If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world’s leading children’s rights organization would like to hear from you.

For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children’s survival, protection and development. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.

Purpose of the Position

The Chief reports to the Deputy Representative for general guidance and direction. The Chief is responsible for managing and supervising all stages of HIV/AIDS programming to ensure that HIV programmes for both decades of childhood are well integrated within the UNICEF’s Country Programme as well as other UN and Key partner’s strategic planning documents. 

The Chief manages the Team and establishes plans of action to ensure the achievement of concrete and sustainable results according to plans, allocation, results based-management approaches and methodology (RBM) and UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, standards of performance and accountability framework.

Key Expected Results

1. Managerial leadership

• Establish the annual work plan with the HIV/AIDS team; set priorities/targets and performance measurement in support of national programmes. Monitor work progress and ensure results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards.
• Establish clear individual performance objectives, goals and timelines; and provide timely guidance to enable the team to perform their duties responsibly and efficiently. Plan and ensure timely performance management and assessment of the team.
• Supervise team members by providing them with clear objectives and goals, direction and guidance to enable them to perform their duties responsibly, effectively and efficiently.

2. Programme development and planning

• Plan and provide technical guidance and operational support to the preparation/design and conduct/update of situation analysis to ensure that comprehensive, relevant and evidence-based data on HIV are collected to guide country office and national HIV programming, monitoring and delivery of programme/project services.
• Keep abreast of national/regional/global development trends and priorities to determine strategies, approaches and priorities for HIV programming that addresses national needs to achieve an AIDS-free generation.
• Coordinate and supervise the development of integrated HIV programmes/projects (as a component of the CO and/or UNDAF programmes). Establish plans of action, programme goals and results, using results-based planning methodology and terminology (RBM) in support of national programmes.
• Guide and coordinate the timely preparation of HIV programme documentation for inclusion in the Country Office Programme recommendation ensuring alignment with the overall UNICEF’s Strategic Plans, regional strategies and national priorities, plans and competencies.
• Consult and collaborate with internal and external colleagues and partners to provide technical and operational support to programme planning, management and implementation and to ensure synergy, integration, coherence and harmonization of HIV programmes/projects with UNICEF Strategic Plans, donors’ development strategies/policies, country level national priorities/competencies and UN system development interventions/initiatives.

3. Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results

• Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish benchmarks, performance indicators and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurement to assess/strengthen performance accountability, coherence and delivery of concrete and sustainable results in HIV programmes.
• Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sector reviews with government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.
• Prepare/assess monitoring and evaluation reports to identify gaps, strengths/weaknesses in programme and management, identify lessons learned and use knowledge gained for development planning and timely intervention to achieve goals.
• Monitor programmes/projects to assess progress, identify bottlenecks and potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
• Plan, monitor, certify and control the optimum/appropriate use of programme resources (financial, administrative and other assets) certifying/confirming compliance with organizational rules, regulations/procedures, standards of accountability and integrity and donor commitments, and ensuring timely reporting and liquidation of resources.
• Prepare mandated and key programme/project reports for donors and other partners to keep them informed of programme progress.

4. Advisory services and technical support

• Provide technical leadership in the provision of advice to key government officials, NGO partners, UN system partners and other country office partners/donors on programme policies, strategies and best practices and approaches on HIV and related issues to support programme development planning, management, implementation and delivery of results.
• Participate in programme strategic discussions/planning to provide technical advice/contribute to policy discussions and agenda setting to promote HIV interventions especially in the areas of gender inequality, social inclusion, human rights and humanitarian situations to ensure that at risks and vulnerable population are fully covered in times of greatest needs.
• Prepare policy papers, briefs and other strategic programme materials for management use, information and/or consideration.

5. Advocacy, networking and partnership building

• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with health sector government counterparts, national stakeholders and global partners/allies/donors/academia through active networking and advocacy to exchange knowledge/expertise, leverage resources/action, build alliances and engage participation of communities in programme design, delivery and demand creation.
• Develop communication strategies/activities and implementation plans for maximum impact and outreach to promote awareness, establish partnership/alliances and enhance resource mobilization for UNICEF HIV programmes/projects.
• Participate and/or represent UNICEF in appropriate inter-agency (UNCT) discussions and planning on HIV related issues to ensure organizational position, interests and priorities are fully considered and integrated in the UNDAF process in development planning and agenda setting. Collaborate with inter-agency partners/colleagues UNDAF planning and preparation of HIV programmes/projects.

6. Innovation, knowledge management and capacity building

• Promote critical thinking and introduce technological and programme innovations and approaches to accelerate results and increase coverage, access and quality of high impact HIV treatment and preventative interventions. 
• Keep abreast, research, benchmark and implement best and cutting edge practices in HIV management methodologies and information systems. Institutionalize and share best practices and knowledge learned.
• Organize, plan and/or implement capacity building initiatives to enhance the competencies of clients/stakeholders to promote sustainable results in HIV programmes/projects.

Qualifications of Successful Candidate

• An Advanced University Degree in HIV/AIDS and/or public health, family health, health research, global/international health, health policy and/or management, environmental health sciences, biostatistics, socio-medical, health education, epidemiology or other health related sciences is required.
• A minimum of 8 years of professional experience in public HIV/AIDS planning and management and/or in relevant areas of health care, health emergency/humanitarian preparedness, at the international level some of which preferably in a developing country is required. Relevant experience in HIV/AIDS programme/project development and management in any UN system agency or organization is an asset.
• Fluency in English (written and verbal) is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, Russian) or a local language is an asset.

Competencies of Successful Candidate

Core Values 

• Commitment
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Integrity

Core competencies

• Communication – Level II
• Working with People – Level II
• Drive for Results – Level II

Functional Competencies

• Leading and supervising – Level II
• Formulating strategies and concepts – Level II
• Analyzing – Level III
• Relating and networking – Level II
• Deciding and Initiating action – Level II
• Applying technical expertise – Level III

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.