Senior Immunization Manager at UNICEF

The Senior Immunization Specialist is accountable for providing Programme and policy guidance and leadership on UNICEF’s regional advocacy, resource mobilization, and technical assistance to equitable immunization services as part of Primary Health Care systems. This will include Routine immunization with focus on zero-dose communities to bridge the equity gap. Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination efforts, Yellow fever, Measles rubella elimination efforts as well as the introduction of new and underutilized vaccines, response to Vaccine Preventable Disease (VPD) Outbreaks  In line with UNICEF’s global Strategic Plan 2022-2025, UNICEF’s East ad Southern Africa  Regional Office Management Plan 2022-2025,  Collaboration for Children  ( C4C), and Immunization Agenda ( IA) 2030.

The incumbent will be responsible to facilitate regional immunization-related partnerships with the Gavi, WHO, African Union/Africa CDC, and GPEI, in collaboration with the polio coordinator ensuring efficient utilization of resources to strengthen systems for Primary Health Care, taking lead in the design and implementation of the Joint Action Plan (JAP), CDC-USA, private sector, and philanthropic institutions, strengthen regional coordination, and strategic approaches to reach hard to reach populations, advocating and providing technical assistance for immunization to be used as a platform for delivery of integrated services and enhancing the use of digital technology to improve immunization services, linked to other services across the continuum of care.

Within the 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:

• Advisory Capacity and Policy Development: Immunization Programme policies, strategies, and approaches for the region are developed and advocated for. The Regional Director, Deputy Directors, the Regional Management Team, Country Offices, and the staff are well advised on Regional programme strategy, policy, and advocacy guidelines of immunization programmes in the context of Primary Health Care, with emphasis on Health Systems Strengthening, preventing backsliding and reducing the number of zero-dose children.
• Knowledge Management: The most relevant and latest technical expertise and information is maintained, generated,  and disseminated throughout the Region and Organization, and shared with the regional/national institutions/partners.
• Capacity Building: Country Offices, Regional Office staff and national partners adequately lead national programme development, implementation and management processes due to continual, effective capacity building.
• Technical Leadership and Support: Regional and Country Offices expand, lead and deliver programmes at a high quality standard in area of expertise due to strong technical leadership.
• Strategic Partnership and Representation: UNICEF is effectively represented and programme goals and strategies are widely advocated through networking and strategic partnerships with high level and senior government officials, multi-lateral agencies, bi-lateral agencies, NGOs, other UN agencies, and donors.
• Advocacy and leveraging: Regional financial resources for immunization (EPI) are enhanced by effective advocacy and leveraging.
• Regional Monitoring and Assessment: Accurate, coherent and reliable regional information is collected, analyzed and reported for monitoring, evaluation and programme report purposes.
• Communication, Networking and Partnership: Strategic collaboration, communication, partnerships, and networking are forged to develop harmonized programme interventions and broaden UNICEF engagement.
• Emergency Preparedness and Response: The role of immunization in emergency preparedness is assessed, needs for emergency support are identified, and emergency responses with effective coordination are provided.  

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

• Advanced degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Medicine, Public Health, Paediatric Health, Global/International, Health Policy and Management, Family Health, Socio-medical Sciences, Health Education, Epidemiology, or other fields relevant to immunization.
• A minimum of Ten years of progressively responsible professional work experience in all aspects of Programme management, and/or advisory capacity, in the technical area or Programme sector, resulting in recognized expertise in the technical area related to immunization and/or child survival and health care.
• Work experience in Public Health Emergencies especially managing vaccine-preventable Diseases outbreaks is required.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is required.
• Fluency in English is required. Proficiency in French or Portuguese is desired, and knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.