Technical Officer

The incumbent will report to the Unit Head, Healthy Environments and Sustainable Urban Systems. Within the delegated authority and in collaboration with other specialists at the Centre, HQs and in other offices, the specialist will strengthen the identification and management of environmental risk factors to human health, maintaining good relations with national and regional counterparts, risk assessment institutions and United Nations agencies to network and coordinate joint action programmes such as climate change and health and chemical risk assessment programmes.

Duties:

• Provide specialized technical support in the area of Health and Environment, ensuring that the activities in this area are well planned and coordinated and are carried out efficiently and effectively.
• Provide technical and policy advice on the development and implementation of national policies and strategies to promote multisectoral response for reduction and management of environmental risk factors to protect human health.
• Lead the development of guidance to Member States to undertake situation analysis and needs assessment for addressing health and environment linkages and advocate for adequate technical and strategic support to Member States in the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of national plans of joint action.
• Design and establish regional strategies and policies through negotiation with relevant authorities and advocate for initiatives in the areas of environmental health to implement multilateral environmental agreements.
• Lead and conduct research on impact of the major international environmental instruments and on various topics including risk factor assessment and management.
• Ensure and strengthen capacity building in environmental epidemiology, climate change and health, and the related cross cutting areas.
• Act as a technical advisor to the public concerning health and environment linkages to prevent diseases and to create health supportive environments. Respond to inquiries from the media, national or other institutions, and provide detailed and technical information concerning related principles, practices, issues, measures, techniques and procedures.
• Promote and establish new community outreach activities to facilitate the expansion of community-based networks for improved health environment targeted towards controlling and preventing diseases.
• Enable partnerships with national counterparts, technical departments at HQ and negotiate with partners (UN and bilateral) to harmonize recommendations on policies and strategies related to the work programme and resolve issues or concerns and seek funding for new projects and workplans.
• Represent WHO at various meetings.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.

Duties:

• Liaise with the Secretariat of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and other sectors working on climate change and health.
• In collaboration with DPS, liaise with SIDS initiatives relating to climate change, the environment and health.

Education:

Essential:

• An advanced university degree (master’s level or above) in public health or environmental sciences, or a similar field, or in epidemiology with focus on environmental determinants of health.
• 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:

• At least seven years of progressively responsible professional experience, including relevant international exposure, in developing policies and strategies targeted at reduction and control of environmental elements of diseases. Within this experience, demonstrated professional experience at country and/or regional level providing technical advice and services to governments and partners on environmental health initiatives and experience in relevant epidemiological research and assessments.

Skills:

• Excellent knowledge and expertise of global and regional level situations with regard to policies, strategies and regulatory mechanisms governing the planning of health and environment related interventions.
• Sound knowledge of relevant regional needs, priorities and policies, along with WHO’s policies, practices, guidelines and procedures in the related areas and ability to apply them in the country office setting.
• Ability to conduct research and analyze results, identify issues, formulate opinions, make conclusions and recommendations for strengthening risk assessment and health care systems.
• Ability to review and revise policies and objectives of assigned program and activities.
• Interpersonal skills using tact, patience and courtesy.
• Excellent knowledge of scientific and technical issues pertaining to health and environment linkages.
• Proven knowledge of technical aspects in the field of specialty.
• Excellent writing, communication and public speaking skills.
• Commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of work.

Language Skills:

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English.

Source: https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=2500037