Public Health Services Officer

In the context of the WHO CO Ukraine Health Programmes team and the Unit on Public Health & IHR/Preparedness in liaison with the other health programmes units and emergency response teams, the incumbent will provide technical support to the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Ukraine, public health institutions at national and regional levels, and other partners in strengthening core public health functions and services, governance and institutional development of the national and subnational public health entities, professionalization of the public health workforce, and contribute to the strengthening the integration of public health services delivery at communities with primary health care and other services, as well as to address the strengthening of public health preparedness core capacities.

Duties:

• Provide technical support to the Ministry of Health (MOH), the Public Health Centre, WHO CO Units on service delivery and public health in in developing, implementing and evaluating national strategies and policies in public health, ensuring links with health emergencies and ongoing reforms in service delivery and financing, particularly in primary care.
• Provide technical support the MOH and Public Health Centre through the updating and adapting relevant guidelines, materials and tools, development of the national regulations and other legislative documents related to the delivery of essential public health functions, public health workforce professionalization, governance of the public health system and financing public health programmes to ensure alignment with WHO guidelines and policies as well as international best practices.
• In close coordination with the Health Emergencies Programme, contribute to pandemic preparedness and readiness, particularly on issues related to regulatory framework and public health emergency management.
• Contribute to the activities related to functional mapping of essential public health functions and services distribution across national executive authorities by facilitating the assessments and audits, and providing capacity-building interventions to national and sub-national counterparts.
• In cooperation with the health financing team, WHE and other technical programmes to contribute to the designing of policy options for financing and management of population-based services to support effective and efficient health systems and multisectoral planning, financing and management for public health.
• Contribute to the interventions on the professionalization of the public health workforce by applying WHO and the European Union policies, practices and standards. Ensure cooperation with international professional associations, and educational institutions to support the transfer of knowledge and best practices into public health educational programmes as well as strengthen knowledge and skills of the public health professionals in the labor market.
• Coordinate public health system- and services-related projects and provide an overview of the progress, document and analyse experience for internal and external reports, case studies and create impact stories for social media.
• Coordinate together with MOH counterparts joint actions such as working groups, roundtables, meetings to facilitate public health services programme implementation at national and subnational levels.
• Prepare the missions for WHO staff and external consultants addressing public health programme areas and monitor and follow up on their recommendations.
• Prepare regular reports and updates to the Country Office and donors, as needed. Facilitate smooth information flow of BCA activities between MOH and other involved institutions through sharing of reports, meetings.
• Explore opportunities for fund raising and contribute to proposal development to ensure adequate resources are available to conduct the planned activities related to strengthening the public health system- and services-related projects.
• Assist in executing other tasks as requested by the Health Programmes, the Unit Lead on Public Health and IHR/Preparedness and within the emerging needs of IMT.
• Provide support to cross-office and inter-country activities as requested

Required Qualifications:

Education Qualifications

Essential :

• University degree in public health, medicine, social science  or other relevant discipline.

Experience:

Essential :

• At least 2 years of national work experience in the field of public health, particularly focusing on the development, advocacy, planning, and implementation of public health-related programmes and projects.

Functional Knowledge and Skills:

• Demonstrated general knowledge of public health, social services, evidence-based policies and practices in public health system, the structure of the essential public health services, frameworks for public health workforce development, and more broadly concepts and principles for application of core public health functions for emergency preparedness.
• Ability to work within significant uncertainties in a rapidly changing environment.
• Demonstrated coordination and collaboration skills working with diverse national and international stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills, orally and written.
• Ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as helping others to do the same.

Language Skills:

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English and Ukrainian.

Source:  https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=2402586