Health Specialist – Polio Programme (Temporary Appointment)

About the role

Under the guidance of the Polio Team Lead, the Health Specialist will support the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the polio component of UNICEF's health programme at national level. The role focuses on strengthening strategies, operational readiness, micro‑planning, cold‑chain logistics, community engagement and data‑driven decision‑making to accelerate polio eradication.

Key responsibilities

• Provide micro‑planning support and ensure high‑quality campaign plans.
• Supervise on‑site polio vaccination campaigns and verify operational readiness.
• Manage vaccine supply, monitor wastage and maintain cold‑chain integrity.
• Engage communities, address refusals and promote acceptance of vaccination.
• Collect, analyse and report post‑campaign data to national and UNICEF stakeholders.
• Coordinate with partners and liaise with national emergency operations centre.

Required profile

• Master’s degree or equivalent in Public Health, Medicine, Epidemiology, Pediatric Health or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in health programmes, polio eradication, immunisation, vaccine logistics or cold‑chain management at national or sub‑national level.
• Demonstrated experience in community engagement and data‑driven programme monitoring.

Required skills

• Cold‑chain management
• Vaccine logistics and supply management
• Micro‑planning for immunisation campaigns
• Data analysis and reporting
• Community engagement and refusal management

What we offer

• Temporary appointment with a competitive UN salary package.
• Opportunity to contribute to a high‑impact global health initiative.
• Professional development within a diverse, mission‑driven organisation.