Immunization Officer at The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)

Ref No: IFRC-A-IO-009
Location: Abuja
Contract Length: 12 Months
Classification Level: TBC
Immediate Supervisor’s Title: Head of Nigeria Country Cluster Office / Health Coordinator
Technical Manager’s Title: Regional Health Coordination Unit

Description
The Programme Services Division is in turn organised in three Departments, each of them led by a Director. The department of Health consists of 3 teams, of which Health in Complex Settings is one. The Immunization Officer serves as a member of the Health in Complex Settings team reporting to the Health in Complex Settings Team Leader. The immunization officer will be based in Abuja and support immunization activities in the country (Nigeria) in which they are assigned and other complex settings as needed under the direction of the Geneva-based senior immunization officer.

Job Purpose
Reporting to the Health Coordinator, the Immunization Officer will lead the development of capacity in immunisation campaigns and related activities in the IFRC and National Society of Nigeria.
The Immunization Officer will:

• Implement work-plan as outlined in the project document on immunisation in Nigeria, primarily funded through the CDC Corporate Agreement (CoAg)
• Participate in key planning and technical meetings with the Ministry of Health and partners to represent IFRC and the host country NS on issues related to immunization
• Develop and support immunization projects and activities in collaboration with partners including integration of immunization activities into community-based health programme.
• Participate in and support CSO platforms on immunization-related activities.

Job Duties and Responsibilities
Support National Societies (NS) to improve performance when addressing immunization issues in Complex Settings:

• In collaboration with regional colleagues, operationalize the Federation involvement in measles elimination/mortality reduction activities.
• Contribute to providing specific technical support to ensure National Societies are able to effectively:
  • Support demand creation and social mobilization for routine immunization
  • Improve the quality of supplemental immunization campaigns for measles, polio and other diseases
  • Provide direct immunization service delivery in settings where government programs do not exist and security assessment indicate the NS can safely provide support.
• Compile and share evidence of what works, where and for whom, in strengthening immunization systems and campaigns, with an emphasis on innovation and scalable eHealth solutions.

Support of Immunization During Emergencies:

• Support NS capacity to assist government program for early detection and response to outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases including measles, cholera, Ebolavirus disease and meningitis
• Ensure NS has capacity to conduct social mobilization and demand creation for routine immunization and supplemental immunization campaigns in complex settings
• Support NS capacity to provide immunization services in settings where the national program is unable.
• Support CSO platforms to address the equity gap in immunization in priority countries.

Contribute to Delivering Quality in Operations:

• Under the direction of the Health Coordinator, ensure that tools, guidelines and projects in the team are based on evidence, applicable international standards and follow a resilience based health approach.
• Ensure that immunization questions and challenges are addressed by operational research in partnership with different research institutions and other partners
• Ensure that behavioural change components and training are following good standards and are aligned to department wide approaches
• As part of quality enhancement programme, contribute to supporting National Societies to develop systems that allow a ‘seamless’ transition from health development to emergency response to recovery, build back better and accelerated development
• Perform knowledge extraction, analysis, documentation, validation codification and dissemination of results/lessons learned in the specific thematic area and ensure knowledge sharing and content management with both internal and external stakeholders
• Work with knowledge management and communications colleagues to share information, lessons learned and best practices.

Reporting:

• Be accountable to the Head of Country Cluster by providing progress reports on results against objectives and risk analysis.
• Ensure regular reports on use of funds within the Health in Complex Settings Team are provided
• Ensure budget needs are met and reported upon in a timely and efficient manner.

Duties Applicable to All Staff:

• Actively work towards the achievement of the Federation Secretariat’s goals
• Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles
• Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager

Position Requirements
Education:

• Advanced university degree (master's or equivalent) in health or equivalent professional experience
• Relevant post-graduate degree in public health

Experience:

• At least 5 years of experience in field work in humanitarian or development sector, with a focus on health in complex settings
• Demonstrated professional credibility in the sector and experience working in an international or cross-cultural environment
• 5 years management and supervisory experience in a multicultural environment, with developing countries and/or with an international organisation at management level
• Experience working in a RC/RC National Society and/or Federation/ICRC
• Experience of financial management to ensure compliance.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Self-supporting in computers    
• Knowledge of addressing Health in Complex Settings and public health and experience in practically applying this knowledge into policy, programmes and positioning, preferably in emergenciest
• Programme and project management
• Results oriented and demand driven individual, entrepreneurial, ability to lead in unprecedented and/or ambiguous situations.
• Outstanding networking, representational, communication and negotiation skills. An ability to be proactive and persuasive.
• Demonstrated track record in innovating, contributing to a learning culture, sharing knowledge and new approaches to engaging partners.
• Professional credibility, able to work effectively at all levels across the organisation.
• Proven good judgment and ability to work with complete integrity and confidentiality.
• High degree of discretion, tact and sensitivity in dealing with internal and external clients and stakeholders at all levels.
• Ability to work within a multi-cultural, multilingual, multidisciplinary environment

Languages:

• Fluent in written and spoken English
• Good command of Hausa

Competencies (to be filled in by HR):

• Strategic orientation - Communication -Teamwork
• Professionalism - Integrity - Diversity
• Judgement-Decision-making
• Results focus and accountability - Managing performance

Interview Date
8th August, 2017.