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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 health

UNICEF Kosovo works closely with the Ministry of Health to strengthen the capacity of health and social service systems to deliver equitable, integrated, and quality services for newborns and young children. A key priority is ensuring that children aged 0–6, particularly those from vulnerable communities, have access to timely, comprehensive, and integrated services that address their developmental, health, and social needs.

How can you make a difference? 

Kosovo continues to face persistent challenges in early childhood outcomes, with child mortality rates among the highest in the region and limited access to early childhood health and development services. Despite progress in recent years, the routine immunization programme faces setbacks, with basic vaccination coverage (DTP3) declining from 92% in 2023 to 80% in 2024—signaling a concerning trend.

To address these challenges, UNICEF collaborates with the Ministry of Health and the Institute of Public Health, building on existing strategic frameworks such as the Health Sector Strategy 2025–2030, the Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) Strategy, and the Action Plan on Primary Health Care (PHC).

These frameworks prioritize strengthening PHC services to deliver integrated maternal and child health, developmental monitoring and interventions. Key areas include scaling up standardized child development monitoring and screening, enhancing early identification and referral systems, and improving early intervention services for children with developmental delays and disabilities. 

An important element will be leveraging behavioral science to address the decline in routine immunization coverage, particularly for the measles vaccine (MCV), through co-creation, pre-testing, piloting, and scaling up of evidence-based SBC interventions.

Within this framework, the local health expert will be supporting the health programme by providing the technical expertise to advance high-quality, evidence-based, family-centered health and immunization programmes. Under the supervision of the Health and Nutrition Officer, the consultant will support the integration of health, immunization, and Social and Behavioral Change interventions, with a focus on:

•   Providing technical support and advice on strengthening the integrated maternal and child health services within PHC.
•   Providing technical advice and support to the Institute of Public Health to strengthen routine immunization programme and address coverage gaps, particularly among underserved populations.
•   Support co-designing, pre-testing, piloting, and scaling up, and monitoring evidence-based Social and Behaviour Change interventions in immunization, health and beyond as required.
•   Providing technical support to enhance intersectoral coordination mechanisms between health, social welfare, education, and community services to ensure seamless, integrated ECD service delivery.
•   Support for strengthening capacities of health professionals in delivering integrated PHC services for young children.
•   Providing technical expertise and coordination for implementation at scale and quality improvement of Early Childhood Intervention programme.
•   Support strengthening data systems for health and ECI, promoting the use of disaggregated data for decision-making, and supporting operational research and programme monitoring to improve service coverage, quality, and effectiveness.

Work Assignments Overview: Support to programme development and planning       
Deliverables/Outputs:  

• Support the development of Social and Behavioral Change interventions that address low immunization uptake among targeted populations and geographical areas, using community engagement and co-creation methodologies.
• Provide technical support and advice for the development of Early Childhood Intervention programme, including technical documents and supporting professional development of ECI professionals.
• Provide technical advice and strategic guidance to the Ministry of Health, the Institute of Public Health, and local health institutions on sustaining and strengthening integrated health services for maternal and child health and Early Childhood Intervention.
• Develop technical papers, policy briefs, and evidence-based recommendations to inform programme design, implementation, and decision-making processes.
• Provide expert inputs to programme review and approval processes, ensuring alignment with national priorities, global standards, and evidence-based practices.                      
Delivery deadline: 60 working days

Work Assignments Overview: Programme management, monitoring, and delivery of results             
Deliverables/Outputs:

• Provide technical expertise to the Ministry of Health in strengthening monitoring and evaluation frameworks for primary health care, with a focus on maternal and child health, immunization, and early childhood intervention (ECI) indicators, ensuring integration across services.
• Support partners in the implementation of the Strategic Document on ECI, the Action Plan on Immunization, and the Action Plan on Primary Health, ensuring alignment with evidence-based practices and international standards.
• Conduct analysis of implementation challenges in collaboration with partners, propose practical and strategic solutions, and develop knowledge products to document lessons learned and inform policy and practice.
• Provide expert inputs during monitoring and evaluation exercises, programme reviews, and annual sectoral reviews with government counterparts and stakeholders, and prepare technical reports with actionable recommendations.
• Contribute to donor reporting by preparing analytical inputs and evidence-based updates on sectoral progress, challenges, and recommendations for strengthening impact.                 
Delivery deadline: 60 working days

Work Assignments Overview: Technical and operational support to programme implementation
Deliverables/Outputs:

• Provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health, IPH, and local health authorities for piloting, scaling up, and monitoring of the social and behavioural change interventions.
• Conduct field assessments and stakeholder consultations to monitor progress, identify bottlenecks, and provide expert recommendations for timely corrective action in the delivery of maternal and child health, immunization, and early childhood intervention services.
• Provide technical support to government counterparts, NGOs, UN agencies, and donor partners on the application of evidence-based policies, strategies, and best practices in health and ECI, ensuring alignment with Kosovo priorities and international standards.
Delivery deadline: 60 working days

Work Assignments Overview: Networking and partnership building
Deliverables/Outputs:

• Support collaboration with health sector counterparts and key stakeholders in Kosovo, fostering knowledge exchange and capacity development to strengthen the delivery of maternal and child health, immunization, and early childhood intervention (ECI) services.
• Develop technical and advocacy materials to support programme communication, raise awareness, and build alliances for advancing health and ECI priorities in Kosovo.
• Identify and analyse potential donor and partnership opportunities, and prepare evidence-based briefs and resource mobilization materials to support fundraising and strategic engagement.
Delivery deadline: 44 working days

Work Assignments Overview: Innovation, knowledge management, and capacity building
Deliverables/Outputs:

• Capture, synthesize, and disseminate lessons learned to strengthen knowledge generation and build the technical capacity of stakeholders immunization and  maternal and child health services.
• Promote the application of innovative and evidence-based approaches, providing expert guidance to ensure delivery of sustainable health and programme immunization outcomes.
• Provide technical oversight and expert input into research initiatives, ensuring findings are translated into knowledge products and inform policy and practice.
• Serve as a resource person in capacity-building initiatives, delivering technical inputs and training to enhance the competencies of government counterparts, partners, and other stakeholders.
Delivery deadline: 40 working days

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

Minimum requirements:

• Master's degree
• A university degree in one of the following fields is required: public health, health policy and/or management, health sciences, social sciences, or another relevant technical field.
• A minimum of three years of professional experience in one or more of the following areas is required: public health planning and management, early childhood development, maternal and neonatal health care.
• Experience working in the health sector, early childhood development, and/or maternal and child health in Kosovo or a comparable context is considered an asset.
• Relevant experience within the United Nations system, international organizations, or related development agencies is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language and/or the local language of the duty station is an asset.
• UNICEF is committed to creating an inclusive working environment. We strongly encourage applications from individuals with disabilities, members of minority groups, and underrepresented communities.

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 

[add the 8^th competency (Nurtures, leads and manages people) for a supervisory role]. 

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

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 [Insert 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.

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.