Health Specialist (Adolescent Health), NO-3, Fixed Term Position, Pretoria, South Africa #00137966

Job no: 595108

Contract type: Fixed Term Appointment

Duty Station: Pretoria

Level: NO-3

Location: South Africa

Categories: Health

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

How can you make a difference?

This Programme aims to ensure that the most disadvantaged mothers, children, and adolescents have increased access to high-quality, equitable and age-appropriate primary healthcare and nutrition services, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. UNICEF will leverage evidence and resources from the public and private sectors to address equity gaps and to influence policies, plans and innovative programmatic approaches. Specifically, the Programme will support the Department of Health to enhance the quality of care in facilities; expand early detection and screening of children with developmental delays and disabilities; and improve delivery of immunization, HIV prevention and treatment, nutrition and environmental health services through primary healthcare and community health systems. UNICEF will also promote stronger planning, financing, forecasting and supply chain management.

The Programme will also strengthen the collection, management and strategic use of disaggregated data for programming through more robust and integrated information systems, while building the capacity of community health workers on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.

UNICEF also aims to ensure that the Government has evidence, technical capacity and partnerships to improve access, quality and trust in adolescent-responsive services covering mental health, nutrition, health and HIV prevention, including for adolescents with disabilities. It will strengthen information systems that track adolescent health and well-being; generate and use disaggregated data; enhance adolescent-responsive services through the Integrated School Health Programme; and scale innovative, tech-enabled solutions with government and private sector partners.

Purpose for the job:

Under the supervision of the Chief of Section, the Adolescent Health Specialist provides strategic leadership and technical expertise in advancing adolescent health and well-being as a core component of UNICEF’s global health agenda.

The incumbent will lead efforts to strengthen systems for adolescent-responsive health services and to promote integrated, life-course approaches that address adolescents’ unique needs. This includes advancing multisectoral programming across health, nutrition, education, protection, and WASH, with a focus on sexual and reproductive health, mental health, substance use prevention, early interventions to reduce non-communicable disease risks, and HIV prevention.

The role involves active engagement in local partnerships, as well as close collaboration with UNICEF Centres of Excellence to design, implement, and monitor evidence-based programmes. Key delivery platforms include primary health care, schools, communities, and digital platforms, ensuring that adolescents are reached through equitable, efficient, and context-appropriate channels.

Through these contributions, the Adolescent Health Specialist will help position UNICEF as a leading partner in adolescent health, ensuring coherence across global, regional, and national levels, and advancing sustainable results for and with adolescents.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities:

• Capacity Development & Institutional Strengthening
• Quality Improvement at Scale
• Policy Reform & Systems Transformation
• Evidence, Data & Knowledge for Action
• Equitable Access
• Programme Management & Results Monitoring

Additional Global Functions

While the primary focus of this role is on technical assistance, contributions are also made to UNICEF’s global positioning and partnership agenda. These include:

• Supporting the development and refinement of UNICEF’s global adolescent health strategic direction and priority areas, ensuring alignment with organizational strategies.
• Representing UNICEF in global adolescent health partnerships and technical working groups, and cultivating collaboration with UN agencies, development partners, youth networks, and academic institutions.
• Coordinating across sectors and divisions within UNICEF to foster integrated adolescent health programming and ensure consistent messaging.
• Shaping global advocacy messages, technical working groups, and communication materials to elevate adolescent health on global and national agendas.

Lead UNICEF's adolescent health agenda by strengthening adolescent-friendly health services and integrated programmes across health, nutrition, education, protection, and WASH. Focus areas include sexual and reproductive health, mental health, HIV prevention, substance use prevention, and NCD risk reduction, working with partners and UNICEF Centres of Excellence to deliver evidence-based interventions through health systems, schools, communities, and digital platforms.

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

Minimum requirements

• Education: An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Public Health, Epidemiology, Health Counselling, Global Health, Adolescent Health, Health Systems and Services, Health Policy and Management, Pediatric Medicine (Adolescent), School Health/Counselling, or a related field is required.
• Work Experience: At least 5 years of progressive experience in health and partnerships, with demonstrated expertise in strategic partnership development, resource mobilization, the development of global technical and operational guidance, and the design and implementation of adolescent health programmes at national and global levels, as well as related public health fields is required.
• Skills: Experience designing and implementing Cross-Sectoral Programming initiatives that support Health Systems strengthening, foster Government partnerships, and promote SRH, MHPSS, and NCD Prevention are required.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables

• Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
• Experience working in Adolescent Health through the delivery of Technical Support, implementation of Program Monitoring frameworks, facilitation of Capacity Building activities, and engagement in Strategic Partnerships and Policy Advocacy are desired.
• Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

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