JOB at the United Nations Children's Fund - NGO,  Yaounde, Cameroon

HIV/AIDS Specialist (Screening, Diagnostics, and Surveillance), (NO-3), Yaounde, Cameroon #124848 ( Temporary Appointment)364days

Job no: 562480
Contract type: Temporary Appointment
Duty Station: Yaounde
Level: NO-3
Location: Cameroon
Categories: HIV/AIDS
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

UNICEF has been working in Cameroon since 1975 to allow women and children to fully realize their rights to development without restriction, as enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. UNICEF provides financial and technical support to Cameroon across seven areas to fully realize the rights of women and children. These areas include Health, HIV/AIDS, Water-sanitation-Hygiene, nutrition, education, child protection, and social inclusion. UNICEF focuses mainly on children and the most vulnerable and excluded families. Cameroon’s 2020 population is estimated at 26,545,863 people according to UN data. The population is young and generates strong socioeconomic demand. In rural areas, limited access to basic social services and the effects of climate change led to household impoverishment and severe child deprivations. The task is immense but not insurmountable; it requires the energy of all stakeholders in Cameroon and outside of Cameroon: also, women, men, youth and children, government, technical and financial partners, donors, civil society, the private sector, parliamentarians, and communities. Everyone is invited to participate in the struggle to meet the challenges ahead. It is together that we will act for Cameroon, a country that summarizes the challenges and hopes of Africa.

To learn more about UNICEF Cameroon, use the below link

https://unicef.sharepoint.com/sites/CMR/SitePages/AboutUs.aspx.

How can you make a difference?

Support the central, regional, and district levels in HIV/AIDS laboratory, Diagnostics, and supply chain management systems for pregnant/breastfeeding women, children, and adolescents and improve laboratory, diagnostics, and supply chain management systems. Specifically, the incumbent will be responsible for:

 Key tasks and responsibilities:

He/she will perform the following tasks:

 Strengthening Screening, Laboratory diagnostics, surveillance, and Supply Chain Management:
• Support health system strengthening especially the Laboratory, diagnostics, Drugs, and medical supplies components at the central, regional, and district levels

•   Support planning and forecasting of Diagnostics, Laboratory, and supplies for children and adolescents

•  Manage project by ensuring national operational plans are aligned with project activities and outputs with measurable progress indicators

• Work with the National Procurement Centre for Essential Drugs and Medical Devices, the National AIDS Control Committee, Tuberculosis, and other Health programs to support national normative guidance for informing programmatic decision-making and improving the availability of essential drugs and commodities

Technical Leadership and partnership-building capacity development on screening, diagnostics, and surveillance
•   Convene necessary training and provide technical inputs to support and develop guidance and knowledge sharing on Health including HIV laboratory technologies.

•   Support implementation of HIV surveillance activities and laboratory network strengthening

•   Support HIV screening activities for HIV, Syphilis, and other diseases.

•   Support the diagnostic scoping assessments

 Communications and Knowledge Management
•   Support evidence generation and the analysis of POC programming in national diagnostics strengthening, and related health systems, through documentation, annual reporting, and assessment of promising practices.

•  Support Coordination and the effective dissemination of promising practices nationally.

• Introduce innovative approaches and good practices to build the capacity of partners and stakeholders and to support the POC implementation

To have more information, please click here: HIV/AIDS SPECIALIST ToR.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have

EDUCATION

Advanced university degree (Master) in one of the following or related: Health laboratory, biomedical sciences, Public Health. Knowledge of POC diagnostics and HIV programming.

WORK EXPERIENCE

At least 5 years of relevant experience working in the areas of global health, HIV and /or development, laboratory diagnostics, project management, or related areas. Experience managing projects and reporting to donors and a demonstrable track record in country-level support are essential. Experience in HIV programs and policy matters in sub-Saharan Africa. Experience working with UNICEF and other UN agencies is an asset.

LANGUAGES

Fluency in English and French is required (oral and written). Knowledge of a local language is an 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

The UNICEF competencies required for this post are:

(1) 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 and (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 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 including 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 promoting 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 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.

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/.

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.

Deadline: 11 Jun 2023 W. Central Africa Standard Time

All applications must be submitted ONLINE at :  https://jobs.unicef.org/cw/en-us/filter/?search-keyword=&location=cameroon