Project Management Specialist

The Office of the Assistant Director (AD) supports the PAHO Director with the fulfilment of the Organization’s mission, as well as the achievement of the PAHO Strategic Plan. The Office also provides leadership and good governance for public health in the Americas and in the other World Health Organization (WHO) regions. The Office of the Assistant Director is comprised of six Departments and two Special Programs: Communicable Diseases, Prevention, Control and Elimination (CDE), Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity (DHE), Health Systems and Services (HSS), Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health (EIH), Noncommunicable Diseases Prevention and Mental Health (NMH), Innovation, Access to Medicines and Health Technologies (IMT), and the Special Programs of Comprehensive Immunization (CIM) and Regional Revolving Funds (RRF).

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the general supervision of the Assistant Director (AD), and the direct supervision of the Technical Advisor, the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

• Provide technical support for the implementation of the Canada Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) Umbrella Grant; manage the financial resources assigned to ensure the effective execution of the Project Implementation Plan, including the development, day-to-day operation, monitoring and evaluation of work plans;
• Coordinate the planning, execution, monitoring and coordination of Headquarters and country-based Project activities, which involve a range of partners and subject areas at the local, national and international levels, in close coordination with PAHO/WHO Country Representative (PWR) Offices, Project Focal points in countries and Regional and Subregional Advisors;
• Monitor the adequate implementation of the components of the Project; facilitate technical analysis of progress, identify obstacles and propose changes in the interventions, if required, to meet agreed upon results; support the development, approval, monitoring and evaluation of work plans and budgets, and conduct financial management to ensure proper use
• Manage the financial resources assigned to the project for the effective execution of the Project Implementation Plan; monitor the timely execution of Project funds in collaboration with Country Offices and Headquarters entities involved in the Project;
• Develop and apply planning tools and monitoring and evaluation instruments to facilitate programming and reporting on progress of the Project components;
• Provide technical support to all the components of the Project; coordinate and participate in site visits, both for detailed planning of activities and tasks, and to monitor and supervise the implementation of the Project as a whole, in coordination with the PWRs and orientation of the Assistant Director;
• Maintain effective partnerships with all Project stakeholders to exchange critical and technical information and resolve Project implementation issues to ensure results are achieved as planned;
• Support inter-programmatic planning and monitoring of the Project and the incorporation of cross-cutting components (gender, cultural diversity, equity and human rights) in its programming;
• Advise and collaborate with the Headquarters entities and Country Offices in the preparation of annual work plans to ensure that that these are aligned with the Project logical framework and the Organization’s program of work and priorities;
• Participate in the Project evaluation by collecting and organizing supporting materials; preparing Terms of Reference for evaluators; participate in evaluator selection process; liaise with Project entities that will be contributing to the evaluation;
• Prepare monitoring and progress reports in accordance with Project agreement, both financial and technical, to be submitted to the donor;
• Conduct yearly project risk evaluation exercises and develop risk mitigation plans in collaboration with PAHO Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and Project implementing entities,
• Provide guidance on the implementation of the Project communication strategy and timely feedback on communications products prepared in the framework of the Project;
• Participate actively in Canada Project Managers Network, coordinated by ERP;
• Represent the entity and liaise with other offices of the Organization regarding administrative matters and provide inputs and recommendations;
• Work in close collaboration, coordination and interaction with all organizational entities, at Regional, Subregional and Country level, as required;
• Work in close coordination and interaction with the Office of the Assistant Director’s Administrative Team;
• Perform other related duties, as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Essential: A university degree in a health or social science or any other discipline related to the functions of the post, from an accredited institution.
• Desirable: A master’s degree in public health, epidemiology, health services administration and/or proven training in project and financial management would be an asset.

Experience:

• Essential: Seven years of combined national and international experience in public health project management and program development, monitoring and evaluation, and the design, review, implementation and evaluation of large-scale health projects.
• Desirable: Experience in technical project management in the social fields, preferably health project management requiring coordination among different institutions, national and international, including government authorities would be an asset.

Languages:

• Very good knowledge of English or Spanish 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=2403591&tz=GMT%2B05%3A30&tzname=Asia%2FCalcutta