Program Management & Partnership Specialist

The Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity (DHE) Department leads intersectoral, strategic and collaborative efforts at the regional, subregional and country levels, enabling countries to reduce health inequities, promote health and well-being, address social determinants of health -including its commercial, economic, political dimensions- to integrate equity, human rights, gender and interculturality into the public health agenda,  and to address the threats of climate change, to create healthy environments and to prevent disease by addressing environmental risk factors.

The incumbent supports the Unit Chief, DHE/CE in the functions of strategic and operational planning, programming, budgeting and resource coordination and mobilization to enable the Unit’s technical cooperation, and in the review and analysis of technical matters, elaboration and implementation of inter programmatic and inter sectoral activities. The incumbent supports the follow up and execution of the programs and the implementation of the funds assigned to the teams, including preparation, monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of grants assigned. He/she works in close coordination and interaction with the entity’s Administrative Team.  He/she must exercise initiative, leadership, team building skills, good judgment, tact, and negotiation abilities in order to maintain good working relationships and technical dialogue with officials, both within and outside the Organization, particularly with the national authorities and partner agencies.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the general guidance of the Director, Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity (DHE), and the direct supervision of the Unit Chief, Climate Change and Environmental Determinants (DHE/CE), the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

• Provide technical support to the DHE/CE Unit for the management of regular and extra-budgetary funds, including resource coordination, performance monitoring and assessment, and use of evaluation tools as well as design, negotiation and implementation of technical cooperation projects;
• Provide technical support in the overall program management functions, including management of guidance and tools to develop the biennial work plan (BWP);
• Review technical project proposals and agreements ensuring that these are aligned with the Organization’s program of work and priorities;
• Engage in corporate efforts for strategic and operational planning, programming, budgeting and resource coordination and mobilization to enable the entity’s technical cooperation;
• Participate actively in the Program Management and Partnership Specialist Network (PMN) led by PBE, and in the Resources Mobilization Network (RMN) led by ERP;
• Support the Unit Chief, Project Coordinators, and the Unit personnel in the design, negotiation and implementation of technical cooperation projects, including resource coordination, performance monitoring and assessment, and use of evaluation tools to support the sound management of regular and extra-budgetary funds; provide strategic support and inputs to develop new program initiatives to support the program of work;
• Ensure that projects managed by the Unit are executed according to action plans and within established dates; ensure timely submission of financial and progress reports in accordance with donor agreements;
• Support the programmatic impact and ensure a high level of quality, accuracy of methods used to verify progress and the results;
• Review and analyze progress on technical matters, elaboration and implementation of inter-programmatic and inter-sectoral activities in the context of the PMN and the RMN;
• Provide strategic support to develop and strengthen partnerships to synchronize and harmonize development initiatives with governments, development partners, private sector and civil society organizations within the context of the RMN;
• Maintain effective partnerships with all project stakeholders to exchange critical and technical information and resolve program/project implementation issues to ensure results are achieved as planned;
• Provide support to technical staff in the team in program management issues including the coordination of the Unit’s work plan in PMIS, specifically with issues related to the results-based management framework;
• Oversee the process for implementation of Letters of Agreement (LOAs) of the Unit;
• Coordinate the implementation of the Unit’s Biennial Work Plan (BWP) and the Semester Work plans (PTS); ensure that the responsible project coordinators provide required planning data and information to adequately assess and report on implementation of projects’ expected results, products/services, milestones achievement, etc.;
• Support the Unit Chief in leading the coordination of the performance monitoring and assessment of the Project’s BWP and the PTS, including the preparation of reports, advising on setting realistic targets and milestones and ensuring up-to-date information to monitor progress on BWP and PTS implementation;
• Assist in the review and analysis of issues and trends relating to the Project’s technical matters in which he/she can add value.  Support the preparation of various written outputs, e.g., draft background papers, analyses, sections of reports and studies and other inputs to technical publications. Provide assistance for the preparation of technical documents for Governing Body meetings;
• Assist in technical activities related to information and knowledge management (web sites and presentations) in support of the Project program of work;
• Support the Unit Chief in the analysis of the staffing needs of the Team, particularly with respect to the competencies needed to execute the program of work.  Provide input in this regard to the technical staff and Administrative Officer for the preparation and periodic review of the Human Resources (HR) Plan;
• Work in close coordination and interaction with the Department’s Administrative Team;
• Perform other related duties, as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Essential: A bachelor’s degree in health or social science related to the functions of the post, from a recognized 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.  PAHO, considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in one of the following databases:

Experience:

• Essential: Five years of combined national and international experience in the fields of health planning, project management, monitoring and evaluation, including experience in strategy formulation and strategic resource allocation.

Languages:

• Very good knowledge of Spanish or English with a working knowledge of the other language.  Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese would be an asset.

Source: https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=2406579