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For every child, the right to Health
South Sudan’s fragile healthcare system—of which over 27% of health facilities are non-functional—continues to face significant challenges in managing concurrent disease outbreaks. Despite ongoing vaccination campaigns, outbreaks of yellow fever and measles persist, while malaria remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality nationwide. In 2024, additional outbreaks of cholera, Hepatitis E, anthrax, and polio were reported, placing further strain on an already under-resourced and overstretched health system.
The country’s capacity to respond to potential epidemics remains severely limited, particularly in light of declining humanitarian funding. This underfunding hampers the ability to deliver timely and effective interventions—from immunization campaigns to case management services. Without urgent investment in healthcare infrastructure, epidemic preparedness, readiness, and response systems, South Sudan will likely continue to experience recurring and prolonged outbreaks, putting millions of lives at risk.
A cholera outbreak was officially declared in late September 2024, following cross-border transmission from Sudan. The outbreak spread rapidly, affecting nine states and overwhelming the already fragile health system. As of 4 July 2025, a total of 77,343 cholera cases and 1,392 deaths have been reported across 55 counties in 9 states and 2 administrative areas.
It is against this context that UNICEF South Sudan is seeking to recruit a Health Specialist (Emergency) for preparedness, readiness, response, and resilience building to be based in Juba for a period of 6 months. Reporting directly to the Chief of health with parallel reporting to the Chief of Field Operations, the Public Health Emergency Specialist will coordinate UNICEF’s ongoing cholera outbreak response and lead preparedness efforts for Mpox and other potential disease outbreaks. The position will work in close collaboration with UNICEF teams (Country and Field Offices), the Ministry of Health, and other operational partners engaged in outbreak response in South Sudan.
How can you make a difference?
The main responsibilities and tasks of the Health Specialist will include but not be limited to:
1. Health Emergency Preparedness, Readiness, Response, and Recovery
- Ensure that adequate health emergency preparedness measures are taken through the development and updating of contingency plans in liaison with the programme sections, administrative offices, Partners, and Ministry of Health.
- Participates in the formulation and development of plans of action in preparation and response to Public Health Emergencies and health in emergencies and monitors health compliance of all sectors with health emergency plans of action, including financial resources.
- In the event of an emergency, prompt actions are taken as a main coordinator for the direct response by UNICEF Country Office in Public Health Emergencies and be prepared for immediate deployment to support the health emergency response as needed.
2. Programme development and planning
- Support and contribute to the preparation, design and updating of the situation analysis and management of emergency health related programmes.
- Support development of National and subnational multi hazard preparedness and response plans in partnership with the Ministry of Health, WHO and other stakeholders in alignment with UNICEF’s CCCs.
- Participate in rapid needs assessments for the health sector.
- Identify interventions and actions for UNICEF in response to specific emergencies, develop workplans and coordinate implementation.
3.Programme management, monitoring and delivery of results
- Plan and/or collaborate with internal and external partners to establish monitoring benchmarks, performance indicators, and other UNICEF/UN system indicators and measurements to assess and strengthen performance accountability.
- Participate in monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews and annual sectoral reviews with the government and other counterparts to assess progress and to determine required action/interventions to achieve results.
- Actively monitor programmes/projects through field visits, surveys and/or exchange of information with partners/stakeholders to assess progress, identify bottlenecks, potential problems and take timely decisions to resolve issues and/or refer to relevant officials for timely resolution.
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here:
TOR- Health Specialist Emergencies, P-4, TA, Juba SSD..pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
Education:
- Advanced University degree in one of the following fields: medicine, public health, epidemiology, or other related disciplines. A combination of technical, management, and administrative qualifications related to public health emergency response is preferred.
Work Experience:
- A minimum of eight years of progressively responsible professional experience in public health emergency preparedness and response, with at least two years at the international level.
- Prior experience managing the intersectoral dimensions of disease outbreaks for UNICEF or another operational agency is essential.
- Demonstrated experience in coordinating public health emergency programs, including strategic partnerships, risk assessments, planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation.
- Proven experience working in developing countries and in emergency settings is required.
- Strong background in technical writing, including development of public health documents, government policies, guidelines, and academic publications.
Language Requirements:
- Fluency in English Language is required.
Desirables:
- A medical degree is considered an asset.
- Familiarity with UNICEF processes and approaches is highly desirable.
- Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) is considered 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
The 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 female candidates from targeted underrepresented groups 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.
UNICEF staff members holding fixed-term, continuing, or permanent appointments who are considered to be on abolished post status may apply for this temporary position and, if selected with a start date before 31 December 2025, may take it up as a temporary assignment, in line with UNICEF guidance on separation due to the abolition of posts or staff reduction. They will retain their fixed-term entitlements but will not hold a lien to their abolished post. For other scenarios where a Temporary Assignment may be possible, please refer to Additional guidance on IP to IP temporary assignments after completion of the full TOD.pdf (accessible to UNICEF personnel only).
The conditions of a temporary assignment, including relocation entitlements, will depend on the status of the staff member’s original appointment and may be limited in accordance with applicable UNICEF policies, procedures, and practices in force.
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.
