Readvertisement: Health Specialist (maternal, newborn &child health/HIV Aids), (NO-3), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso #132956

Organizational Context

UNICEF works in over 190 countries to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential. Committed and passionate, UNICEF offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal development, fostering a sense of purpose while serving children and communities globally. This role contributes to promoting the right to health for every child.

Job Purpose

The Health Specialist (MNCH/HIV) reports to the Chief of Health, providing leadership, technical expertise, and management support for the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of integrated maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) and HIV/AIDS programmes within the country programme. The incumbent drives innovation, promotes systems strengthening, and ensures interventions are rights-based, equity-focused, gender-responsive, and resilient to shocks. This role aligns with Results-Based Management principles, UNICEF’s Strategic Plan, and global best practices. The Specialist is responsible for managing, monitoring, evaluating, and reporting programme progress, offering technical guidance and operational support throughout the programming process to facilitate the delivery of concrete and sustainable results according to approved plans, allocated resources, performance standards, and the accountability framework.

Responsibilities

The Health Specialist will provide comprehensive support to programme development and planning, contributing to the formulation of evidence-based strategies, setting clear objectives, and designing effective interventions for MNCH and HIV/AIDS. A key responsibility involves robust programme management, monitoring, and delivery of results, ensuring that all activities are implemented efficiently, progress is tracked against key performance indicators, and necessary adjustments are made to achieve desired outcomes. The incumbent will offer critical technical and operational support to programme implementation, guiding field teams, partners, and government counterparts on best practices, problem-solving, and resource utilization. Furthermore, the role emphasizes networking and partnership building, cultivating strong relationships with government ministries, UN agencies, NGOs, civil society, and donors to leverage resources and enhance programme reach. Finally, the Specialist is tasked with fostering innovation, knowledge management, and capacity building, identifying new approaches, documenting lessons learned, disseminating best practices, and strengthening the technical capabilities of staff and partners to ensure sustainable and impactful health interventions for maternal, newborn, and child health, as well as HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.

Work Experience

Information not available.

Skills

Programme Management, Technical Expertise (MNCH/HIV), Monitoring & Evaluation, Strategic Planning, Systems Strengthening, Results-Based Management, Partnership Building, Innovation, Knowledge Management, Capacity Building, Equity-focused Programming, Gender-responsive Programming

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