Technical expert on climate change and health to support MOH reporting to the permanent secretary of MOH (National)Health and Nutrition Kigali Rwanda, 5 months, office-based +travel 593023

Organizational Context

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence. At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling. UNICEF offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal development.

Job Purpose

The primary purpose of this consultancy is to design, operationalize, and institutionalize a robust climate-informed health intelligence and early warning system within Rwanda's Ministry of Health. This critical initiative aims to bolster the Ministry's capacity for timely, evidence-based decision-making concerning climate-sensitive diseases and overall health system resilience. By strengthening Rwanda’s ability to anticipate, prepare for, and effectively respond to climate-related health risks, the system will integrate intelligence, early warning mechanisms, and evidence-based planning. This will ultimately protect vulnerable populations, particularly children, from the adverse health impacts of climate change, aligning with UNICEF's mission to defend children's rights and help them fulfill their potential in a changing environment. The expert will provide crucial support to the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, ensuring that climate-related health data is effectively utilized for strategic planning and reporting.

Responsibilities

The technical expert will be responsible for leading the design and development of a comprehensive climate-informed health intelligence and early warning system tailored for the Ministry of Health in Rwanda. This involves conducting thorough assessments of existing data sources, infrastructure, and reporting mechanisms to identify gaps and opportunities for integration. A key responsibility will be to operationalize the designed system, which includes developing detailed implementation plans, establishing data collection protocols, and ensuring the seamless flow of information. The expert will also focus on institutionalizing the system, meaning capacity building for MOH staff, developing training materials, and establishing sustainable operational procedures to ensure long-term functionality and ownership. Furthermore, the role requires providing direct technical support and guidance to the Ministry of Health, particularly in preparing reports and briefings for the Permanent Secretary on climate-sensitive disease trends and health system resilience. This includes analyzing climate and health data, interpreting findings, and formulating actionable recommendations to inform policy and programmatic interventions. The consultant will ensure that the system effectively enhances Rwanda's preparedness and response capabilities to climate-related health risks, fostering evidence-based planning and decision-making across the health sector.

Work Experience

A minimum of eight years of relevant professional work experience is required.

Skills

Climate and health intelligence expertise, Early warning systems development, Decision support tools implementation, Climate and health data integration project design, Risk assessment expertise, Public health preparedness, Technical advisory to government counterparts, Capacity building, Analytical and problem-solving skills, Communication and report-writing, International/multicultural work experience, Collaborative work with government/UN agencies

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