Batch Hiring: Health Provincial Officer (Consultant), 9 Locations in Papua New Guinea, 10 Months

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

With over 850 indigenous languages and one of the most ethnically diverse populations, widespread poverty, and gender inequality make it hard for many children to realize their rights. In Papua New Guinea, UNICEF’s works effectively both ‘upstream’ (with governments) and ‘downstream’ (at the grassroots level) to carry out its mission through a programme of cooperation jointly developed with the government guides our work in the country.

How can you make a difference? 

Background

PNG’s National Immunization Strategy NIS, the Advocacy, Communication & Social Mobilization ACSM and the COVID-19 National Vaccine Deployment Plan aim to strengthen the capacity of the PHAs to maintain regular health services and promote demand for routine immunisation and COVID-19 vaccination as well as responding to disease outbreaks.

The deployment of dedicated health promotion officers is essential to enhance the capacities of PHAs to undertake robust demand generation activities towards vaccine uptake. plan in the country. The health promotion officers will be deployed to support PHAs with social and behavior change communication initiatives around coordination, advocacy and community mobilization.

The Health Promotion Officer HPO is tasked to support and reinforce the capacity of the provincial Health Authority PHA to develop and implement a robust social and behaviour change communication plan towards increasing demand and uptake for Routine Immunization, COVID-19 Vaccine and as well as promotion of health seeking behaviours.

SCOPE OF WORK/OBJECTIVES

Under the direct supervision and functional guidance of the PHA Chief Executive Officer and the Director of Public Health, the HPO will undertake key tasks as part of the terms of reference below:

Coordination Support

PHAs to ensure effective coordination of partner activities in the areas of Routine Immunization ACSM and Risk Communication and Community Engagement RCCE. Support PHAs and partners in ensuring the alignment of their activities to the provincial micro plans as well as their MTF strategy and blueprint. Support the preparation and implementation of a provincial level activity plan (micro plan) on ACSM and RCCE considering the local context and national plan of action for risk communication and community engagement.

· Implementation and routine monitoring of vaccine demand generation and health promotion activities in line with the national strategy and provincial context. Community Mobilization Conduct regular community mapping exercises to identify vulnerable groups, hard to reach communities, strategic communication and mobilization delivery points and channels for messaging, advocacy and public health education.

· Support the planning and conduct of coordination meetings with key partners and stakeholders in the areas of ACSM and RCCE within the provinces.

· Support PHAs to identify gaps in the capacity of service providers, partners and other key stakeholders and support initiatives to close identified gaps.

· Support PHAs to identify key local level influencers and engage them in development and implementation of community led strategies to create an enabling environment for vaccine uptake

· Support PHAs in conducting field visits to support community engagement activities. Advocacy and Communication Support advocacy and engagement with churches, community owned resource persons, business houses, health workers etc on SBC towards uptake of vaccination.

· Support adaptation of materials and messages considering the most spoken languages, local cultures, and context of respective province.

· Monitor the relevance and use of IEC materials and make specific recommendations on their adaptability to local communities.

· Support the pre-testing of messages with local level stakeholders and community respondents as and when require.

 · Support in documentation and knowledge management in producing human interest story, case study, photo feature etc. Find out and consolidate feedback from the local level on misinformation and rumors in their assigned geographies and feed back to the PHA and national level.

Target provinces

Preferences will be given to the candidates from the same provinces where the positions are located.

Candidates must indicate at least two province/location name s/he is applying for in the application cover letter.

As a champion for every child, qualifications are… 

• Bachelor’s degree in one of the following fields is required: social and behavioral science, sociology, anthropology, psychology, education, communication, public relations, public or environmental health or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of one year of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: health promotion, community mobilization, social development programme planning, communication for development, public advocacy, journalism or another related area.
• Relevant experience in NGO, Civil Society Organizations or development programmes is considered as an asset
• Fluency in English and Tok Pisin is required. Knowledge of another local language of the duty station is considered as an asset. b. Other necessary/desirable skills/qualifications.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills – Willingness to travel and work in field environments c. Other requirements.
• Candidate must be a national of PNG.
• Candidate should preferably be from the same province where the position is located, and should indicate the province/location name s/he is applying for in the application cover letter.
• Candidate must include in the cover letter expected monthly consultancy fee (state amount in PGK please)

For every Child, you demonstrate… our core values of Commitment, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability. 

This position is a short-term assignment and doesn’t give rise to a long-term permanent post with the organization.

Applicants are required to include in their applications a financial proposal which includes a lumpsum amount for consultancy fees, local transportation and other miscellaneous costs. Breakdown or details of the fee will be much appreciated.

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply.

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 also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. 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.

UNICEF does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, or orientation). 

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