Maternal / Child Health Officer at the World Health Organization (WHO)

World Health Organization (WHO) is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Maternal / Child Health Officer

Job ID: 2101183  
Location: Abuja, Nigeria
Grade: P4
Organization: AF_NGA Nigeria
Schedule: Full-time  
Contractual Arrangement: Fixed-term appointment
Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 12 Months

Objectives of the Programme

• To provide technical support to the government in the development and implementation of evidence-based MCH policies and strategies, in order to provide access and quality health services to women, children and adolescents in an equitable manner.
• Guide in the harmonization of national and international efforts to ensure strengthening and improving MCH programme.
• Guide in promotion of national MCH programme with appropriate government commitment and support for MCH programme in collaboration with national and international organizations responsible for strengthening and improving MCH.

Description of Duties
The principal duties of the incumbent are to:

• Provide technical and managerial leadership in the area of Maternal, and Child Health ensuring that the activities in this area are established and carried out efficiently and effectively.
• Provide technical leadership and policy advice to the country to advocate for and strengthen the national health systems from development, implementation and monitoring of maternal, child health interventions in partnership with other collaborating partners.
• Monitor country specific developments in respect of the programmatic areas covered, and report these to the regional office / Headquarters so that these findings can be utilized for strategy development purposes
• Lead the development of new national strategies and policies through collaboration with the national authorities and recommend health development initiatives in the areas of health systems strengthening, partnership building and improvements in the planning and management of existing health systems for reduction of maternal and newborn morbidity and mortality in the countries.
• Establish and coordinate effective partnership with key stakeholders and donor agencies involved in   maternal and newborn health including family planning promote making Pregnancy Safer and behavior change and develop and establish reproductive health policies.
• Oversee and coordinate work plans and budgets for team activities including resource mobilization for the work programme and ensure the implementation of planned activities.
• Review and analyze national maternal and newborn health policies, strategies, plans and guidelines, programmesand related legislation Lead and conduct research on reproductive health across the life cycle research.
• Coordinate programs for capacity building in the area of Maternal Child health and other related areas.
• Serve as a technical advisor to the public concerning sustainable health systems that contribute to improved maternal, newborn child health and related programmes and services. Respond to inquiries and provide detailed and technical information concerning related principles, practices, issues, measures, techniques and procedures.
• Promote and establish a variety of new community outreach activities to facilitate the expansion of current and new health-care networks for improved maternal, newborn and child health systems.
• Advocate, coordinate, and build partnerships with national counterparts, technical departments at HQ and negotiate with donor and development partners (UN and bilateral) to harmonize recommendations on policies and strategies related to Maternal Child health systems and resolve issues or concerns and seek funding for new projects and work programmes.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications
Education:

• Essential: Advanced university degree (Master's level or above) in a Health-related field (Medicine, Public Health) with a specialization in reproductive health, pediatrics, obstetrics or other related field from an accredited / recognized institute.
• Desirable: PhD level degree in Medicine / Public Health.

Experience:

• Essential: A minimum of  seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in reproductive health developing capacity and policies linked to high quality maternal, newborn, and reproductive health care programmes.
• Within this experience, demonstrated professional experience working at the country and / or regional level providing technical advice and services to national counterparts, Ministries of Health, and other external partners on reproductive health programmes.
• Desirable: Relevant work experience with WHO and / or UN agencies, health cluster partners; Experience managing diverse teams; experience working in relevant nongovernmental or humanitarian organizations.

Skills:

• Excellent knowledge and expertise of country level situations with regard to reproductive health systems development and management with good understanding of relevant country's needs, priorities and policies, along with WHO's policies, practices, guidelines and procedures in the related areas and ability to apply them in the country office setting.
• Ability to conduct research and analyze results, identify issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations for strengthening health care systems.
• Ability to review and revise policies and objectives of assigned program and activities.
• Demonstratedability to understand and work on complex policy and programme issues related to Maternal, newborn and child health care systems and safety regulations.

WHO Competencies:

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Creating an empowering and motivating environmentUse of Language Skills
• Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
• Desirable: Working knowledge of French. Intermediate knowledge of Other UN Language.

Remuneration

• WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 74,913 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station.
• Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

Application Closing Date
25th March, 2021; by 11:59:00 PM.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Additional Information and Notice

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO 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 through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.
• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.
• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link: http://www.who.int/employment/en/
• Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
• Important Notice: Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications indicated above reflects your personal device's system settings.