The purpose of the position is to direct WHO’s Health Emergency Programme in all areas of its work at the regional level. The Regional Emergency Director (RED) will be responsible for ensuring strong WHO management, coordination and leadership of the health response during outbreaks and health emergencies, including acute humanitarian crises, disasters and protracted emergencies. The Regional Emergency Director will also be responsible for ensuring that an effective agenda of Member States preparedness and WHO readiness is implemented across the Region.
Key Duties:
Member States preparedness:
Provides technical leadership to Member States in the region to ensure they receive appropriate and timely technical cooperation to strengthen their capacity to reduce the risk of, prepare for and respond to large scale outbreaks and emergencies with health impact;
Oversees monitoring & evaluation of countries capacity to deal with large outbreaks and emergencies, including, and particularly the achievement of, IHR core capacities;
Supervises implementation of baseline all-hazards risk assessments and independent assessment of critical preparedness capacities;
Provides authoritative guidance on the development and costing of national health emergencies plans.
WHO readiness:
Provides WR and WHO Country Offices with authoritative guidance on technical oversight & standards on organizational readiness activities, with a focus on high vulnerability countries (e.g. for annual simulations) in his/her region; is responsible for readiness of the Regional Office;
Guides WHO Country Offices in high vulnerability countries to build their core response capacities through critical readiness activities.
Management of protracted emergencies:
Advances the application of technical standards and the implementation of the standard minimum package of life-saving and survival interventions, supports the Health Cluster Coordinator in emergency planning, standards, risk assessment and integration.
Overall oversight of outbreaks and graded acute emergencies which will be managed through the Incident Management System; has direct supervision of Incident Manager at country and regional level:
Ensures application of established technical guidance & standards and supports the Regional Director in government relations to ensure the effectiveness of the Incident Management System;
Coordinates with the DPM and DAF on the management of regional surge capacity within and beyond the Emergencies Programme;
In case of a multi-region emergency, represents his/her region or designates a team member to do so in coordination meetings with HQ and other Regions.
Fosters strong regional emergency-related partnerships: builds and coordinates regional partner networks and coordinates regional response partners during graded & protracted events;
Drives and guides resource mobilization activities within the Region, working closely with the RD’s, ExD’s and HWO’s resource mobilization teams;
Oversees and ensures rapid and clear information flows with other Regions and HQ;
Fosters close-collaborative work with other technical departments, particularly in coordinating an overall strategic and operational approach in protracted emergencies;
Supervises joint work plan development, financial and HR planning processes and oversees regional and country work plans, and financial and HR management within his/her authorities;
Performs any other relevant duties deriving from the above-mentioned responsibilities.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
Essential: An advanced university degree (Master’s level or above) in Medicine, Public Health or a related field;
Desirable: Specialized training or degree in epidemiology. Specialized training or degree in emergency/humanitarian response. Training in leadership or management.
Experience:
Essential: At least 15 years of international and national relevant, progressively responsible professional experience in managing, planning, developing and implementing health security, emergency, surveillance, disease control and/or public health programmes, including at least 5 years of experience in providing senior level advice and guidance to expert groups and high-level government officials, as well as at least 5 years inclusive of management experience in recognized senior leadership positions with direct responsibility for managing both human resources and finance operations. Proven experience in policy and strategy formulation, and in coordinating large scale projects with high political impact in developing countries. Relevant experience with the inter-agency mechanisms used to coordinate international preparedness for and response to health emergencies, including those most relevant to coordination of health policy and action in health emergencies;
Desirable: Relevant work experience in WHO and/or UN sister agencies; experience working in relevant non-governmental or humanitarian organizations. Work experience or training as a Health Cluster Coordinator or a Humanitarian Coordinator. Field experience in public health programmes or emergency response programmes in developing countries.
Skills:
General demonstrated exceptional leadership and team management skills in international and multi-cultural settings, including the proven capacity to lead and deliver on deadlines during periods of intense stress and activity; demonstrated ability to provide independent leadership in such periods with capacity to organize, monitor and synthesize information quickly and concisely;
Proven ability to successfully coordinate, manage and lead projects, and build partnerships, across agencies and organizational departments in the context of health emergencies;
Proven ability to successfully interact and negotiate with senior national and international authorities on the implementation of health emergencies strategies and programmes;
Excellent interpersonal and communications skills with solid writing and editing experience and ability. Strong strategic thinking, with the ability to quickly comprehend strategic and tactical objectives and to formulate comprehensive plans to address challenges/risks;
Specific Proven experience in the leadership and management of acute and protracted public health emergency response efforts, including infectious disease outbreaks;
Knowledge of the epidemiology of infectious diseases and other global health security threats and of issues and practices for the prevention and control of disease;
Peer-recognized leadership and experience in managing and directing organizational assets to save lives and improve health in the setting of humanitarian disasters;
Authoritative and comprehensive knowledge of the theory, principles, methods and techniques in international emergency risk management and humanitarian response, with a broad-based understanding of its growing complexity including knowledge of the workings of relevant international policy-setting bodies.
WHO Competencies:
Teamwork;
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences;
Communication;
Driving the Organization’s Position in Health Leadership;
Producing results;
Creating an empowering and motivating environment.
Use of Language Skills:
Essential: Expert knowledge of English;
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of either French, Russian or German.