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 a Future
How can you make a difference?
South Sudan is facing a complex humanitarian emergency characterized by active conflict, large-scale displacement, destruction of health infrastructure, and a heightened risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera. In priority counties such as Ayod, Akobo, and surrounding areas, access to essential health services has been severely disrupted, with health facilities damaged or non-functional and vulnerable populations—particularly women and children—left without access to lifesaving care. Within this context, UNICEF is scaling up an integrated, multi-sectoral emergency response to reduce excess morbidity and mortality by restoring access to essential primary health care (PHC) services, strengthening outbreak preparedness and response, and supporting community-based interventions in hard-to-reach and conflict-affected locations.
As a Health Officer, you will provide professional technical assistance and operational support for the design, planning, implementation, monitoring, and coordination of public health emergency and health-in-emergencies interventions. You will support the delivery of integrated PHC services through both static and mobile platforms, strengthen disease surveillance and outbreak control measures, ensure the timely availability of essential medicines and supplies, and contribute to effective coordination with government counterparts, Health Cluster partners, and implementing partners.
In addition, you will support data analysis, reporting, knowledge management, and capacity-building efforts to ensure evidence-based decision-making and the timely achievement of programme objectives, in alignment with UNICEF’s Core Commitments for Children (CCCs) and Health Emergency programme strategies.
The position will work in close collaboration with UNICEF teams (Country and Field Offices), the Ministry of Health, and other operational partners engaged in health emergency response in South Sudan.
Main Responsibilities and Tasks:
- Situation Analysis, Data Management and Reporting
- Technical Assistance for Public Health Emergency Response and Health in Emergencies
- Programme Planning, Implementation and Coordination.
- Programme Monitoring and Field Support
- Supply and Logistics Management Support
- Capacity Building and Technical Support
- Partnerships, Coordination and Knowledge Networking
- Monitoring Systems and Reporting
- Emergency Preparedness and Response
- Other duties and responsibilities
If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: 
TA TOR Health Officer- Juba.pdf
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Minimum requirements:
- Education: University degree in Public Health, Medicine, Epidemiology, or other relevant disciplines.
- Work Experience:
- Minimum two years of relevant professional experience in public health programmes, including public health emergency preparedness and response and outbreak control.
- Demonstrated understanding of integrated primary health care (PHC) approaches in humanitarian and fragile settings.
- Strong knowledge of child and maternal health, health promotion, disease prevention, and public health/epidemiology.
- Familiarity with programme and project management methodologies, including planning, implementation, monitoring, and reporting.
- Knowledge of global and national health priorities, particularly those affecting children and women in contexts of conflict, displacement, disasters, and recovery.
- Understanding of emergency programme frameworks and approaches, including the Core Commitments for Children (CCCs).
- Proficiency in data analysis, knowledge management, and use of computer applications, including word processing, spreadsheets, and UNICEF corporate systems.
- Demonstrated awareness of gender equality and diversity principles in programme implementation.
- Skills: The role requires strong expertise in public health and epidemiology, as well as experience in outbreak response, primary healthcare, disease surveillance, and immunization to support effective health interventions.
- Language Requirements: English - Proficient level is required.
Desirables:
- Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
- Experience working with government and partners in humanitarian coordination mechanisms is an asset.
- 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
(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 applicants 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.
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.
Visa residence requirements: i.e. UNICEF shall not facilitate the issuance of a visa and working authorization for candidates under consideration for positions at the national officer and general service category.
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.
