Programme Officer (Sector coordination and Field Support) – UNICEF

Job Description

Job no	554802
Contract type	Temporary Appointment
Location	Sudan
Duty Station	Khartoum
Level	NO-2
Categories	Nutrition, WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene)
Advertised	04 Sep 2022 E. Africa Standard Time
Deadline	17 Sep 2022 E. Africa Standard Time

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, Hope

Sudan, surrounded by the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Libya and South Sudan, positioned next to East, West, South and North Africa, is surrounded by complex conflicts in an unpredictable, volatile and rapidly evolving region. Sudan is by size the third biggest country in Africa, with a diverse population of around 42 million people. Sudan’s children make up half of the total population, and the past two decades have seen their lives significantly improve: fewer girls and boys are dying before their fifth birthday, primary school attendance is increasing, immunization coverage is high and the country remains polio free. Still, millions of children continue to suffer from protracted conflict in Darfur, the Kordofans, and Blue Nile, from seasonal natural disasters, malnutrition and disease outbreaks, and from under-investment in basic social services. More than three million of Sudan’s school aged children are not in the classroom. UNICEF has been in Sudan since 1952 and continues with a presence in 12 of Sudan’s 18 states.

How can you make a difference?

Duties and Responsibilities:

• State-level support to Nutrition and WASH sectors coordination: Report progress and follow-up on action points raised at State or National level. Organizing of TWGs, SAGs, and ensure partners’ participation.
• Planning, implementation, reporting, and monitoring also to explore and establish avenues to ensure Inter-sectoral linkages and Integration: Identify and analyze common sectoral concerns, improve inter-sectoral/ multi-sectoral linkages. Finally, come up with a strategy and game plan.
• Following up, reporting and communication in-between state and national sectors: Mobilize reporting and information sharing by partners, contacts updated, and inclusion of new partners
• Support and guide preparation of State-level emergency contingency planning and preparedness: Contingency plans in consultation with partners, including prepositioning supplies – arranging for supplies to partners, emergency contacts, capacity mapping rapid needs assessment tool/s, and initiating assessment where more evidence is needed.
• Support the management of Infection Prevention Control (IPC) for pandemic and other related disease outbreak: sector related guidance, country and state updates, ensure IPC supplies.
• Develop preparedness and response plans, ensure implementation and improvisation.
• Encourage/ support/guide partners to update financial tracking of WASH/Nutrition sector partners: Fund tracking using appropriate tools, guide partners to update the Fund Tracking System (FTS)
• Assist in reviewing WASH/Nutrition national guidelines, also follow up on the Cluster coordination performance monitoring (CCPM) survey and outcomes: Follow up and ensure implementation of CCPM action plans. Work on Nutrition and WASH sector standards and guidelines.
• Support social cohesion, risk communication and community engagement and assist in Capacity Building.
• Supporting Nutrition and WASH sector in monitoring and tracking of evolving situation for timely actions
• Supporting subnational and partners on improving quality of nutrition and WASH data and information guided by the quality criteria.
• Strengthening and follow up of implementation and reporting on Accountability to affected population among partners.
• During an emergency, travel to take up coordination support, initiate assessment, and monitor the response.
• Provide roving and fill gap support to the Field Operation and Emergency. In addition, take up any other tasks as assigned by the supervisor.

Impact of Results:

The efficiency and efficacy of support provided by the incumbent to the preparation, planning and implementation of nutrition and WASH programmes/projects contributes to and accelerates the national development efforts to improve the nutritional status of mothers, infants and children in the country and this in turn contributes to maintaining and enhancing the credibility and ability of the relevant UNICEF led sector partners to continue providing quality programme services to mothers and children that promotes greater social equity in the country. At the same time this will improve child survival, growth and development, and reduce inequalities in the country. 

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in  Public Health / Medicine and other WASH and Nutrition-related qualification
• Working knowledge of WASH and Nutrition-related issues is required.
• A minimum of 2 years experience with the WASH and Nutrition programs.
• 5 years of experience working in humanitarian or health/public health.  
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. The candidate is required to draft plans, response reports in English as well communicate to partners. Knowledge of Arabic is an asset.

Technical requirements

• Knowledge of MS office is must.
• Knowledge of infection prevention control (IPC) in disease outbreak.
• Good interpersonal/ communication skills with all different level of partners, state coordinators, SAG members.
• Should have good working knowledge of the various tools used for reporting for WASH and Nutrition, HNO and HRP, have a good knowledge of targets, indicators. Knowledge of various national policy and strategies on WASH and Nutrition and linking program response.
• Should have good knowledge of Sphere standards and global SDGs.
• To be aware of triple nexus (HDPN) and should be able to link the actions in between.

Duty Station and Travel

Khartoum, Sudan with frequent travel to States

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability (CRITA) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: https://uni.cf/UNICEFValues

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (3) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (5) Manages ambiguity and complexity (6) Thinks and acts strategically (7) Works collaboratively with others.

[add the 8^th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for supervisory role]

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable female candidates are encouraged to apply.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Advertised: 04 Sep 2022 E. Africa Standard Time
Deadline: 17 Sep 2022 E. Africa Standard Time