Technical Officer

To support countries with high quality advice and technical assistance on health financing, health workforce, medical products, quality and safety, law and governance, women and children, rehabilitation, surgery and health services including primary health care so they can build resilient, responsive and sustainable health systems}

Under overall guidance of the WHO Representative/Head of WHO Country Office, with the technical guidance and collaboration of relevant technical staff in all levels of the organization, the incumbent manages and coordinates activities related to health systems strengthening, health policy development and implementation, and is expected to assist in the implementation of relevant resolutions of the World Health Assembly and the Regional Committee of the Western Pacific Region and work according to guidance in the WHO Staff Manual and the WHO Western Pacific Region Policies and Procedures Handbook. The incumbent is expected to exercise initiative and innovation in implementing activities, particularly with respect to technical activities at the country level.
He/She will liaise with other agencies of the United Nations and with nongovernmental organizations working in the health sector, including articulating WHO positions at high-level meetings with decision-making counterparts in government and partner agencies, including donors, international agencies, and various types of non-state providers, from both the profit and non-profit sectors. This may require duty travels to different states/provinces of Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore, Mongolia and Papua New Guinea, in addition to other countries of the Western Pacific Region. 

Provides technical advice and support to the governments of Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, within the framework of the Country Cooperation Strategy in developing evidence-informed policy options to improving Universal Health Coverage through strengthening Primary Health Care.
Provides leading support to the country office in engaging with agencies and institutions within and outside the health sector, where relevant, on issues related to strengthening integrated service delivery, health systems strengthening and primary health care at national and subnational levels and with multiple stakeholders in the health care systems, including but not limited to:

• Health policy development and health planning in the context of a decentralized health system;
• Health services delivery and management at multiple levels, focusing on a people-centric primary health care approach with strong referral system;
• Human resources for health planning;
• Public health law and regulation needs in an evolving healthcare landscape;
• Quality improvement initiatives;
• Health financing mechanisms (especially in the context of the Health White Paper to advance Universal Health Coverage);
• Health Information System, promoting intersectoral coordination of data gathering (including for civil registration purposes with the ministries of interior and planning);
• Pharmaceuticals and technologies;
• Private-public partnerships in health, particularly strengthening the capacity of the government to play an effective stewardship role in such relationships;
• Provides cross-sectoral support to the technical programmes, in connection to the issues of gender, human rights, equity and social determinants of health.
• Working with other WHO teams and colleagues to strengthen country’s capacity in health policy development and implementation for strengthening integrated service delivery, improving health service quality and efficiency, health financing and equitable access to quality health services.
• Provide technical support in policy analysis, implementation and monitor policy implementation, promote community involvement and engagement in health policy development cross whole system.
• Support countries to promote multisectorial coordination, comprehensive planning and effective policy dialogue at national and sub-national level through support to country planning processes.
• Identify and promote best practices and innovations in health policy and health planning development, and promote country knowledge exchange and experience sharing across subnational levels.
• Support the coordination and advocacy for health system issues with development partners and UN agencies in country.
• Any other duties assigned.

Required Qualifications:
Education

• Essential: Master’s degree in health policy, or health policy, planning and financing or health management or a health related degree.
• 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 EducationaThe list can be accessed through the link

Experience:

• Essential: At least ten years of relevant experience in health policy development, planning, management inlcuding playing an advisory role on health systems dealing with public health issues. Proven experience to interact effectively at the political level with multiple high-level stakeholders. Experience in low or middle or upper-middle income countries. Demonstrated relevant experience at the international level.
• Desirable: Working experience with WHO or other UN agency in public health-related areas.

Skills:
Functional Skills and Knowledge

• Demonstrated extensive experience at country level in health systems development and strengthening, including short-to long term institutional capacity building for delivery of public health goals.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the principles and methods of health planning, health management including situation analysis, policy review and development, policy implementation, social and community involvement and engagement in policy development and change management.
• Excellent analytical, planning and organizational skills on health service management, good experience on health sector policy-making at different levels.
• Familiarity with the Universal Health Coverage concept, Primary Health Care concepts, frameworks and practices, and on how to analyse health systems.
• Strong technical writing and analytic skills with ability to summarize findings and produce clear and accurate reports with proposals for recommended actions.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with ability to write in a clear and concise manner and give technical advice and guidance, taking into consideration the views of multiple stakeholders and partners in resource-limited contexts.
• Proven interpersonal skills with ability to promote consensus, communicate progress and results, and resolve issues in a proactive manner, while ensuring effective work practices and ethics.
• Diplomacy, tact and courtesy.
• Ability to work harmoniously as a member of a team, adapt to diverse educational and cultural backgrounds and maintain a high standard of professional and personal conduct.

Source: https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=2401350