Public Health Intern

Mission and objectivesThe fundamental mission of UNICEF is to promote the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything the organization does — in programmes, in advocacy and in operations. The equity strategy, emphasizing the most disadvantaged and excluded children and families, translates this commitment to children’s rights into action. For UNICEF, equity means that all children have an opportunity to survive, develop and reach their full potential, without discrimination, bias or favoritism. To the degree that any child has an unequal chance in life — in its social, political, economic, civic and cultural dimensions — her or his rights are violated. There is growing evidence that investing in the health, education and protection of a society’s most disadvantaged citizens — addressing inequity — not only will give all children the opportunity to fulfill their potential but also will lead to sustained growth and stability of countries. This is why the focus on equity is so vital. It accelerates progress towards realizing the human rights of all children, which is the universal mandate of UNICEF, as outlined by the Convention on the Rights of the Child, while also supporting the equitable development of nations. UNICEF has been operating in Zimbabwe since 1982. We are a team of passionate professionals committed to the protection and fulfilment of children’s rights. Supporting the Government’s vision of a prosperous and empowered upper-middle-income society, the country programme is aimed at contributing to sustainable socioeconomic development that provides all children, including adolescents, with opportunities to fulfil their potential, lead a healthy life, access quality learning and protection and meaningfully participate in society.

ContextWithin the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Health Specialist MNCH, or his/her designated representative/s, Public Health Intern - PHI will contribute to UNICEF’s efforts to advance comprehensive primary health care and promote equitable access to essential health services across the life course. This assignment offers an opportunity to contribute to integrated public health programming that addresses both immediate needs and long-term system resilience, while enhancing the volunteer’s exposure to field realities and health policy environments.

Task DescriptionThe UN Volunteer will support the Health Section, with responsibilities that cover maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health, including immunization, childhood non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and HIV in children. In line with UNICEF’s programming approach, the assignment will also emphasize the importance of community-based primary health care, health system preparedness and response, and long-term health system strengthening and resilience. Key responsibilities will include: • Participate in and learn from project coordination processes related to maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health—including immunization, childhood non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and HIV in children—under the guidance of technical staff. • Support activities related to Primary Health Care (PHC) for RMNCH, including reviewing background documents and participating in discussions on immunization, community health systems, and emergency response, as part of on-the-job learning. • Assist in collecting, organizing, and conducting basic analysis of health data, with mentorship provided to enhance data literacy and interpretation skills. • Join selected field visits to observe program implementation and contribute to capturing lessons learned, innovations, and best practices. • Support the preparation and review of planning documents, including the Health Section’s rolling workplan and inputs to mid-year and annual reviews, as a capacity-building opportunity in planning and monitoring. • Attend and actively participate in Health Section meetings, taking notes and occasionally assisting with coordination to build familiarity with team collaboration and workflow. • Learn about multisectoral coordination by supporting preparations for meetings with government partners, local stakeholders, and communities. • Observe and document technical discussions and working group meetings related to RMNCH and HIV programming to deepen understanding of policy dialogue and partner collaboration. • Assist in developing knowledge products—such as presentations, briefs, and reports—for internal and external audiences, with guidance from supervisors. • Perform other tasks as assigned, with a focus on supporting learning objectives and contributing to team efforts in a meaningful and structured way. Results/expected outputs: As an active UNICEF ZimCO Health team member, ensure efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support is rendered to UNICEF and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including: 1. Improved understanding of MNCAH and program coordination: • Active participation in project coordination meetings and processes, demonstrating growing knowledge of maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health programming, including immunization and HIV in children. 2. Enhanced knowledge of Primary Health Care (PHC) systems and policy frameworks: • Summary notes, annotated readings, or briefing materials developed after reviewing key PHC and RMNCH documents. • Reflections or inputs shared in internal discussions as part of learning progression. 3. Basic data analysis and synthesis products: • Organized data sets, summary tables, or simple visualizations produced under supervision. • Drafted briefs or talking points using health data, supporting evidence-informed programming. 4. Documented field visit insights and contributions to reporting: • Field visit notes or observation summaries capturing key findings, challenges, innovations, and lessons learned from program sites. • Contributions to internal reports or presentations summarizing field experiences. 5. Support to planning and review documents: • Contributions to sections of the rolling workplan, mid-year or annual review notes, or templates. • Enhanced skills in results-based planning and reporting processes. 6. Meeting documentation and support to internal coordination: • Accurate minutes and action points from Health Section meetings. • Improved understanding of team dynamics and internal workflows. 7. Increased exposure to stakeholder engagement and coordination: • Preparation of meeting folders, agenda notes, or participant briefs for engagements with government and partners. • Reflection notes or logs capturing lessons from inter-agency coordination processes. 8. Documentation of technical discussions and working group meetings: • Summaries or notes from technical working groups, showcasing comprehension of technical language and policy dialogue. • Growth in understanding stakeholder roles and policy development processes. 9. Support to knowledge product development: • Draft slides, report sections, or communication products created under supervision. • Increased confidence in presenting or communicating technical content. 10. Demonstrated initiative and adaptability in supporting team priorities: • Completion of ad hoc tasks contributing to section goals. • Feedback from supervisors noting increased independence, responsibility, or skill acquisition over time.

Competencies and valuesAccountability Adaptability and Flexibility Building Trust Commitment and Motivation Commitment to Continuous Learning Communication Creativity Ethics and Values Integrity Judgement and Decision-making Planning and Organizing Professionalism Respect for Diversity Self-Management Technological Awareness Working in Teams

Living conditions and remarksAs this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos The contract lasts for the period indicated above, with the possibility of extensions subject to availability of funding, operational necessity and satisfactory performance. However, there is no expectation of renewal of the assignment.