Health specialist: Community Health and Integrated Immunization

Background:

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.

Improving primary healthcare is central to achieving global targets set in the SDGs, Tanzania’s Health Sector Strategic Plan V, and Zanzibar’s Health Sector Strategic Plan IV. UNICEF Tanzania’s health program aligns with these strategies to address persistent newborn and child mortality, strengthen primary health care systems, and expand coverage of promotive, preventive, and curative health interventions. UNICEF plays a critical role in strengthening coordination and governance for integrated community health services as part of primary health care (PHC) in Zanzibar.

Position: Community Health and Integrated Immunization Specialist
Duty Station: Zanzibar
Duration: 364 days

Scope of Work:

The Community Health and Integrated Immunization Specialist will report to the Health Specialist at the UNICEF Zanzibar Field Office with technical support from Health Specialists in Dar es Salaam. The specialist will lead in the design, development, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of UNICEF’s health programs in Zanzibar, with a focus on community health and immunization. The specialist will work closely with other health section colleagues and collaborate with other sections, especially SBC and nutrition, to achieve UNICEF's goals.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Support to Programme Development and Planning:

   • Lead the development, planning, and budgeting of strategic PHC activities for the Zanzibar Field Office, focusing on community health and immunization.
   • Contribute to the design and integration of health-specific Early Childhood Development interventions across all service delivery platforms.

2. Programme Management, Monitoring, and Delivery of Results:

   • Manage and monitor activities to ensure the realization of results through collaboration with other UNICEF sections.
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   • Ensure integration of activities with a focus on community mobilization and program integration.

3. Technical and Operational Support to Programme Implementation:

   • Provide technical support to government and NGOs at the national and subnational levels.
   • Spend at least 50% of the time at the Ministry of Health to provide technical and advisory assistance in planning, capacity development, implementation, and monitoring.

4. Networking and Partnership Building:

   • Build strong partnerships with government and NGOs to ensure strategic and effective program implementation and realization of children’s rights.

5. Innovation, Knowledge Management, and Capacity Building:

   • Contribute to identifying new approaches for improving program delivery, emphasizing project management, evaluation, and community participation.

Minimum Requirements:

• Education: Advanced university degree (minimum Master’s level or MD) in Medicine, Public Health, Child Health, Community Health, or another relevant field.
• Work Experience: At least 5 years of relevant work experience at the national or international level in planning, programming, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of PHC/immunization/community health programs.
  • Proven expertise in managing, monitoring, and evaluating health program implementation.
  • Proven work relations with government structures in Tanzania mainland and/or Zanzibar.
  • Experience in Primary Health care and community health program.
  • Knowledge of immunization program principles.
• Skills:
  • Fluency in written and spoken English and Swahili.
  • Strong analytical, facilitation, negotiation, and communication skills.

Desirables:

• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency programming.
• Experience working with and engaging Community Health Workers (CHWs).
• Strong analytical skills and research experience.