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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, access to health and nutrition services

Ethiopia is experiencing one of the most severe La Niña-induced droughts in the last decades following three consecutive failed rainy seasons since late 2020. This prolonged drought is affecting over 8.1 million people living in the southern and south-eastern of the country across four regions of Ethiopia: Oromia (10 zones), Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ Region – SNNPR (9 zones), South West Ethiopian Peoples Regional State – SWEPRS (3 zones) , Somali (10 zones)., This is wiping out the now fragile coping capacity of the large nomadic pastoralist community that is reliant on livestock and deepening food insecurity and malnutrition. While not initially included in the multiagency drought response plan, Afar Region faces recurrent drought, now coupled with active conflict and this has eroded community coping capacity. The drought is expanding and an increasing number of woredas have been classified as priority 1 hotspot woredas requiring urgent nutrition, health and other humanitarian interventions. According to the regional Food Security and Nutrition Working Group (FSNWG), across pastoral areas, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) is showing major vegetative deficits that are, in many cases, worse than during the same period in 2011 and in 2017 (the two most recent severe droughts).

The Somali region is the most affected by the drought, with more than 3.5 million people directly impacted, followed by Oromia (more than 3.4 million), SNNP (more than 1,1 million), South West (numbers to be confirmed) regions. Overall, at least 286,000 people have been displaced by drought between October 2021 and March 2022 across the drought-affected areas (183,000+ in Somali, 103.000 in Oromia). Able-bodied people are migrating in search of water, pasture, or assistance, leaving behind their elderly and the sick, which is exposing them to protection risks. Some, including children, have reportedly migrated to urban areas without the proper skills or assets and have taken-on employments in the informal sector to make ends meet and support their families.

UNICEF is a key partner in the drought response in Ethiopia, serving as cluster lead for  Nutrition, WASH, Education and Child Protection and a major player in terms of the Health Response. With the shortage of funding for the drought response, UNICEF is prioritizing the delivery of an integrated Nutrition/Health/WASH package in the priority regions and zones like Gode in Somali Region and selected areas in Oromia, SNNP, South West and Afar.

How can you make a difference?

Under the overall guidance and leadership of the Chief of Field Office in Jijiga and in coordination with the Health Specialist and Nutrition Specialist in Jijiga, the Health & Nutrition Specialist is responsible for the development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation and administration of the Health & Nutrition programme within the country programme and to support scale up UNICEF’s response to the rapidly evolving emergency humanitarian needs in Somali region due to the drought. Accountable for effective technical and programme support to facilitate the application and adaptation of UNICEF policies and strategies to achieve strategic priorities and objectives and expansion of UNICEF assisted Health & Nutrition interventions, including the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals agenda and to ensure that emergency response meet CCC and Sphere standards.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES and DUTIES & TASKS

Within the delegated authority and under the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be assigned the primary, shared, or contributory accountabilities for all or part of the following areas of major duties and key end-results:

• All children aged under five years in affected areas are screened regularly for the early detection of severe wasting and other forms of life-threatening acute malnutrition received the appropriate for treatment services in OTPs, SCs and through Mobile Health and Nutrition Teams.
• National and sub-national systems delivering health, water and sanitation, education, child and social protection are supported to align their policies, programmes and practices with internationally agreed standards and guidance on health and nutrition.
• Pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers – with special attention to pregnant adolescent girls and other nutritionally at-risk mothers – have access to a package of interventions that includes at a minimum: iron and folic acid/multiple micronutrient supplementation, deworming prophylaxis, weight monitoring, nutrition counselling, and nutrition support through balanced energy protein supplementation, according to context.

• Caregivers of children aged 0-23 months are supported to adopt recommended infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices, including both breastfeeding and complementary feeding.
• Multisectoral data and evidence guide timely decision-making, support monitoring, and enable course correction of preparedness and response.
• Women, adolescent girls and newborns safely and equitably access quality life-saving and high-impact maternal and neonatal health services.
• Support and monitor surveillance and disease prevention and control efforts for other epidemic prone diseases (Measles, Cholera, Meningitis, Yellow Fever, and others) within the population with WHO, EPHI and Health cluster partners and other sections. Share information for internal communication and external coordination as needed.
• Children and women receive routine and supplemental vaccinations.
• Primary health care continues to be provided through health facilities and community-based service delivery mechanisms and Mobile Health and Nutrition Teams (MHNTs).
• Core leadership and coordination accountabilities for Health and Nutrition are delivered, bearing in mind the UNICEF lead role in the Nutrition Cluster.

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

• An advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Public Health and Nutrition, Child Development, Water Sanitation, Public Administration, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or other relevant disciplines.
  *A first University Degree in a relevant field combined with 2 additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of an Advanced University Degree.
• A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience at the national and international levels in planning, programming, implementation monitoring and evaluation of technical cooperation programmes related to Health and Nutrition.
• Professional work experience in a managerial position, or a technical expert position in child survival & development, health and nutrition care.
• Developing country work experience (for IP) or field work experience (for NO). Background/familiarity with Emergency.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS).

Core Competencies

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Innovates and Embraces Change (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drive to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

To view our competency framework, please visit 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.

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:

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 may also be 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.