forecasting demand to ensuring the delivery of vaccines and devices to their destination. Ensure the integrity of the vaccine cold chain, from manufacturer to the point of use, including the implementation of effective cold chain solutions, regular monitoring, and capacity building of local staff in cold chain maintenance. Monitor vaccine stock levels, manage inventory, and develop strategies to minimize wastage and stockouts. This includes overseeing the logistics of vaccine storage, distribution, and stock rotation. Ensure that all vaccines and immunization supplies meet national and global standards for quality and safety. Implement and monitor quality control measures throughout the vaccine supply chain. Build the capacity of government partners in vaccine management, cold chain systems, and immunization best practices through training and mentorship programs.2. Programme management, monitoring, and delivery of results
Collect, analyze, and report data related to vaccine supply chain performance. Use data to inform decision-making, improve supply chain efficiencies, and report to stakeholders on progress and challenges. Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators, and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurements to assess and strengthen performance accountability, coherence, and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector in health programmes. Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with the government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results. Prepare and assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths and/or weaknesses in programme management, identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals. Actively monitor programmes/projects through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks, potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution. Monitor and verify the optimum and appropriate use of sectoral programme resources (financial, administrative, and other assets) confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures and donor commitments, standards of accountability and integrity, ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources. Prepare regular and mandated programme/project reports for management, donors, and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.3. Technical and operational support to programme implementation
Provide technical guidance and operational support to government counterparts, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on the interpretation, application and understanding of UNICEF policies, strategies, processes, and best practices and approaches on health-related issues to support programme development planning, management, implementation, and delivery of results. Support the establishment and operationalization of the Chad/Sudan and South Sudan/Sudan cross border vaccine hub to ensure easy delivery of vaccines and supplies to the Darfur and Kordofan zones for service delivery. Support the supply chain digitalization efforts, including the selection and introduction of appropriate electronic Logistics Management Information Systems (eLMIS) while strengthening the ecosystem (people, processes, and policies) within which the eLMIS will exist. Support and facilitate temperature monitoring study, solarization of cold chain facilities, and upgrading cold chain infrastructure in the county and will also support the development of Comprehensive Improvement Plan utilizing the results of EVM assessment. Support the implementation and monitoring of the Gavi funded Cold Chain Equipment Optimization Platform (CCEOP) year 2 delinking and finalization of the application to the new CCEOP window for support. Participate in discussions with national partners, clients, and stakeholders to promote health and development issues, especially in the areas of gender, emergency preparedness, maternal and neonatal health, and child survival and development. Draft policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information, and consideration. Participate in emergency preparedness initiatives for programme development, contingency planning executing immunization activities in response to emergencies, ensuring rapid and effective vaccine delivery to affected populations in country or where designated.4. Networking and partnership building
Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with health sector government counterparts, national stakeholders, as well as global partners, allies, donors, and academia. Through active networking, advocacy, and effective communication, build capacity and exchange knowledge and expertise to facilitate the achievement of programme goals on child rights, social justice, and equity. Prepare communication and information materials for CO programme advocacy to promote awareness, establish partnerships/alliances, and support fund raising for health programmes (maternal, neonatal and child survival and development). Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on health-related issues to collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues on UNDAF planning and preparation of health programmes/projects, ensuring organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda setting. Work closely with the Ministry of Health, WHO, and other stakeholders to strengthen immunization programs. Coordinate with partners to improve vaccine delivery and coverage, particularly in hard-to-reach areas. Advocate for the importance of immunization and vaccine management with government officials, donors, and the community. Communicate effectively about challenges, successes, and the impact of vaccination programs.5. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building
Apply and introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders, and to support the implementation and delivery of concrete and sustainable programme results. Keep abreast and conduct research to provide evidence for implementation of best and cutting-edge practices in health. Assess, institutionalize, and share best practices and knowledge learned. Contribute to the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure optimum efficiency and efficacy of sustainable programmes and projects. Organize and implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of stakeholders to promote sustainable results on health-related programmes/projects. Innovation and Improvement: Identify and implement innovative solutions to overcome challenges in vaccine delivery and management. Stay abreast of developments in vaccine logistics and cold chain technologies to enhance program outcomes.IV. Impact of Results
The efficiency and efficacy of support provided by the Health Specialist to programme preparation, planning and implementation facilitates the delivery of concrete and sustainable results that directly impact the improvement of the health of the most marginalized and vulnerable women and children in the country. This in turn contributes to maintaining and enhancing the credibility and ability of UNICEF to continue to provide programme services to protect the rights of children, and to promote greater social equality to enable them to survive, develop and reach their full potential in society.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: TOR - Immunization Specialist (Cold Chain Logistics Vaccine.docx
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
Education: An advanced university degree in one of the following fields is required: Pharmacy, Business Administration public health, family health, health research, global/international health, health policy and/or management, or another relevant technical field.
Experience:
A minimum of (5) five years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: public health planning and management, vaccination, or health emergency/humanitarian preparedness. Specific experience in Immunization Supply Chain Management in a humanitarian context within the region Experience working in emergency environments is a requirement. Relevant experience in a UN system agency or organization is considered as an asset.Language Requirements: Fluency in English and Arabic is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Chinese, Russian, Spanish or French) 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
The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1) Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1) Works Collaboratively with others (1) Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1) Innovates and Embraces Change (1) Thinks and Acts Strategically (1) Drive to achieve impactful results (1 Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic background, and persons with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization. To create a more inclusive workplace, UNICEF offers paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements. Click here to learn more about flexible work arrangements, well-being, and benefits.
According to the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others. In its Disability Inclusion Policy and Strategy 2022-2030, UNICEF has committed to increase the number of employees with disabilities by 2030. At UNICEF, we provide reasonable accommodation for work-related support requirements of candidates and employees with disabilities. Also, UNICEF has launched a Global Accessibility Helpdesk to strengthen physical and digital accessibility. If you are an applicant with a disability who needs digital accessibility support in completing the online application, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF.
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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.
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Remarks:
UNICEF’s active commitment to diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidate 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.
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