Regional Adviser (Polio), Kathmandu, Nepal

United Nations House | Harihar Bhawan, Pulchowk | Lalitpur, Kathmandu

• Organization: UNICEF - United Nations Children's Fund
• Country: Nepal
• City: Kathmandu
• Office: UNICEF, Kathmandu
• Grade: P-5

Closing date: Monday, 9 May 2016

Job no: 494601
Work type: Fixed Term Staff
Location: Nepal
Categories: Health, P-5
If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you.
For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.
Purpose of the Position

Under the direct supervision of the Regional Adviser Health, the Regional Adviser for Polio will be the senior accountable officer for polio eradication in South Asia, and will provide high-level oversight, performance management and quality assurance of UNICEF polio programmes, participation in GPEI requirements, oversight of the PEI-EPI collaboration by playing a recognized broader leadership role in improving routine immunization systems and being part of the leadership structures of routine immunization for the region, and support C4D/communication for polio. Reporting to the Regional Adviser, Health, the post will be part of the global Outbreak Response roster, expected to respond to outbreaks in South Asia, Eastern Asia and the Pacific. The post will translate global strategic direction into operational programmes through technical support and input to UNICEF country offices, regional partners and government counterparts towards the polio eradication programme including (a) its transition to routine immunization and other convergent dimensions, (b) technical and operational support, (c) vaccine management, (d) human resource planning and talent management and (e) strengthening of polio emergency preparedness and outbreak response.
Key Expected Results

Contribute to the regional headline result of stopping polio transmission by end-2019 via successfully stopping wild poliovirus in Pakistan and Afghanistan by end-2016, successfully responding to any outbreaks of wild or vaccine-derived poliovirus and supporting activities through to Global Polio Certification by end-2019. Maximize transition of polio assets to routine immunization.
Key Accountabilities and Duties & Tasks
1. Country support, oversight, performance management and quality assurance

• Translate global strategic direction into operational programmes through technical and operational support to UNICEF country offices, regional partners and government counterparts towards the polio eradication programme
• Provide the requisite oversight and coordination to reinforce accountability and the efficient use of resources and quality implementation in stopping polio transmission in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• Act as the main reporting officer to the UNICEF global polio team on regional and country level indicators, communication outcomes and impact on immunization targets.
• Support human resource planning and talent management for country offices.

2. Strengthen cross-country exchange and joint epidemiological block approach

• Develop, support and facilitate cross-country exchange, multi-country cooperation and training activities to build capacity in operational dimensions including common reservoir approach.
• Support continued emphasis on engagement with mobile, migrant and nomadic populations to track missed children.
• Strengthen cross-border activities and common communications approach.
• Explore and share strategies and approaches to increasing access in insecure or conflict-affected areas across borders.

3. Strengthen Outbreak Preparedness and Response

• Build capacity of all eight South Asia countries to be strongly positioned to respond rapidly to wild or vaccine-derived poliovirus outbreaks.
• Be part of the Global Outbreak First Responders Roster and respond immediately to outbreaks within ROSA as well as the East Asia and the Pacific (EAPRO) region for up to four weeks at a time.

4. Oversee Polio Legacy activities and polio support to strengthen Routine Immunization systems

• Support development of use of polio assets and lessons learned from polio eradication to raise routine immunization coverage in Pakistan, Afghanistan and India, and transition of Social Mobilization Networks in support to RI and other convergent dimensions.
• Support vaccine procurement and cold chain management for polio in polio-focus countries.

5. Support C4D/communication for polio

• Supervise the Communication for Development Specialist for Polio in support to polio-focus countries for mass-, mid- and ground-level media and communication approaches to generate awareness and demand for polio and routine immunization services.

6. Coordinate use of social and operational research to guide polio programming

• In collaboration with UNICEF HQ and regional partners, organize and provide technical support to social research, including formative and summative evaluation, and other forms of qualitative and quantitative social research that will contribute to the design and evaluation of communication activities for EPI and polio eradication.

7. Representation of South Asia in GPEI requirements

• Act as the focal point, maintain a presence at regional and global events, and further cultivate regional relations with all major stakeholders while at the same time helping to explore opportunities for expanded or new partners, as well as vis-a-vis other regional offices and head-quarters, including through a cross-sector convergent approach.
• Act as the regional focal point for high-level advocacy on polio and EPI-PEI convergence.
• Represent ROSA at the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) meetings in Pakistan and Afghanistan, India Expert Advisory Group (IEAG), Polio Oversight Board and Global Polio Management Team.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

• Advanced University Degree in Medicine, Public Health, Pyschology, Anthropology, Sociology or a closely related field is required.
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in public health planning and management and/or in relevant areas of maternal and child health at the international level (some of which preferably is in a developing country) are required. Relevant experience in polio eradication and management is required. Experience in any UN system agency or international organization is a strong asset.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language or a local language is an asset.

Competencies of Successful Candidate
Core Values

• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity

Core competencies

• Communication: Level II
• Working with People: Level II
• Drive for Results: Level II

Functional Competencies

• Leading and Supervising: Level I
• Formulating Strategies and Concepts: Level II
• Analyzing: Level III
• Relating and Networking: Level II
• Deciding and Initiating Action: Level II
• Applying Technical Expertise: Level III

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.
Advertised: Apr 18 2016 Nepal Standard Time
Application close: May 09 2016 Nepal Standard Time