Officer for MNCH-related South-South Cooperation Programs

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and several complementary frameworks highlight South-South and triangular cooperation as vital to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Given UNICEF’s global footprint, engagement in developing local solutions, and multi-stakeholder partnerships, the organization is well positioned to support and promote South-South and triangular cooperation for children’s rights and well-being, through brokering and building partnerships for knowledge exchange and technical assistance, supporting cross-country networks and partner-ships, promoting technical cooperation between governments, and increasing focus on children in development cooperation.

China, in cooperation with UNICEF, has been providing support to countries through its Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund (GDF). The GDF seeks to accelerate countries’ progress towards the SDGs and towards specific targets in areas of universal health care, education and child protection. In 2020 and 2021, UNICEF worked with governments and a range of partners in 15 African countries to implement 17 separate projects funded from the GDF. In partnership with national and local authorities, UNICEF offices were able to renovate and revitalize hospitals, maternity wards and special infant care clinics, in line with proven best practices. UNICEF brought new medical equipment, essential medicines and therapeutic foods to remote facilities, with many facilities receiving such items for the first time.

Meanwhile, UNICEF China office also collaborates with the National Health Commission to strengthen the capacity of Chinese partner agencies to deliver high-quality MNCH training programmes through SSC platform, which including (1) forge a flagship technical exchange platform which brings together Chinse institutes and other international institutes with experience in MNCH and SSC; (2) design standardized training courses and curriculum connecting the demands of recipient countries with China’s comparative advantage in MNCH, so as to improve the capacity of national and local policymakers in partner countries to use evidence to inform the development and revision of policies, guidelines and tools to equitably deliver high impact interventions for MNCH; (3) improve the capacity of Chinese partner agencies with relevant knowledge, skills and tools to effectively deliver MNCH foreign aid programme in other countries. In a single year of 2023, over 400 health workers and managers from nearly 30 countries in Africa, Asia, Oceania and Latin America have completed 10 trainings through the flagship technical exchange platform. Furthermore, UNICEF-supported training resources were adopted in four follow-up trainings, attended by 218 health workers and managers from 12 African and Asian countries.




In 2024-2025, the priorities of SSC on MNCH in Child Health and Development (CHD) Section of UNICEF China are identified as providing technical and/or financial support to (1) the design, launch and implementation of the multilateral cooperation programme on MNCH in Africa; (2) the development of flagship training curriculums based on experiences generated from UNICEF pilot programmes in China, such as maternal nutrition, early essential newborn care (EENC) and early childhood development (ECD); (3) the design, implementation and coordination of MNCH-related international aid programmes which are funded by provincial governments. In this context, UNICEF office is seeking a National UN Volunteer Specialist, to support the deliver of SSC-MNCH related programmes.

Under the primary supervision of Health Officer, as well as guidance of the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Specialist, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
1. Familiarize with UNICEF SSC-MNCH related programmes by reading programme documents and publications, attending related meetings and joining field visits etc.;
2. Support to the design and launch of SSC-MNCH programmes.
3. Support to the review and provide inputs to technical products developed by SSC-MNCH related programmes;
4. Contribute to the design, data collection and report development for programme-related assessment, monitoring and/or evaluation;
5. Provide coordination and administrative support to daily management of SSC-MNCH related programmes, such as online and offline events, translation supports, advocacy campaigns, field visits and consultations;
6. Provide technical and administrative support on knowledge products management, such as the development of programme advocacy materials;
7. Perform other duties as required by the Section.

Furthermore, UNVs are encouraged to:
1. Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and taking an active part in UNV activities (for instance, IVD celebration events);
2. Get acquainted with and build on traditional and/or local forms of volunteerism in the host country;
3. Reflect on the type and quality of voluntary action that they are undertaking;
4. Contribute news and articles on field experiences and submit them to UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
5. Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly arrived UNV volunteers;
6. Promote online volunteering and encourage individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering Service whenever technically feasible.


Results/Expected Output:
1. At least one flagship training curriculum (EENC and ECD) are developed, based on experiences generated from UNICEF-supported programmes.
2. Satisfactory support is provided to the development of proposals, implementation plans and reports of relevant programmes, and the donor report is drafted within the deadline.
3. Satisfactory support is provided to the development of technical documents, which including but not limited to standards, criteria, and training products.
4. Valuable inputs are provided to the development of protocol and tools for needs assessment, programme monitoring and evaluation framework, and related reports.
5. Successful coordination and administrative support to programme daily management, online and offline events, advocacy campaigns, and consultations, etc.
6. High quality translation of relevant documents from Chinese to English and vice- versa are provided.
7. Valuable technical and administrative support on knowledge products management are pro-vided.
8. Other duties performed as required by the Section is systematically applied, integrated and documented in all activities throughout the assignment.
9. A final statement of achievements towards volunteerism for peace and development during the assignment, such as reporting on the number of volunteers mobilized, activities participated in and capacities developed.


☒ Accountability
☒ Adaptability and Flexibility
☒ Building Trust
☒ Commitment and Motivation
☒ Commitment to Continuous Learning
☒ Communication
☒ Creativity
☒ Ethics and Values
☒ Integrity
☒ Knowledge Sharing
☒ Managing Performance
☒ Planning and Organizing
☒ Professionalism
☒ Respect for Diversity
☒ Self-Management
☒ Technological Awareness
☒ Working in Teams


south-south cooperation, MCH, public health, or international development.

The duty station of the national UN Volunteer is located in Beijing city, where excellent public infrastructure and health services are available. It is the foremost political and cultural metropolis in China.

In general, rent for apartments in central locations is high relative to other regions in China, but quality is good. Beijing is well served by many shopping malls, large supermarket chains and international brands. Buses and subways are the most common form of mass transportation. Metered taxis are widely available and domestic and regional travel by train and airplane is popular.


Conditions of Service for national UN Volunteers
The National UN Volunteer receives a standard volunteer living allowance (VLA), which is intended to cover their accommodation and basic living expenses. In China the VLA is 10,201.83 RMB per month. The National UN Volunteer is entitled to an excellent health, life and disability insurance package. A modest Settling-in Grant and end of assignment allowance will also be provided, along with travel to and from the duty station. International travel to duty station will not covered by UNV. The National UN Volunteer is entitled to 2.5 days personal leave per month and government official holidays.