Vacancy for a Child Health and Immunisation Specialist at Save the Children

Save the Children is the leading independent organization for children in need, with programs in over 120 countries, including the United States. We aim to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting change in their lives by improving their health, education and economic opportunities. In times of acute crisis, we mobilize rapid assistance to help children recover from the effects of war, conflict and natural disasters. Each year, we and our partners reach millions of children in communities around the world. Join our dedicated and diverse staff in their work to improve the well-being of children everywhere. We are recruiting to fill the position below:   Job Title: Child Health and Immunisation Specialist Job ID: 1900033M Location: Dutse, Jigawa Employee Status: Fixed Term Role Purpose

• The Child Health Specialist provides overall leadership and oversight for the programmatic, technical and research aspects of the programme.
• S/he will oversees the day-to-day implementation of the programme and will be accountable for the quality of interventions and for the capacity building of health workers at state and LGA level.
• S/he will be also responsible for ensuring the provision of high quality technical assistance by in-country and UK based technical advisers and external consultants (if appropriate).
• S/he will support the State Programme Manager to ensure that planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation as well as donor reporting functions are executed efficiently and effectively so that the project achieves its purposes and outputs.  S/he develops and promotes widespread application of evidence-based program standards and guidance that reflect Save the Children and global best practice

• Provides advanced technical expertise and oversight to ensure programs are of high quality and develops new state of the art approaches
• Coordinates in-country and UK based technical advisers and external consultants (if appropriate).
• Supports the COP and State Programme Manager in the development of high quality programming, annual plans and budgeting processes for the programme, as and when necessary.
• Formulates key program questions that will help to advance the evidence base, and leads design of targeted evaluations.
• Ensure the programme’s operational and analytical research, coordinate the publication and dissemination of results and ensure that research informs advocacy.
• Support the government in the MNCH weeks and other important child health events
• Strengthening relevant health systems for effective delivery of the pneumonia related interventions
• Actively contribute to the process of learning, evaluation, capturing and disseminating lessons from the programme for continuous improvement of programme performance and overall outcome
• Work closely with the programme team to ensure that other technical sectors are coordinated, integrated and support each other to optimise the project purposes and objectives.
• Prepare quality quarterly and annual reports and timely submission of deliverables.
• Plays significant role in strategic thinking and leadership in advancing child health programs. Lead and direct the adaptation of Reach every ward
• Support the implementation of the five operational pillars of the REW approach
• Conduct Analysis of the immunization indicators using REW approach
• Ensure integration of the treatment of severe malnutrition into the IMCI and ICCM
• Ensure the implementation of key family and community practices with special emphasis on IYCF, WASH (soft part of the programme), care seeking behaviour, and immunization.
• Establish necessary community infrastructure to support the implementation of the child health activities
• Any other duty assigned by the Chief of Party

• Identify learning and training opportunities for Save the Children health staff and partners and work as a mentor and role model for less experienced staff.
• Build capacity of health workers and other sector staff to implement quality programs

• Represent the programme on all technical working groups, partners and stakeholders’ forums.
• Create partnerships with Ministries of Health and other relevant organizations, WHO, and UNICEF to maximize program impact and harmonize agendas.
• Ensure that Save the Children's work is coordinated with efforts of other agencies and Government, and take a leadership role within the Health Sector, ensuring the specific needs of children are being addressed.
• In collaboration with the Advocacy Advisor, assist in advocacy activities that target decision-makers at all levels.
• In collaboration with the SC Health colleagues, feed in learning, experiences and evidence to relevant global advocacy objectives.

• Comply with Save the Children policies and practice with respect to child protection, code of conduct, health and safety, equal opportunities and other relevant policies and procedures.

• Ensures beneficiary and partner feedback is incorporated into programme design, planning and learning
• Demonstrates flexibility to adapt plans and make decisions in rapidly changing environments
• Actively manages risk and takes action to reduce risk
• Makes changes to improve performance as a result of information received
• Documents lessons learned and applies them to future projects

• Develops strategies for teams to work across traditional boundaries, working in diverse environments
• Establishes clear objectives with teams and individuals and monitors progress and performance
• Fosters collaborative, transparent and accountable relationships through partners
• Uses negotiation and conflict resolution skills to support positive outcomes

• Builds own awareness of the bigger global picture by using a broad range of sources to gather data
• Demonstrates self-development and management by taking responsibility for own development, and actively seeking out feedback to better understand their own strengths and weaknesses
• Openly talks about doing things differently, pushing the boundaries and ways of working
• Gives constructive feedback to enhance capabilities and responsibilities to another for the purpose of his/her development
• Works to ensure that the workplace is inclusive and the talents of individuals are harnessed to achieve business success
• Demonstrates managerial courage by confronting difficult situations and seeking resolution, and stating willingness to champion ideas
• Demonstrates approachability and trust by listening carefully to others and valuing their contribution, and making others feel comfortable by being open and honest about their thoughts and feelings

• Required Master’s Degree in Public Health required; a health professional (MD or nurse) with clinical training skills (pre-service and/or service clinical training) preferred.
• Conversant with evidence based child health approaches such as the ICCM, IMCI, GAPPD, etc
• Ability to lead and produce project proposals, implementation plans, monitoring frameworks, and write succinct reports on program success; excellent writing and oral communication skills.
• Ability to travel 35-40% of time
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience implementing and delivering technical assistance to maternal, newborn and child health programs in developing country settings.
• Demonstrated expertise in program development and management child survival and strong experience in PHC and ICCM program design and implementation required; must have experience facilitating clinical training, supportive supervision.