Temporary Appointment Community Health Specialist, (P3) at UNICEF

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 

Community health programmes have been the backbone of Tanzanian primary health care (PHC) for several decades. By 2014, there were an estimated 41,000 community health workers (CHWs) on Tanzania mainland and 1,600 CHVs on Zanzibar. On the mainland, the majority of CHWs were volunteers and a landscaping analysis revealed poor coordination, lack of standardization, insufficient supervision, and monitoring of community health implementation. In May 2023, Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar hosted the in-country mission of the Community Health Road map partnership. This international platform has been established to elevate community health, reduce fragmentation, and explore sustainable financing mechanisms for scale up in countries with high burden of disease that could be addressed through stronger community health systems. The mission resulted in the United Republic of Tanzania joining the Community Health roadmap as its 16th country with the Ministers of Health on both Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar expressing their strong support for a renewed Community Health agenda.

Community Health is a corner stone of UNICEF Tanzania’s Health program strategy on PHC system strengthening. As the country enters its next phase of policy development and implementation on both Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar, UNICEF will continue to provide strong technical assistance at all levels. This requires engagement to provide technical advice during the upcoming review of curricula and guidelines, leveraging UNICEF’s convening mandate for effective partner coordination and steadfast guidance for implementation of community health programs during transition between the phases of national policy. UNICEF Tanzania Country Office’s (TCO) Health Section is therefore seeking an expert in community health with a strong technical background and excellent communication skills to work with the government on both Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar.

Under the direct supervision and guidance of the Health Manager for Primary Health Care, the incumbent will lead UNICEF’s work with the government and implementing partners to strategically coordinate, design, implement and monitor community-based health services in Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar.

How can you make a difference?

Key functions/accountabilities:

1. Provide high quality technical assistance to the government in its development and revision of policies, plans, protocols, training materials and guidelines for Community based Health services including their financing, human resources and social and behaviour change components.
2. Actively engage, and as appropriate provide a secretarial and/or coordinating function, in governance and coordinating mechanisms and platforms such as technical working groups for community health.
3. Act as a liaison between UNICEF Tanzania and Community Health Road map partners, within and outside the country.
4. Implement and oversee existing community-based health services programs supported by UNICEF in close collaboration with the Government of Tanzania, implementing partners, and other UNICEF sections.
5. Effectively link the community health portfolio to other activities implemented within the context of UNICEF’s health, nutrition, HIV, WASH, Education and Child Protection programs.
6. Develop activities and costing for community health related activities in the context of UNICEF health program planning.
7. Coordinate and communicate with development partners and donors, reporting results in a timely and accurate manner.
8. Document and disseminate best practices and program results for community-based health services, locally, nationally, and internationally.
9. Contribute to high quality program and field monitoring and performance tracking.
10. Contribute to the drafting of funding appeals, donor reports and project proposals related to community health.

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

• Advanced university degree in Community Health, Community Development, Primary Health Care, Family Medicine, Health Sciences, Public Health, or related field
• Required Knowledge and Skills; At least five (5) years of professional work experience in community health, primary health care, health system strengthening and/or quality of care in Tanzania or another comparable context.
• Work experience should have included coordination & partnership management, planning, programming, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of community health or other relevant programmes.
• Strong communication skills with partners and stakeholders at all levels – from community to national platforms.
• Ability to effectively process, analyse and interpret program data and produce quality reports.
• Work experience with UNICEF or international health NGOs is an asset
• Fluency in English is required. Fluency in Swahili is a strong asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (1) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness (1) Drive to achieve results for impact (4) Innovates and embraces change (1) Manages ambiguity and complexity (1) Thinks and acts strategically (1) 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 here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
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 is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. 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 towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable candidate from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, are encouraged to apply.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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 are also 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.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.