Recrutement de 01 Health & Nutrition Specialist

Recrutement de 01 Health & Nutrition Specialist

Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment
Duty Station: Sikasso
Level: P-3
Location: Mali
Categories: Health and Nutrition
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, hope

In Mali, children under 5 represent 17 per cent of the 19.8 million inhabitants. With a demographic annual growth rate of 3.6 per cent, the under-5 population is expected to reach 4.6 million children in 2030. While some results have been achieved in the past years, children under 5 continue to face challenges that affect their survival, development and thrive. In terms of vulnerability, children under five still suffer from multiple deprivations with 3.3 million children living with 3 deprivations. Children suffer from deprivations in nutrition, protection, and safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene services. Furthermore, the insecurity and worsening conflict affecting the country limit the improvement and sustainability of social services provided to children under 5.

Moreover, the child mortality is not behind, under five mortality has increased by 6 points from 2012 and 2018 (101‰). Subsequently, newborn mortality represented 61 per cent of under one-year mortality and 33 per cent of under-five mortality in Mali in 2018. Newborn mortality rate is higher in young mothers below the age of 20 in a context of high adolescent fecundity (151‰). Regarding, the maternal mortality, it remains a serious public health problem. Maternal mortality is at 325 per 100,000 live- births and one in fifty women is at risk of dying from maternal causes during her life span.

According to the Mali’s Investment Case on maternal, newborn and child care , child mortality is predominantly linked to three main causes: i) neonatal (33 per cent), ii) malaria (24 per cent), and iii) vaccine preventable diseases (22 per cent). Malnutrition however is the underlying causes of 30 per cent child mortality in Mali. In addition, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene related diseases are underlying causes of 43 per cent of the child mortality. For newborn mortality, asphyxia and septicemia represent respectively 27 per cent and 24 per cent of the causes. As for maternal mortality, the main causes are pre- and post-natal hemorrhages (42%), followed by pre-eclampsia (26%). Other indirect causes of maternal mortality are respectively malaria (56%) and anemia (30%). Moreover, there is no significant variations in the child mortality rates in emergency and non-emergency affected regions.

The nutritional status of under-five children remains precarious and progress over the past decades have been mixed, with boys generally more affected by malnutrition than girls. Indeed, the prevalence of anemia in this age group has remained stagnant at more than eighty per cent since the early 2000s (DHS Mali 2001 to 2018). Between 2012 and 2018, the prevalence of stunting among children aged 0 to 59 months decreased from 38 per cent to 27 per cent. However, this overall progress conceals important regional and sociodemographic disparities (e.g. 28 per cent among boys vs. 25.7 among girls and three times as high in lowest quintile as in highest quintile). This represents a 21 percent reduction towards the 2025 target of 40 percent reduction in the number of stunted children (DHS, 2018). Wasting remains high, at 9 per cent (DHS, 2018) and affects more boys (10.3 per cent) than girls (7.6 per cent). Case management of child malnutrition continues to be a challenge linked to limited community mobilization. The 2015 coverage surveys report only 27% of SAM children reached. There is regional disparity and inequity in terms of vulnerability of children between 0 to 5 years according to 2018 MODA report.

UNICEF Country Programme 2020-2024 has five key programmatic shifts that will help achieving key results for children in Mali: i) the Programme will be structured based on the life cycle approach with all interventions organized according to the specific needs of children from the conception up to the second decade (age of 18 years) including empowerment and participation; ii) the holistic and intersectoral approach for key results for children; iii) the links between humanitarian and development interventions continuum ; iv) the central role of adolescent girls and boys as a transformation agents, including their empowerment and participation and v) strengthening systems in an integrated way at the community level.

These key results will be achieved in collaboration with the Government of Mali, in conjunction with other UN agencies (common chapter, UN reform), civil society organizations and community groups.

Purpose for the job:

Under the supervision of the Sikasso Chief Field Office - NOC, the Health & Nutrition Specialist provides professional technical, operational and administrative assistance throughout the programming process for the nutrition programmes/projects within the Country Programme, from development planning to delivery of results. In doing so, the incumbent implements a variety of technical and administrative programme tasks to facilitate programme development, implementation, programme progress monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of results.

How can you make a difference?

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

1. Timely sectoral analysis, input, support and coordination contribute to the Situation Analysis and its periodic update for effective project planning, development and management, in partnerships with key stakeholders and with contribution of knowledge institutions.

2. Quality contributions are made to the development and implementation of Integrated Health & Nutrition strategies and approaches through participation and collaboration with internal and external partnership. Partnerships with global funds, multilateral and bilateral agencies and development banks, as well as relations with the private sector enhanced and exploited efficiently, in order to formulate common advocacy position and influence allocation of resources, as well as investment decisions on behalf of Health and Nutrition.

3. Work plan and objectives are strategically established, implementation support is effectively

provided, and planned results are timely delivered through application of technical expertise, in consultation with all relevant partners.

4. Project implementation progress is monitored and evaluated for adjustment, acceleration and improvement of program delivery and sustainability. Gender/sex disaggregated data and inputs provided, relevant to the Health and Nutrition programme.

5. Technical support is provided to government and NGOs and all other partners at various stages of the project implementation, monitoring and evaluation, including capacity building of government personnel and beneficiaries.

6. The capacities of Country Office staff are strengthened through effective capacity building support in the development, implementation and management of the Health & Nutrition programme and efficient communication is provided in building technical partnership with collaborative agency which can bring state-of-art information to staff.

7. UNICEF and Government and implementing partners accountability is ensured for supply and non-supply assistance and disbursement of programme funds for Health & Nutrition.

8. Effective working relationships with internal and external counterparts are kept maintained for advocacy, technical coordination, information sharing and knowledge networking.

9. Relevant and strategic information is kept available and shared with relevant stakeholders as required to support the Health & Nutrition Programme by the effective implementation of an integrated monitoring system.

10. Required programme/project reports are timely prepared and shared with relevant stakeholders as required in compliance with the established guidelines and procedures.

11. Emergency preparedness is maintained, and in emergencies, emergency responses with effective coordination is provided and in line with the Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) in Humanitarian Action, partnerships with the Health and Nutrition humanitarian actors strengthened within the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC).

12. Assumes any other duties and responsibilities assigned as appropriate to the purpose of this post, and delivers the results as required

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

Education

Advanced university degree in Public Health and Nutrition, Child Development, Water Sanitation, Public Administration, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or other relevant disciplines.

***A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.

Work Experience

Five years of professional work experience at the national and international levels in planning, programming, implementation monitoring and evaluation of technical cooperation programmes related to Health and Nutrition. Professional work experience in a managerial position, or a technical expert position in child survival & development, health and nutrition care.

Developing country work experience

Background/familiarity with Emergency.

Work experience with UNICEF / UN agencies or International development institutions is an asset

Language Proficiency

Fluency in French and English required (oral and in writing). Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset

For every Child, you demonstrate…

Core Values

Care
Respect
Integrity
Trust
Accountability
Sustainability
Core Competencies
Nurtures, Leads and Manages People (1)
Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (2)
Works Collaboratively with others (2)
Builds and Maintains Partnerships (2)
Innovates and Embraces Change (2)
Thinks and Acts Strategically (2)
Drive to achieve impactful results (2)
Manages ambiguity and complexity (2)
During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

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 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 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.

Remarks:

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

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

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government 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.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

Eligible UNICEF International Professional (IP) Staff Members on fixed-term, continuing or permanent contracts applying to a Temporary Appointment, which is dedicated to L3 (or L2) Response, may be able to retain a lien and their fixed-term entitlements. The conditions of the temporary assignment will vary depending on the status of their post and their current tour of duty, and relocation entitlements may be limited as per the relevant policies.

Advertised: 09 Jun 2023 Greenwich Standard Time
Deadline: 16 Jun 2023 Greenwich Standard Time