Health & Nutrition Specialist

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, health!

The Country Programme of Cooperation between the Government of Mozambique and UNICEF (CPD) for 2022-2026 aims to support Mozambique to accelerate efforts towards achieving the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and meeting its commitment to respect, protect and fulfil the rights of children, in line with the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action. It derives from the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF), 2022–2026 and aligns with the Government Five-Year Plan 2020–2024, the National Development Strategy 2015–2035 and relevant sector policies and programmes.

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How can you make a difference?

• Under the leadership and supervision of the Child Health and Nutrition (P-5), the Health & Nutrition Specialist P-3 will work closely with UNICEF provincial level structures and partners, the Ministry of Health at central and provincial levels, and partners, to support the advancement of the integration of community nutrition in the community sub health system and of the consolidation of the wasting prevention and treatment agenda.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities

• Provide technical support to the integration of key nutrition prevention and treatment interventions on the community sub-health system approach (PIN & CMAM).
• Provide technical direction for MoH to integrate and lead on the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of acute nutrition interventions at community level, particularly Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) as part of the national approach to acute malnutrition, and PIN, both delivered by community health workers (CHW).
• Lead in consolidating the wasting research agenda, including data review on simplified protocols, alternative approaches to MAM, supply system studies and other related studies.
• Provide technical direction to introduce, where necessary, new approaches, methods and best practices to ensure the quality and viability of the interventions. Provide technical support for the development of guidelines, a robust M&E system and necessary manuals to standardize the procedures among provinces adapted for both emergency and development contexts/phases, ensuring all are well integrated with health systems.
• Work plan and objectives are effectively implemented, and planned results are timely delivered through technical support and coordination.
• Project efficiency and effectiveness are enhanced through effective implementation follow-up.
• Project implementation progress is monitored for adjustment and improvement of program delivery and sustainability. Gender sex aggregated data and inputs provided relevant to the Health & Nutrition programme.
• Transparency is ensured for supply and non-supply assistance and disbursement of programme funds for Health & Nutrition.
• Effective partnership and working relationships are maintained for advocacy, technical coordination, information sharing and knowledge networking.
• Up-to-date programme information is kept available and reports prepared to support the Health & Nutrition programme by the effective implementation of integrated monitoring system.
• Emergency preparedness is maintained, and in emergencies, emergency responses are effectively provided.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

• An advanced university degree (Masters or higher) in Health and/or Nutrition, Child Development, Community Development or other relevant disciplines is required.
• A minimum of 5 years of professional work experience in planning, programming, implementation and especially monitoring, evaluation and technical development of health & nutrition programmes, with a focus on community health systems and nutrition (related to acute malnutrition) and documented by production of evidence and knowledge products is required.
• Professional work experience in a programme management function or a technical expert capacity in child survival & nutrition in developing countries is required. Technical experience in community health and acute malnutrition will be considered strongly.
• Familiarity with the Mozambique context, working with government and experience with the national health and community systems, are critical to achieve the job successfully.
•  Background/familiarity with Emergency.
• Fluency in English and Portuguese is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is an asset.