Immunization Specialist, (P-3), FT, #137798, Honiara, Solomon Islands, Fiji (Pacific Islands - MCP), APR

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to Health

In the Pacific we work in Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu: These 14 Pacific island countries are home to 2.3 million people, including 1.2 million children and youth, living on more than 660 islands and atolls stretching across 17.2 million square kilometers of the Pacific Ocean, an area comparable to the combined size of the United States of America and Canada. Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Solomon Islands, and Tuvalu are classified as Fragile States according to World Bank/OECD criteria.

The Pacific Multi-Country Office is the oldest and largest MCO in UNICEF. As such it is a model for the new MCOs being established.  All 14 Pacific Island countries and territories have ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, but only a third are on track with reporting obligations. UNICEF’s programme focuses on advancing children’s rights and wellbeing through integrated efforts in health, nutrition, education, child protection, climate resilience, and social policy—addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing small island developing states, including vulnerability to climate change, geographic isolation, and service delivery constraints.

Based in Honiara, Solomon Islands, the Immunization Specialist plays a pivotal role in improving child health outcomes by providing strategic leadership, technical expertise, and effective coordination to strengthen national immunization programmes.

Explore the different areas of our work here:  UNICEF Pacific Islands and in the short video: Work for UNICEF in the Pacific

How can you make a difference?

Key functions and accountabilities:

• Timely immunization sectoral analysis, including coverage, equity, zero-dose populations, vaccine-preventable disease trends, and sex-disaggregated data, contribute to the Situation Analysis and evidence-based planning, development and management of the immunization programme.
• Quality contributions are made to the development and implementation of the Immunization strategies and approaches through participation and collaboration with internal and external partners.
• Work plan and objectives are strategically established, technical support is effectively provided, and planned results are timely delivered through strong technical leadership of the national immunization programme, including alignment with national health sector priorities and global immunization targets.
• Immunization programme implementation progress is monitored and evaluated to improve coverage, equity, quality, and sustainability, and to support timely corrective actions where gaps are identified.
• Technical support is provided to government and NGOs to strengthen immunization planning, service delivery, vaccine management, disease surveillance, and programme performance at national and subnational levels.
• The capacities of Country Office staff are strengthened through effective capacity building programme in the development, implementation and management of the Immunization Programme.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Job Description Immunization (EPI) Specialist Level 3.pdf

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

Minimum requirements:

• Education: An advanced university degree (Master`s or equivalent) in Public Health, Paediatric Health, Child Development, Child Health, Nutrition, Epidemiology, Public Administration, Social Policy, Social Development, Community Development, or other relevant disciplines.
• Work Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience at the national and international levels (in the UN system) in the planning, programming, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of health and immunization programmes is required. Relevant professional experience in health, health and nutrition, immunization, public health, maternal and child health, epidemiology, health systems management, programme management, monitoring and evaluation, capacity building, partnership development, emergency preparedness, or other related fields is required. Professional experience in a technical role related to child survival and health care is required. Experience in coordinating project implementation with government ministries, particularly regarding system strengthening, is required. Experience working with GAVI and other similar partners is required. Experience working in developing country contexts and emergency settings is required.
• Skills: Experience in immunization, programme management, strategic planning, partnership building, monitoring and evaluation, and capacity building is required.
• Language Requirements: Proficiency in English is required.

Desirables:

• Knowledge of theories and practices in childhood immunization, health promotion and disease prevention.
• Specific technical knowledge required in immunization, health system planning and management, health economics and financing, health research, health education, health promotion and diseases prevention.
• Demonstrated skills in knowledge management, developing and implementing programmatic goals and vision.
• Gender & diversity awareness, particularly in health programming, including gender mainstreaming.
• Technical knowledge in the latest developments and technology in the field of immunization and health management or health research.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.
• Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) 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

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
(7) Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). 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 based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote 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, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions 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.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.