Vacancy for Health Specialist (Data) | UNICEF | Job Chautari

Health Specialist (Data)

2 years ago
Kathmandu, Kathmandu

Contract
NGO/INGO

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Job Description

UNICEF ROSA, through the Health Section, is gearing its investment in accelerating Primary Health Care (PHC) with a focus on health financing, Immunization including polio eradication programme, New-born Health (MNH) and public health emergencies (PHE), particularly the COVID-19 pandemic. Regarding MNCH, the focus is on the acceleration of the unfinished agenda related to newborn health, especially regarding the quality of care, and the oxygen therapy agenda and community systems strengthening. To deliver on this agenda, the Health section needs adequate capacity for more structured and systematic data analysis and knowledge management to set priorities and improve overall planning.

In this context, UNICEF is strategically leveraging regional technical support to optimize the returns on investments for better maternal, neonatal, child and adolescent health outcomes through health system strengthening. The Health Specialist/Data will be accountable for tracking child survival and development (CSD) indicators including immunization, newborn, child, adolescent health, health emergency-related data collection, reporting and analysis and by supporting the regional office and advising countries in South Asia.

How can you make a difference?

The Specialist provides technical guidance and management support throughout the planning and programming processes to facilitate the administration and achievement of concrete and sustainable results according to plans, allocation, results-based-management approaches and methodology (RBM) and organizational Strategic Plans and goals, standards of performance and accountability framework.

1. Support programme development and planning

Support/contribute to the preparation/design and conduct/update of a situation analysis and epidemiological updates and analyses for the development of strategic plans, identification of programme priorities, design and management of health-related strategies and programmes, including preparedness and response to public health emergencies.
Keep abreast of development regarding trends of child survival and development indicators and implications for CSD programme planning, programming, overall management, efficiency, and delivery.
Provide analytical inputs for strategic programme discussions on the planning of health-related programmes. Contribute to the establishment of specific programme goals, objectives and strategies, implementation and monitoring and evaluation plans based on results-based planning methodology.
Provide technical and operational support throughout all stages of programming processes with a focus on ensuring integration, coherence, and harmonization of programmes/projects with other UNICEF sectors.

2. Programme management, monitoring, and delivery of results

Perform in-depth data analysis (in-house and in collaboration with partner organizations) to maximize the use of available primary and secondary sources to provide insights into the health situation of newborns, children, adolescents, and mothers, and deepen the analysis of the situation of the most disadvantaged children.
Establish and maintain internal databases of qualitative and quantitative data and information on the status of children, including equity gaps.
Develop and set up systems, including tools and indicators for rigorous measurement of progress in advancing the newborn, child, adolescent and maternal health agenda, and systems to improve accountability. This includes setting up dashboards for health programmes and other child survival sectors on a real-time basis for periodic reporting systems.
Ensure that the Regional Office has a well-maintained database of individuals, groups, organizations, and fora (including Government, UN, NGOs, CSOs, bilateral counterparts, and private sector), whose support is essential to and can assist in achieving the advocacy and communication objectives of the health section s knowledge management strategy.
Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators and measurements (as needed) to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence, and delivery of concrete and sustainable results for the assigned sector in health programmes.
Support SAR countries in the monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews to assess progress and develop plans, and strategies and identify required action/interventions to achieve results.
Collaborate with the evaluation section to develop and review monitoring and evaluation reports, to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in programme and management, identify lessons learned and use the knowledge gained for planning and programming.
Actively monitor the trends of health regional programme initiatives as needed through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
Prepare regular/mandated programme/project reports for management, donors, and partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

3. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

Collect information from UNICEF-supported initiatives, projects, and other sources, assess data quality, analyze, and disseminate findings, lessons learnt, good practices and innovations. This includes the establishment of knowledge/experience sharing platforms and initiatives.
Work closely with health colleagues and other sections in preparing, writing, reviewing, and editing reports, briefs, manuscripts, and articles for publication to ensure optimal quality of the documentation.
Support writing of reports and articles for documentation of lessons learned and case studies using qualitative and quantitative data and information data from UNICEF-supported initiatives/projects and other sources.
Support organization and implementation of capacity-building initiatives to enhance the competencies of UNICEF staff and stakeholders to promote sustainable results on health-related programmes/projects.
Keep abreast and support research to provide evidence for the implementation of best and cutting-edge practices in health.

4. Technical and operational support to programme implementation

Provide technical assistance (including UNICEF and government counterparts) to strengthen the implementation and monitoring of child survival & development programmes
Assist in improving country timely data reporting and filling data with a focus on data collection and analysis, immediate decision / used for course correction as part of real-time monitoring.
Participate in discussions with national partners/clients/stakeholders to promote health and development issues, especially in the areas of gender, emergency preparedness and maternal, neonatal and child health
Support the development of policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration.

5. Other related duties

Contribute to regional activities and exchange of information and ideas with other sectors, related to the formulation, planning, implementation and monitoring & evaluation of overall regional strategies and support to country offices.
Assist in the development of Terms of Reference related to monitoring and evaluating health projects and programmes.
Assist in the preparation of annual reports and any other programmatic reports.

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

An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in public health/nutrition, pediatric health, family health, health research, global/international health, health policy and/or management, environmental health sciences, biostatistics-mathematics, socio-medical, health education, epidemiology or other health-related science is required.
A minimum of 5 years of relevant professional experience in public health/nutrition planning and management and/or in relevant areas of maternal and neonatal health care, and health emergency/humanitarian preparedness.
Relevant experience in health/nutrition programme/project development and management in any UN system agency or organization is an asset.
Solid experience in database management and use of database platforms and applications strongly requires
Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergencies is considered an asset.
Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.