Health Specialist, NO-3, Temporary Position, 6 months, #00138392
Organizational Context
UNICEF operates in over 190 countries, dedicated to saving children's lives, defending their rights, and helping them reach their full potential. We are committed, passionate, and proud of our work, viewing the promotion of children's rights as a calling. UNICEF offers diverse opportunities for professional and personal development, fostering a sense of purpose while serving children and communities globally.
Job Purpose
The Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has declared an Ebola Virus Disease outbreak, necessitating a robust emergency response. This role is crucial for providing senior leadership, strategic expertise, technical authority, and convening capacity to lead UNICEF's WASH/IPC response. The objective is to ensure the technical and operational coordination of UNICEF-supported public health interventions, contributing to the rapid interruption of EVD transmission, strengthened surveillance, protection of vulnerable populations, and continuity of essential services. The position requires alignment across national, provincial, and health-zone levels in a complex humanitarian environment characterized by insecurity, displacement, and weak essential service systems, heightening the risk of transmission.
Responsibilities
1. Coordination and Operational Support for the Ebola Response: Provide strategic leadership and operational support for UNICEF's role in the EVD outbreak response, ensuring alignment with national coordination mechanisms and humanitarian cluster approaches. 2. Technical Support for Surveillance and Data Management: Offer technical guidance on epidemiological surveillance, data collection, analysis, and reporting to inform response strategies and monitor disease trends. 3. Monitoring of Community Interventions, RCCE and IPC/WASH: Oversee and monitor the implementation of community-based interventions, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), and infection prevention and control (IPC)/Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) activities. 4. Operational Management, Logistics and Supply Monitoring: Ensure efficient operational management, including the monitoring of logistics and supply chains for essential response materials and equipment. 5. Documentation, Reporting and Knowledge Management: Lead the documentation of response activities, prepare regular reports for internal and external stakeholders, and contribute to knowledge management and lessons learned for future preparedness and response.
Work Experience
At least 5 years of relevant work experience in public health emergency management, epidemiological surveillance, outbreak management, health response coordination, or related fields. Demonstrated experience responding to epidemic-prone diseases (e.g., Ebola, Cholera, Mpox, Measles, COVID-19) and working in complex humanitarian settings is required.
Skills
Public health emergency management, Epidemiological surveillance, Outbreak management, Health response coordination, Ebola response, Cholera response, Mpox response, Measles response, COVID-19 response, Humanitarian settings, Insecurity, Population displacement