Job description

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, A future

The fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programs, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism.

Despite significant progress in outcomes for children in Tanzania, the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation reports that 121 newborns still die every day in the country (UN-IGME). Tanzania has met the Millennium Development Goal target for under-five mortality rate, but 53 out of every 1000 children born alive do not make it to their 5th birthday and maternal mortality continues to be among the highest in the world. These challenges persist despite impressive increases in health service access and utilization. This points to poor quality of healthcare as a barrier to achieving outcomes in Tanzania. A 2018 study showed that 8.6 million deaths worldwide in 2016 could have been prevented if high-quality care had been utilized. Of these, 5 million deaths occurred in people who did seek care suggesting that poor quality is a larger contributor to global mortality than access to care. In Tanzania this amounted to nearly 45,000 deaths that could have been averted in 2016 due to poor quality alone.

Efforts to improve quality of care through a systems level approach has been integral to the work of UNICEF Tanzania Health section for the past 5 years. In the new Country Program 2022-2026, these efforts will be further emphasized and shifted away from small scale testing, projects and specific target groups or thematic areas, to working with the system level determinants of quality. The focus will be on quality of integrated Primary Health Care services through n data use for decision-making, continuing professional development, operationalization of innovative capacity building methodologies in the context of competency based pre- and in-service training, integrated mentorship and supervision, institutionalized quality improvement and community feedback mechanisms.

How can you make a difference?

Under the direction and guidance of the Health Manager for Primary Health Care, the incumbent will be responsible for designing, implementing and monitoring system strengthening interventions to improve quality of primary health care to benefit mothers, newborns, children and adolescents in Tanzania.

Within the delegated authority and the given organizational set-up, the incumbent may be responsible for all or most of the following areas of major duties and key end results.

Ensure systems thinking for quality
Contribute to evidence-informed and evidence-driven programming for quality
Promote and contribute to people-centered Primary Health Care – for patients, clients and providers
Identify mechanisms for behavior change to transform clinical practice
Technical advise and coordination

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

Advanced university degree in Public Health, Medicine, Health Sciences, Medical education or related fields, preferably with training in primary health care, family medicine, maternal, child and/or adolescent health.
A minimum of five years of professional work experience in quality of care related work in Tanzania, preferably from a health system strengthening approach and with a broad based background, beyond vertical programs. This includes: coordination & partnerships, planning, programming, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of quality of care programs.
Working experience with UNICEF, WHO or international health NGOs on quality of care is an asset.
Fluency in Swahili and English. Strong English writing skills required.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) 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…

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.

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

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.

UNICEF only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/.

The VA is open to all (internal and external candidates).

This is a national officer position and is open to nationals of the United Republic of Tanzania. Non-nationals will not be considered for this role.
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