National UN Volunteer - Health and Nutrition

Job Posting Organization:
UNICEF has been committed to the welfare of children and young people in Iraq since 1963, when it signed its first formal cooperation agreement with the Government. The organization operates through established Cooperation Agreements and maintains a significant presence across the country with four offices located in Basra, Baghdad, Erbil, and Dohuk. UNICEF collaborates with various UN agencies, international and national NGOs to address the humanitarian and developmental needs of the most vulnerable children and young people. In recent years, UNICEF has intensified its focus on the unique needs of young people, recognizing the challenges they face and committing to deliver for all children and young people, particularly the most disadvantaged. The UNICEF Strategic Plan for 2018-2021 emphasizes the importance of engaging young people as agents of change, and the Global Communication and Advocacy Strategy for 2019-2021 highlights the need for meaningful engagement with youth. The organization aims to fully involve children and young people in creating solutions to accelerate the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and drive change forward, particularly through its Strategic Plan for 2022-2025.

Job Overview:
The position of National UN Volunteer - Health and Nutrition is designed to provide professional technical assistance and support for the implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and administration of Health and Nutrition program activities in Southern Iraq. The volunteer will backstop the Health Officer during their six-month leave from June to November. The role involves generating and utilizing research, data, and evidence to inform the design, measurement, and monitoring of Social and Behavioral Change (SBC) programs and outcomes in both development and emergency contexts. The volunteer will work closely with sectoral specialists, government officers, and other UN/NGO partners to support the design and implementation of SBC strategies and activities, ensuring they are backed by social and behavioral evidence. The volunteer will also be responsible for operationalizing SBC by advocating for its inclusion in sectoral workplans and mobilizing resources to support SBC activities. Continuous learning and capacity building for UNICEF staff, partners, and implementers will also be a key focus of this role, ensuring that best practices and innovative approaches are integrated into program approaches.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Generate and utilize research, data, and evidence to inform the design, measurement, and monitoring of SBC programs and outcomes in both development and emergency contexts. Collaborate with specialists and partners to conduct SBC situation analyses and formative research. Support data collection, tracking, monitoring, and reporting of SBC results. Establish community feedback mechanisms to inform SBC actions.
• Design, plan, and implement SBC activities backed by evidence and strong engagement mechanisms. Provide technical and administrative support for the development and monitoring of evidence-based SBC strategies. Ensure quality and integration of the latest evidence in SBC activities.
• Advocate for SBC, mobilize resources, and coordinate across stakeholders. Collaborate with partners to link and coordinate SBC approaches. Support resource mobilization and contribute to proposals and reports.
• Promote continuous learning and capacity building in SBC for both development and humanitarian contexts. Identify and design SBC training materials for staff and partners. Facilitate the exchange of experiences and provide technical assistance for new SBC methods.
• Other assigned duties and responsibilities are effectively accomplished.

Required Qualifications:
The ideal candidate should possess strong analytical skills, with the ability to generate and utilize data effectively. They should have experience in designing and implementing social and behavioral change programs, as well as a solid understanding of community engagement strategies. The candidate should also demonstrate excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders, including government officials, NGOs, and community members. Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities are essential.

Educational Background:
A degree in public health, social sciences, or a related field is required. Advanced degrees or specialized training in health and nutrition, social and behavioral sciences, or a related area would be an asset. Knowledge of UNICEF's mission and programs, as well as familiarity with the local context in Iraq, is highly desirable.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of 2-3 years of relevant professional experience in health and nutrition program implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. Experience working in humanitarian contexts and with vulnerable populations is preferred. Familiarity with social and behavioral change methodologies and community engagement strategies is also important.

Languages:
Fluency in English is mandatory, and proficiency in Arabic is highly desirable. Knowledge of other local languages would be an advantage.

Additional Notes:
This position is a national UN Volunteer assignment based in Erbil, Iraq, with the possibility of travel to other governorates depending on security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security-clearance" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">security clearance and management approval. National UN Volunteers are expected to respect all UN and Government instructions related to COVID-1

• They are responsible for arranging their own housing and living essentials. National UN Volunteers receive a monthly volunteer living allowance of USD 1,951.91 to cover basic living costs. Eligible volunteers may also receive a resettlement allowance upon satisfactory completion of their assignment.