Project Support Specialist, CHACO Project

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

This is a requisition for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)

PAHO Country Offices are responsible for ensuring that the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) country program of technical cooperation and its country presence provides adequate support to the national health development process and, at the same time, enables countries to shape the subregional, regional, and global health agendas. The PAHO/WHO Country Office is the basic organizational unit for technical cooperation with the country, drawing on PAHO/WHO resources from all levels and all parts of the Organization.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the general guidance of the PAHO/WHO Representative (PWR), and the direct supervision of the Advisor, Health Promotion, Life Course and Determinants (DHE), the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

a)Provide support and coordinate the Project “Extension of access and coverage in maternal and child health to dispersed rural areas, indigenous communities and border areas of the Paraguayan Chaco” of the UN-India fund, working under the technical guidance of the project coordinator;

b)Provide support to national, departmental, and local authorities in the Paraguayan Chaco region to strengthen the management of health services based on Primary Health Care, with emphasis on first level of care;

c)Provide support to national, departmental, and local authorities in the Paraguayan Chaco region to advance toward the elimination of infectious diseases including vaccine-preventable diseases based on Primary Health Care;

d)Provide support to national, departmental, and local authorities in the Paraguayan Chaco region to accelerate the integration of health care services for non-communicable diseases, mental health, and disabilities within the public health care service network (RIIS) based on Primary Health Care, with emphasis on the first level of care;

e)Provide support to national, departmental, and local authorities in the Paraguayan Chaco region to prepare and respond to health emergencies;

f)Provide technical support to national, departmental, and local authorities in the Paraguayan Chaco region to address effectively social and determinants of health to improve equity in health;

g)Provide support to the direct technical cooperation to develop, implement and follow up on the operational plans of the health regions and Local Health Councils in the Chaco region;

h)Contribute to the strengthening of local governance through coordinated work with the health regions, municipal teams, local and regional health councils, the education sector, the productive sector, indigenous grassroots organizations, and other community organizations;

i)Support the implementation and monitoring of activities aimed to assure fairness, interculturality, gender equity and human rights as cross-cutting elements;

j)Maintain good communication and working relationships with other UN agencies, cooperation agencies, NGOs or other institutions that implement projects and/or actions in the Chaco region;

k)Support the preparation of monthly reports following the logical framework matrix of results, indicators and project activities, with emphasis on documenting good practices, achievements and challenges;

l)Identify technical assistance issues (needs, options and resources); supervise/coordinate the technical assistance for the Projects and Terms of Cooperation under areas of responsibilities, and with implementing partners in the Chaco region;

m)Provide technical assistance on knowledge management for areas of work assigned, using all the available means for the dissemination of relevant scientific information;

n)Serve as communication link between the Organization and the intersectoral teams on matters of technical and strategic project implementation and evaluation;

o)Collaborate with national and international technical teams in the preparation of technical cooperation requests and on-site support for the submission of documentation to the Organization, as per agreed upon operating procedures;

p)Prepare and maintain all documents and progress reports pertaining to the projects being implemented in the Chaco Region;

q)Provide support for the implementation and evaluation of the overall performance of the Projects/Programs/Terms of Cooperation;

r)Perform other related duties, as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Essential: A bachelor’s degree in a health science, medicine, nursing and/or obstetrics, psychology, social work or any other field related to the functions of the post, from an accredited university.

In the event that your candidature is retained for an 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/.PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation http://www.chea.org/ and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to support the validation process.

Experience:

Essential: Three years of national professional experience working in public health and implementation of the Primary Health Care approach, populations in vulnerable situations and multicultural populations, and working with populations in the most vulnerable situations.

SKILLS:

PAHO Competencies:

Overall attitude at work: Maintains integrity and takes a clear ethical approach and stance; demonstrates commitment to the Organization’s mandate and promotes the values of the Organization in daily work and behavior; is accountable for work carried out in line with own role and responsibilities; is respectful towards, and trusted by, colleagues and counterparts.

Teamwork: Collaborate and cooperate with others. – Works collaboratively with team members and counterparts to achieve results; encourages cooperation and builds rapport; helps others when asked; accepts joint responsibility for the teams’ successes and shortcomings. Identifies conflicts in a timely manner and addresses them as necessary; understands issues from the perspective of others; does not interpret/ attribute conflicts to cultural, geographical or gender issues.

Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences: Relate well to diversity in others and capitalize on such diversity – Treats all people with dignity and respect. Relates well to people with different cultures, gender, orientations, backgrounds and/or positions; examines own behavior to avoid stereotypical responses; considers issues from the perspective of others and values their diversity.

Communication: Express oneself clearly when speaking/Write effectively/Listen/Shares knowledge – Quality and quantity of communication targeted at audience. Listens attentively and does not interrupt other speakers. Adapts communication style and written content to ensure they are appropriately and accurately understood by the audience (e.g., power-point presentations, communication strategies, implementation plans). Shares information openly with colleagues and transfers knowledge, as needed.

Knowing and managing yourself: Manages stress/Invite feedback/Continuously learn – Remains productive even in an environment where information or direction is not available, and when facing challenges; recovers quickly from setbacks, where necessary. Manages stress positively; remains positive and productive even under pressure; does not transfer stress to others. Seeks feedback to improve knowledge and performance; shows self- awareness when seeking and receiving feedback; uses feedback to improve own performance. Seeks informal and/or formal learning opportunities for personal and professional development; systematically learns new competencies and skills useful for job; takes advantage of learning opportunities to fill competencies and skill gaps.

Producing Results: Deliver quality results/Take responsibility – Produces high-quality results and workable solutions that meet clients’ needs. Works independently to produce new results and sets own timelines effectively and efficiently. Shows awareness of own role and clarifies roles of team members in relation to project’s expected results. Makes proposals for improving processes as required and takes responsibility for own work and/or actions, as necessary. Demonstrates positive attitude in working on new projects and initiatives. Demonstrates accountability for own success, as well as for errors; learns from experience.

Moving forward in a changing environment: Propose change/Adapt to change – Suggests and articulates effective and efficient proposals for change as needed when new circumstances arise. Quickly and effectively adapts own work approach in response to new demands and changing priorities. Is open to new ideas, approaches and working methods; adjusts own approach to embrace change initiatives.

Technical Expertise:

– Strong knowledge of all aspects related to public health and implementation of the Primary Health Care approach in multicultural dispersed rural areas, indigenous communities, and border areas of the Paraguayan Chaco region with emphasis on maternal and child health.

– Technical knowledge of the principles and application of standard and innovative practices, methods, and techniques in public health and implementation of the Primary Health Care approach in multicultural dispersed rural areas, indigenous communities, and border areas of the Paraguayan Chaco with emphasis on maternal and child health.

– Ability to transfer knowledge and technology to counterparts and to promote the adoption and/or application of appropriate knowledge and technology that would be responsive to the different social, cultural, and economic realities.

– Knowledge of planning, monitoring, evaluation, and control of technical cooperation actions designed for national levels.

– Knowledge and skills in the formulation of technical cooperation interventions and in the development of criteria for evaluating program interventions.

– Skills for the development, implementation and analysis of technical cooperation programs and activities, including budget programming and control.

– Ability to integrate managerial and administrative inputs into recommendations for decision-making processes; ability to work independently and to manage multiple assignments simultaneously in a complex organizational environment.

Languages:

Essential: Very good knowledge of Spanish.Basic knowledge of the Guarani language would be an asset.

Desirable: Knowledge of English would be an asset

IT Skills:

Demonstrated ability to effectively use current technology and software, spreadsheets, and presentations, as well as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and management information systems. Other IT skills and knowledge of software programs such as Microsoft Excel, Outlook, OneDrive, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, and Word are considered essential.

REMUNERATION

Annual Salary: (Net of taxes)

PYG ₲331,049.00

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (Local Recruitment)

This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level.

Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

A written test may be used as a form of screening.

Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and e-Manual.

For information on PAHO please visit: http://www.paho.org

PAHO/WHO is an ethical organization that maintains high standards of integrity and accountability. People joining PAHO are required to maintain these standards both in their professional work and personal activities.

PAHO/WHO also promotes a work environment that is free from harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and other types of abusive behavior. PAHO conducts background checks and will not hire anyone who has a substantiated history of abusive conduct.

PAHO/WHO personnel interact frequently with people in the communities we serve. To protect these people, PAHO has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. People who commit serious wrongdoing will be terminated and may also face criminal prosecution.

PAHO/WHO is committed to workforce diversity. PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

PAHO offers an attractive compensation package including an annual net salary (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance).Other benefits include: 30 days annual leave, dependency benefits, pension plan and health insurance scheme.

All applicants are required to complete an on-line profile to be considered for this post.

Candidates must hold a permanent local working visa (citizenship or permanent resident card) of Paraguay.

Candidates will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration.A written test and/or interview will be held for this post.The post description is the official documentation for organizational purposes.