Health Specialist (Adolescent Health)

The Health Specialist (Adolescent Health) provides strategic leadership and technical expertise to advance adolescent health and well-being as part of UNICEF's global health agenda. The role involves strengthening adolescent-responsive health services, promoting integrated life-course approaches, and advancing multisectoral programming across health, nutrition, education, protection, and WASH sectors.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and technical expertise in advancing adolescent health and well-being as a core component of UNICEF’s global health agenda.
• Lead efforts to strengthen systems for adolescent-responsive health services and promote integrated, life-course approaches addressing adolescents’ unique needs.
• Advance multisectoral programming across health, nutrition, education, protection, and WASH, focusing on sexual and reproductive health, mental health, substance use prevention, early interventions to reduce non-communicable disease risks, and HIV prevention.
• Engage actively in local partnerships and collaborate with UNICEF Centres of Excellence to design, implement, and monitor evidence-based programmes.
• Support capacity development and institutional strengthening, quality improvement at scale, policy reform and systems transformation, evidence, data and knowledge for action, equitable access, and programme management and results monitoring.
• Contribute to UNICEF’s global positioning and partnership agenda by supporting the development and refinement of UNICEF’s global adolescent health strategic direction and priority areas.
• Represent UNICEF in global adolescent health partnerships and technical working groups, cultivating collaboration with UN agencies, development partners, youth networks, and academic institutions.
• Coordinate across sectors and divisions within UNICEF to foster integrated adolescent health programming and ensure consistent messaging.
• Shape global advocacy messages, technical working groups, and communication materials to elevate adolescent health on global and national agendas.

Requirements

• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Fluency in English is required.
• 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.

Skills

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Counselling
• Global Health
• Adolescent Health
• Public Health Systems Strengthening
• Health Policy Management
• Pediatric Medicine
• School Health and Nutrition
• Strategic Partnership Development
• Resource Mobilization
• Technical Guidance
• Operational Guidance
• Adolescent Health Programme Design
• Adolescent Health Programme Implementation
• Multi-Sectoral Programming
• Government Partnership
• Sexual and Reproductive Health
• Mental Health and Psychosocial Support
• Noncommunicable Disease Prevention
• Programme Monitoring
• Capacity Building
• Strategic Partnerships
• Policy Advocacy

Languages

English