Health Specialist – Public Health Emergency (P-3), PG Health (HEPR), outposted in Geneva - Switzerland # 00113271

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. 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 personal and professional development that will help them develop a fulfilling career while delivering on a rewarding mission. We pride ourselves on a culture that helps staff thrive, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, … health….!

UNICEF contributes to health emergency preparedness and response (HEPR) through its unique role in addressing the specific needs of children and women. It simultaneously tackles both the causes of health emergencies—supporting control efforts—and the socio-economic consequences that follow. UNICEF plays a leading role in areas critical to outbreak prevention and control, such as infection prevention and control (IPC), water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), immunization, supply and logistics, as well as the continuity of essential social services and mental health and psychosocial support.

UNICEF's contribution to the continuity of essential services is part of its multi-sectoral response to the socio-economic impact of public health emergencies. This includes, but is not limited to, nutrition, child protection, prevention and response to gender-based violence (GBV) and other forms of violence against children, social protection, and education. UNICEF’s response in health emergencies is anchored in approaches that strengthen health systems and build resilience.

How can you make a difference?

Join UNICEF's Health Emergency Preparedness and Response (HEPR) team as a technical leader focused on infectious disease outbreak preparedness and response. This role emphasizes coordination with key internal stakeholders to tackle emerging and re-emerging pathogens. You will spearhead efforts to integrate vaccine responses into UNICEF's operational framework and coordinate vaccination initiatives within broader health emergency activities, including infection prevention, water, sanitation, and communication strategies. If you’re passionate about public health and ready to make a significant impact, we want to hear from you!

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have to…

Join UNICEF's dynamic team in a critical role focused on Surveillance and Monitoring, where you will establish and manage systems to track public health threats and analyze epidemiological data to identify trends and outbreaks. Your insights will inform timely reports and recommendations, and you'll support UNICEF’s weekly epidemiological review, highlighting the situation of children during health emergencies. This position offers a unique opportunity to impact public health preparedness and response through data-driven decision-making.

In the area of Public Health Communication, you will work with UNICEF in partnerships with the World Health Organization (WHO), NGOs, and academic institutions to enhance outbreak analysis and prioritize responses. You’ll produce a weekly newsletter summarizing the latest literature to guide UNICEF’s operational efforts. Your role will involve fostering collaborations, drafting technical briefs on public health threats, and developing response plans. If you're passionate about making a difference in global health and eager to support impactful initiatives, we invite you to apply!

The following minimum requirements:

A master’s degree or higher in Public Health (MPH, MSc, DrPH, PhD), Epidemiology, a medical degree, or a related technical or social sciences field is required.

Work Experience:

A minimum of five years of relevant professional work experience and strong expertise in public health emergency response and infectious disease management, with demonstrated leadership in coordinating outbreak preparedness initiatives.

Desirables/Assets:

• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring the integration of vaccination efforts within comprehensive public health response frameworks.
• Excellent communication and collaboration abilities to engage with international organizations like WHO and NGOs, alongside expertise in producing reports and newsletters to inform public health responses.
• Experience working in a developing country is considered as a strong asset.
• Background and/or familiarity with health emergency preparedness and response is considered as a strong asset.

Language Requirements:

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is 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…

• Builds and maintains partnerships
• Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
• Drive to achieve results for impact
• Innovates and embraces change
• Manages ambiguity and complexity
• Thinks and acts strategically
• Works collaboratively with others

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone , irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff , including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities . UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.

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. UNICEF is committed to promoting the protection and safeguarding of all children.

All selected candidates will 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.

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:

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service.

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.

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.

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 .