Grade: No grade
Contractual Arrangement: Special Services Agreement (SSA)
Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 6 Months
Closing Date: May 21, 2022, 12:59:00 AM
Primary Location: Ethiopia
Organization: AF_ETH Ethiopia
Schedule: Full-time
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME
The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to help countries, and to coordinate international action, to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies.
The Programme seeks to promote and uphold the humanitarian and public health principles by leading a coordinated and effective health sector response together with the national and international community, with specific attention to vulnerable and marginalized populations, through effectuating WHO’s commitment to work within the framework of the Interagency Standing Committee (IASC) and the cluster approach. The incumbent will be responsible for performing a dedicated coordination, health needs assessment, strategy development and resource mobilization, supporting the implementation and, monitoring the joint incident management system and advocacy function.
An exceptional three-season drought sequence has struck the Eastern Horn of Africa due to the poor rains in October-December 2020 and March-May 2021 followed by an extremely dry October-December 2021 season. In Ethiopia, millions are estimated to be in need of life saving humanitarian assistance affecting Somali region, Oromia and SNNP and southwest regions. To reduce excess morbidity and mortality resulting from the public health consequences of the drought-related humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia, WHO will be working with the Federal Ministry of Health, Ethiopian Public Health Emergencies Institute (EPHI) and health partners to respond to this emergency while building on existing health sector development programmes, enhancing preparedness for further deterioration of the humanitarian situation, boosting capacities and integrating risk reduction and resilience building components to foster long-term development solutions to the crisis.
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
Reporting to the Health Operations Manager, under the overall guidance of the Incident Manager and the Head of the WHO Country Office, the Public Health Officer will be accountable for the effective technical management, guidance and provision of expert advice for the application and adaptation of WHO policies and strategies; to achieve programme goals and expansion of WHO-assisted public health interventions. S/he will have the overall responsibility for coordinating WHO operations to ensure the timely delivery, effective and efficient implementation of the activities, to achieve the best attainable health status for the populations that WHO serves. The incumbent will work with technical programmes in a challenging environment, in which there are multiple players including the national health authorities, other public sector ministries, emergency and development partners, UN Agencies, civil society organizations and academic institutions. The incumbent will oversee quality assurance of health services and programmes delivered by implementing and operational partners to WHO.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
- Assess threats to human life and health, damage to health infrastructure for primary and secondary care, the state of health referral and support systems, including cold chain, laboratory, essential drugs/medical supplies and health information systems, accessibility of essential health and nutrition services and the vital needs of the affected populations.
- Provide dedicated emergency management response interventions support to the Field coordinator to implement and monitor the effectiveness of the response.
- Collaborate with national/local authorities and health partners to coordinate and implement public health response activities as part of the health cluster’s strategic response/HNO; analyze existing coordination mechanisms, designing and recommending improvements.
- Provide analysis of the public health risks, needs and capacities and advise on priority interventions for WHO and partners; challenges and operational course correctors, as applicable.
- Facilitate the implementation of effective public health programmes and interventions through all life cycles, this might include maternal and newborn health, health promotion and education, risk communication and community engagement, NCDs, gender-based violence focusing on clinical management of rape and the elderly.
- Assess and facilitate capacity building for management of epidemic prone diseases
- Secure information from a broad range of health sectors, analyzing such and consolidating health data in trends and trends assessment, with attention to surveillance, monitoring and early warning.
- Coordinate meetings with all relevant partners and incident management team, producing and circulating minutes, related decisions and tracking the latter, and developing detailed “lessons learnt” reports, recommending improvement to current and future field operations.
- Assess capacity needs and support capacity building training for enhancing IMS implementation. Participate in operational reviews during and after the response, and summarize lessons learned and best practices.
- Provide input to communications and information products (Sitreps, health cluster bulletins, outbreak bulletins etc.) as required.
- Perform other related responsibilities as assigned in his/her area of expertise, including replacing and backstopping others as required.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATION
Essential:
First university degree in medicine or public health with specialization in epidemiology,
Desirable:
Advanced training in biostatistics and related field.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Essential:
Minimum of two (2) years working experience in areas of public health or epidemiology with national authorities.
Desirable:
Extensive experience in epidemiological surveillance and investigation with reportable diseases in the country. Experience working with UN/WHO or other large international organizations would be an added advantage
FUNCTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
- Technical knowledge of health emergency response operations (at least basic level)
- Theoretical and practical knowledge in results-based management in the health sector.
- Technical, analytical, conceptual and inter-personal skills
- Coordination
- Strategic and Operational Planning
- M&E
WHO COMPETENCIES
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Producing result
- Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
- Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
Use of Language Skills
Essential:
Excellent knowledge of English. Working knowledge of the local language.
Other Skills (e.g. IT Skills)
Knowledge of Microsoft Office software applications. Excellent presentation skills.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- The duty stations of this assignment are located in Oromia, SNNPR and Somali Regions
- Remuneration – this is a Special Service Agreement (SSA) contract at NO-B level, with a monthly remuneration of $2,359
- Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
- A written test may be used as a form of screening.
- If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
- For information on WHO’s operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
- WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
- WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
- This is an assignment reserved for local recruitment; so only applications from Ethiopians will be considered.
- Applications from women are particularly encouraged.
- WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
- WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
- The SSA holder shall perform the work as an independent contractor in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a SSA contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the SSA holder.
- WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the SSA holder. The SSA holder shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the SSA holder in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the SSA holder shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.