• Duration: Permanent

• Salary: £44,000 per annum (pro rata)

• Job Level: Level 4

• Hours: 14 hours per week. Other flexible arrangements will be considered.

• Disclosure Level: Enhanced. This role involves direct work with children.

• Reports to: Professional Lead (Baby Friendly Initiative)

• Location: Regional. Working from home and at 1 Westfield Avenue, London E20 1HZ

At the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), we pull together to achieve the best possible results for children in danger around the world.  We believe in an inclusive workplace and in the power of fulfilled colleagues who share the same values and goals, enjoy their work and are motivated to do their utmost for children. 

Our work is guided by the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which recognise the universality of children’s rights.

ABOUT THE BABY FRIENDLY INITIATIVE PROGRAMME AND TEAM

The Baby Friendly Initiative is a global programme of UNICEF and the World Health Organisation and in the UK works with public services to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding, responsive and safe bottle-feeding and to strengthen mother-baby or parent-baby and family relationships.

The programme in the UK has been highly adaptive to the UK context and is informed by evidence and feedback from public health professionals and families. The Baby Friendly Initiative team is made up of the Programme Director, Deputy Programme Directors (Standards, Education and Operations), Professional Leads, Senior Professional Officers, and operational roles.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Senior Professional Officer will support on a number of programme initiatives including assessments in all types of services, with a focus on supporting implementation of Baby Friendly across the community such as part of health visiting or children’s centres and family hub services, together with provision of training for health and care professionals.  

The role is accountable to the Professional Lead. All team members are expected to cooperate with each other in liaison with the Programme Director, Deputy Programme Directors, and Professional Leads. This role will provide the needed skilled professional capacity to support the programme.

The Senior Professional Officer is an ambassador for the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative and is expected to model a commitment to our shared values and behaviours (known as Our Shared Commitment) in all aspects of your work.

What we will expect you to achieve

All duties should be carried out in consultation with the Programme Director and Deputy Programme Directors.

Core duties

• To take part in assessments of community services for Baby Friendly accreditation. This will involve you interviewing staff about their knowledge and skills and mothers about their experiences of care and working with colleagues to accurately identify whether a service has implemented the Baby Friendly standards.

• To take part in teaching of healthcare professionals, alongside colleagues, to support the development and implementation of the Baby Friendly standards.

• If requested, you will represent the Baby Friendly Initiative at meetings and events.

• If requested, you will be involved in the regular Baby Friendly team meetings and training days.

• If requested, you will develop, in collaboration with colleagues, written material (articles, blogs etc.), new services and/or products in support of the Baby Friendly Initiative, or review documentation provided by services.

  Communication

• To keep up to date with relevant research and policy that relates to the Baby Friendly programme and disseminates relevant information to staff and supporters via the most appropriate means.

• To monitor and contribute to social media in liaison with the communications and resources officer and Deputy Director for the Programme.

• To write web content, statements and journal articles as required.

• To maintain key relationships within UNICEF UK to ensure efficient cross department working and information sharing.

• To advocate for the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative programme to senior managers, clinicians and academics within the NHS.

• To support the National Infant Feeding Network.

• Demonstrate and model a commitment to our shared values, behaviours and inclusive practices (known as Our Shared Commitment) in all aspects of your work.

BEHAVIOURS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

This section contains the essential behaviours, experience, knowledge and skills needed in order to be effective and successful in this role. All criteria in this section are essential.

Effective behaviours

Supporter driven and mission aligned

• Is committed to children and their rights and motivated to work towards achieving a world that is fit for every child. 

Communication

• Presents complex and difficult messages clearly and with impact.

Creating and innovating

• Scans the external environment for trends, insights, ideas and best practice that could benefit UNICEF UK’s work.

Efficiency and effectiveness

• Manage conflicting priorities to ensure that objectives are achieved, and deadlines met.

Results focused

• Prioritises and sustains focus on work that will have the greatest impact on agreed aims. Anticipates internal/external challenges that could impact UNICEF UK’s work and adapts approach accordingly.

Positive relationships

• Nurtures professional relationships with colleagues at all levels and with external contacts and partners to support the achievement of objectives.

Relevant experience

• Experience of working in a relevant field such community public health and/or early years services, e.g. health visiting.

• Experience of working in relevant education programmes, aimed at health professionals.

• Experience as a Baby Friendly assessor and trainer (or equivalent).

Specific knowledge and skills

• Ability to effectively develop and facilitate education sessions for small and/or large groups of health professionals, managers and/or policy makers.

• In depth and up to date knowledge of UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative standards, national, regional and local policy, structures, funding and staffing.

• Ability to critique medical and social research and disseminate findings to a variety of audiences.

• Ability to engage, empathise with and motivate infant feeding teams working in UK public services.