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Job Title:   Chief Child Survival & Development  

Organisation: United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Duty Station:  Kampala, Uganda

Grade: P-5

About US:

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is mandated by the UN general assembly to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, to help meet their basic needs and expand their opportunities to reach their full potential. Together with our partners, we work in 190 countries and territories to translate that commitment into practical action, focusing special effort on reaching the most vulnerable and excluded children, to the benefit of all children, everywhere.

Job Summary:  The Chief, Child Survival and Development, is responsible for responsible for the development, design, planning, implementation, management and technical support to the Child Survival and Development Programme (Keeping Children Alive and Thriving) within the Country Programme of Cooperation 2016-2020.

As head of section, engages in advocacy and high-level policy dialogue and technical support; provides leadership and strategic direction to a significant group of professionals and support staff to develop and administer the Child Survival and Development Programme which includes WASH, Health (RMNCAH), Nutrition and Children and AIDS. Promotes inter-sectoral collaboration in support of key programme priorities such as Early Child Development and Adolescent Health.

Contributes to create synergy partnerships which reinforce other organizations – including other UN Agencies – MDGs strategic directions in areas where UNICEF has primary responsibility or comparative advantage such as interrelated areas of maternal, new-born, child health, nutrition, WASHH and HIV/AIDs.

Key Duties and Responsibilities: Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primary, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results.

• Providing leadership, guidance, direction and fundraising for programme monitoring and evaluation of the Child Survival and Development programme, ensuring partners’ and UNICEF monitoring framework and systems are adequate and relevant for tracking progress of relevant indicators in the RWP/CPAP/MTSP/MDGs and adequacy/ appropriateness of evaluations and studies for updating situation of children and women, preparation of mid-term review and development of a new country programme.
• Establishes sectoral programme goals, objectives, and strategies. Supervises preparation of the sectoral inputs to the Country Programme Document and related documents, ensuring coherence of the sectoral programme with National priorities and policies and with United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF); and coordinates with other major players like the WHO, UNFPA, World Bank and other UN Agencies – to accelerate progress in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
• Ensure that programme implementation is on track, through periodic meetings, individually and in groups, with the various sectoral and regional team members; support exchange of information and experience aim to identify new strategies and courses of action to accelerate/improve delivery of services and achieve programme requirements and objectives. Support cross-sectoral programming and inter-linkages and integration with other PCRs in the Country Programme of Cooperation.
• As Chief of Section, engages in high level advocacy and policy dialogue to position children’s CSD issues in the national development agenda.
• Participates in government and donor technical discussions and reviews and meetings including health development partner group, AIDS development partner groups, HPAC, SWAPs, Relevant Technical Working Groups, NDP II and budget framework meetings/ reviews to advocate for children’s rights from Child Survival and Development perspective to ensure that issues of disparity reduction, equity and access are addressed and included in policy, planning and monitoring frameworks and guidelines.
• Supervise the activities leading to the completion of the Situation Analysis for the Child Survival and Development Programme, and its periodic update.
• Keep abreast with the latest developments which have bearing on national and regional priorities and discuss the same with the Deputy Representative the Representative, and the regional programme managers. This includes participation in regional fora and programme workshops and consultations at the regional and country levels to exchange knowledge, ideas, and approaches.
• As head of a large section, responsible for the overall programme management including establishment of the work-plan, monitoring compliance, and provide support and guidance to make sure objectives are met, managing the programme budget and ensuring funds are properly administered, and utilized in accordance with the Plan of Action and the programme budget allotment.
• In collaboration with other colleagues, establishes effective information and reporting systems to monitor and evaluate the impact of the CSD programme and achievement of targeted goals.
• As head of a large section, takes primary responsibility for the development of the results-based sectoral work plan as well as for managerial oversight and implementation of sectoral project activity, consistent with the defined project strategies and approaches. Establishes partnership frameworks that pool competencies and resources.
• Interact with the senior government officials and other partners, NGO’s, UN and bilateral agencies in the different stages of programme implementation, to follow up on implementation of recommendations and agreements, and leverage results and resources for children and women in Uganda.
• Provide guidance and support to government and non-government organizations at the national and provincial levels in the planning, development and implementation stages of the programme. Plans, organizes and oversees training and orientation activities for government personnel and beneficiaries and other relevant partners, for the purpose of institutional capacity building and expansion of coverage of services.
• Conduct field assessment visits and participate in quarterly and annual reviews and planning meeting on the country programme to assess and evaluate programme effectiveness, identifying problems and instituting remedial measures.
• Monitor and evaluate project implementation in the field. Participates in major review and planning meetings with government partners and key stakeholders on the country programme to assess and evaluate programme effectiveness, identifying problems and adopting remedial measures to accelerate/improve programme delivery UNICEF and Government accountability is ensured for supply and non-supply assistance and disbursement of programme funds for the sector.
• Coordinates with Operations and Supply staff on supply and non-supply assistance activities ensuring UNICEF and Government and implanting partners’ accountability. Approves disbursements of funds, ensuring those activities are within established plans of action and programme budget allotments; and to orientate and train Government and UNICEF implementing partners in UNICEF supply and non-supply policies and procedures. Monitors the overall allocation and disbursement of programme funds, making sure that funds are properly coordinated, monitored and liquidated. Takes appropriate actions to optimize use of programme funds.
• Ensures programme efficiency and delivery through a rigorous and transparent approach to programme planning, monitoring and evaluation. Submits financial status reports to management in compliance with the regulations and guidelines.
• The most relevant and strategic information is provided to support the Child Survival and Development Programme by the effective implementation of integrated programme monitoring system.
• In collaboration with monitoring and evaluation and program communication colleagues, conducts accurate and timely monitoring and data collection, and supports an integrated programme monitoring system, in consultation with all relevant stakeholders.
• Provides technical support to ensure that a set of programme performance indicators is identified and adjusted as necessary. Coordinates with partners to ensure that monitoring systems are properly designed, and that data collection and analysis from field visits are coordinated and standardized across programmes to feed into to programme performance monitoring.
• Participates in major evaluation exercises, programme mid-term review, annual sector review and preview meetings with Government counterparts and all other relevant partners. Analyses and evaluates data to ensure achievement of objectives and recommends corrective measures as appropriate.
• Drawing on monitoring and analysis of key program performance and management indicators, provides expert input to management reports, including relevant sections of the annual reports. Provides technical advice to programme staff, government counterparts and other partners on planning and management of integrated monitoring and evaluation.
• All required programme reports are timely prepared in compliance with the established guidelines and procedures.
• Oversees and ensures the timely preparation of annual sector status reports in compliance with the established guidelines and procedures. Participates in the preparation of all programmes reports for management, Board, donors, budget reviews, programme analysis, annual reports, and provides guidance and assistance in programme related reporting; and shares the information with relevant partners as required.
• Emergency preparedness is maintained, and in emergencies, emergency responses with effective coordination is provided.
• Collaborates in forming emergency preparedness plan relevant to child survival and development. In case of emergency, participates in monitoring and assessing the nature and extent of the emergency in the assigned area. Coordinates and provides assistance to the Country Office in identifying where support is required in terms of immediate response as well as long-term strategy and plan. In line with the Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) in Humanitarian Action, strengthens partnerships with the humanitarian actors s within the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC).
• Other assigned duties and responsibilities are effectively accomplished.
• Assumes any other duties and responsibilities assigned as appropriate to the purpose of this post, and delivers the results as required.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• The applicant for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Chief Child Survival & Development job must hold an advanced university degree in Public Health, Social Sciences or a related technical field. Medical degree and other formal training in health policy and systems training, HIV and AIDS and water and sanitation or nutrition would be an advantage.
• Ten years of professional work experience at the national and international levels in planning, programming, implementation monitoring and evaluation of health and health related programmes.
• Professional work experience in a managerial position, or a technical expert position in health, nutrition, child survival, WASH, HIV/AIDS & health care.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required.

UNICEF’s Core Values: 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

UNICEF Competencies: 1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others, (8) Nurtures, leads and manages people.

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

How to Apply:

All suitably qualified and interested applicants who wish to join United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) should apply online at the link below

Click Here

Deadline: 20^th August 2023

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