UNICEF recruits 01 HIV/AIDS Specialist
HIV/AIDS Specialist, P4, Temporary Appointment (364 days), ESARO, Nairobi
Job Number: 519733 | Vacancy Link
Locations: Africa: Kenya
Work Type : Temporary Appointment
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, Care
The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations.
UNICEF’s HIV response for children, adolescents and pregnant and breastfeeding women must ensure that neither age, poverty, gender inequality, nor social exclusion determine access to life saving HIV prevention, treatment and care. UNICEF and its partners’ responses ensure all children are born free of HIV, and remain HIV-free for the first two decades of life, from birth through adolescence. It means that all children and adolescents living with HIV have access to the treatment, care and support they need to remain alive and healthy. This is UNICEF’s vision of an AIDS-free generation. Ending AIDS among children and adolescentsb is vital to ending the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030 – the overarching goal of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) of which UNICEF is a co-founding partner.
How can you make a difference?
The overall purpose of this TA is to support the ESARO HIV section to execute its core responsibilities of technical assistance, quality oversight, strengthening partnerships, activity management, strategic information and knowledge management and ensuring strategic HIV programming in the region. In particular, the Specialist will have responsibility for quality country support for the development, implementation and review of programmes for the prevention, care and support related to HIV, adolescents and a specific focus on adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), adolescents living with HIV (ALHIV), and management and strengthened partnership under the UNICEF-Global Fund partnership agreement. As well, the Specialist will support related and aligned activities as part of the Joint UN Programme, together for sexual and reproductive health and rights (2gether 4 SRHR). Applying a results-based approach, the Specialist will focus on a select number of high HIV burden countries, including but not limited to Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Major duties and responsibilities
Under the supervision of the Regional HIV/AIDS Advisor, with regular interaction with the Senior Health/HIV Specialist, the HIV/AIDS Specialist will provide, through remote support and in-country missions, 1) programme support, oversight, coordination and quality assurance for the agreed upon priority countries 2) technical leadership, support and capacity development; and, 3) networking and strengthening partnerships; and, 4) knowledge management, advocacy, and enhanced data use to enhance HIV-related results for adolescents and children.
1. Programme support oversight, coordination, management and quality assurance
• Support the review, management and monitoring of activities and progress in priority countries on adolescent HIV programming as part of the Global Fund agreement.
• Provide guidance and inputs to help countries strengthen programmes for AGYW, including in adolescent prevention, adolescent PMTCT and SRHR/HIV, and ALHIV in generating and using evidence to inform programming.
• Monitor the overall programme and financial implementation of the Global Fund agreement at regional level with multi-country inputs.
2. Provide technical leadership, support and capacity development
• Provide high quality technical assistance to COs as requested, with priority given to countries where UNICEF is lead partner and focal point for catalytic funding from the Global Fund for HIV, to ensure effective design and scale up of evidence-based programmes for adolescents, including combination prevention, testing, treatment and adherence strategies, for ALHIV and increased adolescent engagement.
• Review and provide technical support to countries on resolving bottlenecks for implementation of HIV-AGYW programming through remote support and on-site missions.
• Provide follow up to report recommendations and high-quality TA for review and scale up of effective programming for ALHIV in priority countries.
• Keep abreast of new evidence and programming on HIV prevention for AGYW, programmes for ALHIV and effective programming for adolescents and children living with and at-risk of HIV.
3. Networking, advocacy and strengthening partnerships
• Support advocacy for adolescent programming and participation with COs and partners based on improved evidence and data.
• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with Global Fund partners, partners working on programming for ALHIV, and support partnerships as part of the joint UN programme, 2gether 4 SRHR.
• Contributed to partnership with the joint UNAIDS team for ESA (RATESA) and visibility and advocacy for and with adolescents living with and affected by HIV.
• Ensure internal coordination within the Section and relevant UNICEF sections, including Health, Gender and Adolescents, Communications, Operations, PME and other sections as need to ensure quality integrated support.
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in discussions related to the Global Fund global agreement, including internally with HQ and COs, and externally, with GF colleagues and fund portfolio managers, WHO and other relevant partners.
4. Knowledge management and enhanced data use
• Capture and distil lessons learned to drive evidence-based advocacy to create greater visibility and encourage sharing of experiences on programming for HIV prevention for AGYW and scale up of programmes for ALHIV.
• Facilitate exchange and sharing of experiences, lessons learned, promising practices using innovative methods for programme staff and other UNICEF partners.
• Contribute to a strengthened evidence base at RO on what works for adolescents, by supporting development of case studies on promising practices.
Key expected Results
• Capacity in CO’s and country counterparts has been increased for sharpened adolescent HIV programming and results.
• Programmatic data review and use for adolescent HIV has been strengthened.
• High-quality reviews and inputs have been provided in a timely manner for priority countries.
• Planned activities for 2019 have been contracted, implemented and managed in a quality and timely manner.
• UNICEF’s inputs into regional and global discussions and meetings have been provided in a quality and timely manner.
• Contributions and representation on the RATESA, and with relevant external partners and with UNICEF internally, has been maintained at a high standard.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have..
An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in public health, pediatric health, family health, health research, global/international health, health policy and/or management, epidemiology or other health related discipline is required.
A minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible professional work experiencesome of which is preferably in a developing country, in public health, HIV and/or sexual and reproductive health is required. Relevant experience in health, HIV and/or sexual and reproductive health program/project development and management in a UN system agency or organization is an asset. Experience in both development and humanitarian contexts is an added advantage
Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
Willingness and ability to travel within the region up to 30% of the time.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
The competencies required for this post are:
Core Values
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity
• Commitment
Core Competencies
• Communication
• Working with People
• Drive for Results
Functional Competencies
• Formulating strategies and concepts (II)
• Analyzing (II)
• Relating and networking (II)
• Deciding and Initiating action (II)
• Persuading and Influencing (III)
View our competency framework at http://www.unicef.org/about/employ/files/UNICEF_Competencies.pdf
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles.
Remarks:
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
Closing Date Wed Feb 20 2019 21:55:00 GMT+0100 (Afr. centrale Ouest)