Technical Officer

The Regional Committee for the Western Pacific adopted the Regional Action Plan (RAP) on Healthy Ageing in October 2020 and requested WHO to support Member States to prepare for population ageing. The RAP aims to support Member States to improve the health and well-being of older populations in WPRO so that they thrive and contribute to their societies. The RAP is guided by a multisectoral, future-oriented and lifelong approach that adopts an equity approach and utilizes existing assets to the extent possible. Since the health status of older adults is driven by a life-long accumulation of behavioural, environmental and social factors, it is important that a country improves the health promotion and social determinants throughout the lifetime in preparation for population ageing.

The Regional Office for the Western Pacific with support from focal persons in the country office is working together with the Philippine Government and multisectoral external partners (e.g. academia, relevant non-health partners) to get a better understanding of healthy ageing and social determinants in the Philippines, with a view to early preparations for healthy ageing and health-enabling and age-friendly environment.

Duties:

Under the supervision of the Coordinator, Health System Strengthening, the incumbent will provide leadership support to ongoing healthy ageing programmes and initiate new ones in collaboration with DOH counterparts:

• Focus on supporting the DOH by taking a multisectoral approach to healthy ageing by connecting with relevant key stakeholders from other sectors, including government and non-governmental organizations.
• Identify and lead the creation of specific technical materials needed to implement the Healthy and Productive Ageing Program National Framework and Action Plan.
• Support health promotion advocacy work that aims to address the increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases in the context of rapid population ageing in close collaboration with other CO technical staff and communications focal points in the CO and Regional Office. Align the CO’s advocacy work to new/existing DOH campaigns and programmes
• Provide coordination and technical advice to advance the healthy ageing and social determinants in close collaboration with multisectoral stakeholders and partners.
• Support strengthening of integrated health information collection and management systems that will enable further social and health systems transformation in the Philippines, by facilitating monitoring and analysis of qualitative and quantitative data on key gender, equity, human rights and social determinants of health and supporting the development of the policy related to healthy ageing and social determinants of health based on the global and regional guidance as well as situation analysis in Philippines.
• Generate reports, analysis and presentation for key meetings and projects upon request of WHO colleagues and DOH counterparts, to ensure monitoring and evaluation of activities related to healthy ageing and social determinants.
• Perform other related duties, as requested by the supervisor, including provision of support to other areas of work and teams or programme areas, as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential:

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, health policy, epidemiology, nursing, medicine or relevant areas.
• 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/ .

Experience:

Essential:

• A minimum of five years experience in health promotion, specifically in the prevention of NCDs and their risk factors, and/or healthy ageing and/or social determinants of health. Experience in coordinating cross-sectoral work in the relevant field.

Skills:

• Ability to understand and support the area of healthy ageing;
• Demonstrated project management skills;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Good knowledge of the dynamics of the government and public health work;
• Ability to provide technical support to government counterparts;
• Ability to work harmoniously as a member of the team,
• Adapt to diverse cultural and educational backgrounds and maintain a high standard of personal conduct.

Language Skills:

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English. Expert knowledge of Filipino.

Source: https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=2405484