Technical Officer

The mission of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme (WHE) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations. 

WHE brings together and enhances WHO’s operational, technical and normative capacities in outbreaks, emergencies and risk analysis to address all health hazards across the risk management cycle in a predictable, capable, dependable, adaptable and accountable manner.  WHE is designed to operate within the broader humanitarian and emergency management architecture in support of people at risk of, or affected by, outbreaks and emergencies, consistent with ways that strengthen local and national capabilities
The mission of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme (WHE) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations. 

WHE brings together and enhances WHO’s operational, technical and normative capacities in outbreaks, emergencies and risk analysis to address all health hazards across the risk management cycle in a predictable, capable, dependable, adaptable and accountable manner.  WHE is designed to operate within the broader humanitarian and emergency management architecture in support of people at risk of, or affected by, outbreaks and emergencies, consistent with ways that strengthen local and national capabilities
Description Of Duties:
Within the framework of the delegated authority, the incumbent is assigned responsibilities such as, but not limited to:

• Provide technical leadership and support in strengthening Member States’ capacities including preparedness for managing health security, information management and risk assessments, infectious hazard management and emergencies in the country including development and implementation of national action plans;
• Provide technical guidance and support, in the context of IHR, in the prevention, early detection, verification, risk assessment, and response to epidemic-prone infectious hazards and other public health emergencies including natural disasters;
• Support the timely and high-quality collection, analysis, production and dissemination of health emergency data/information pertaining to the country;
• In coordination with the regional office improve the country preparedness and readiness by supporting, coordinating and reporting results of IHR monitoring and evaluation framework activities and their follow up including state party annual reporting (SPAR), joint external evaluations (JEE), after action reviews (AAR) and simulation exercises. Support for periodic intra-action reviews should also be provided;
• Provide technical cooperation related to strengthening and advancing core surveillance, alert, verification and response capacities in accordance with the requirements for IHR (2005) in line with For the Future and implemented using the Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework;
• Provide technical expertise to develop plans and programmes for strengthening epidemiological and laboratory surveillance system for prevention and control of disease with epidemic and pandemic potentials in accordance with IHR 2005;
• Strengthen risk assessments for a diverse range of public health events and provide technical support in the field during acute public health events
• Contribute and participate in national/regional/global event-based surveillance, analysis, and joint risk assessment, including timely information sharing;
• Provide technical support in planning and implementing field epidemiology training;
• Provide technical support in strengthening the One Health approach and other cross-cutting issues, as required.
• Foster collaborative work with others all levels of the Organization, as well as externally, including coordination and communication with partners, participating in resource mobilization, and report writing particularly during emergencies and as part of prevention, preparedness, readiness and response activities taking a One Health approach;
• Participate in the organization-wide event management system of WHO’s alert and response operations to epidemics and pandemics, ensure the planning, implementation and monitoring of epidemiology/surveillance/information activities are in place when IMT is activated;
• Perform other related duties, as requested by supervisor, including provision of support to other areas of work and teams or programme areas, as required including acting as IHR duty officer;
• Upon request, provide technical and managerial support, backstopping and gap-filling for emergency activities at any level of the Organization or scale of emergency;
• Perform other related duties, as requested relevant to the context of the country or regional office

Required Qualifications:
Education:

• Essential: Advanced university degree in health-related field such as medicine, epidemiology, infectious disease epidemiology, public health or a related discipline from a recognized university.
• Desirable: Specialized training in epidemiology, public health, control of infectious disease, outbreak or emergency management.

Experience:

• Essential: Minimum of seven years’ relevant work experience with successful track record in epidemiology, conducting monitoring and evaluation of diseases and public health issues, information management, strengthening country capacities and responding to emergencies and disasters. Proven field experience in outbreak management or other public health emergencies at national and/or international level.
• Desirable: Relevant work experience in WHO and/or other UN agencies. Field experience in outbreak and emergency surveillance and response programmes in low and/or middle-income countries in Asia. Experience in management, staff development and planning.

Skills:

• Demonstrated expertise in field epidemiology, quantitative methods, data management and surveillance in the area of emerging/re-emerging disease.
• Proven ability to link routine health information and quantitative data to public health response in outbreaks, emergencies, planning, service delivery and/or policy decision-making.
• Ability to analyse surveillance systems and to develop and plan appropriate improvement measures.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills combined with ability to multitask and produce accurate results under pressure.
• Ability to think strategically and to demonstrate initiative, leadership qualities, and skill in dealing with difficult situations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to communicate in a credible and effective way, and synthesize information in a clear and concise manner.
• Ability to work harmoniously as a member of a team, adapt to diverse cultural and educational backgrounds and maintain a high standard of personal conduct.

Within the framework of the delegated authority, the incumbent is assigned responsibilities such as, but not limited to:

• Provide technical leadership and support in strengthening Member States’ capacities including preparedness for managing health security, information management and risk assessments, infectious hazard management and emergencies in the country including development and implementation of national action plans;
• Provide technical guidance and support, in the context of IHR, in the prevention, early detection, verification, risk assessment, and response to epidemic-prone infectious hazards and other public health emergencies including natural disasters;
• Support the timely and high-quality collection, analysis, production and dissemination of health emergency data/information pertaining to the country;
• In coordination with the regional office improve the country preparedness and readiness by supporting, coordinating and reporting results of IHR monitoring and evaluation framework activities and their follow up including state party annual reporting (SPAR), joint external evaluations (JEE), after action reviews (AAR) and simulation exercises. Support for periodic intra-action reviews should also be provided;
• Provide technical cooperation related to strengthening and advancing core surveillance, alert, verification and response capacities in accordance with the requirements for IHR (2005) in line with For the Future and implemented using the Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework;
• Provide technical expertise to develop plans and programmes for strengthening epidemiological and laboratory surveillance system for prevention and control of disease with epidemic and pandemic potentials in accordance with IHR 2005;
• Strengthen risk assessments for a diverse range of public health events and provide technical support in the field during acute public health events
• Contribute and participate in national/regional/global event-based surveillance, analysis, and joint risk assessment, including timely information sharing;
• Provide technical support in planning and implementing field epidemiology training;
• Provide technical support in strengthening the One Health approach and other cross-cutting issues, as required.
• Foster collaborative work with others all levels of the Organization, as well as externally, including coordination and communication with partners, participating in resource mobilization, and report writing particularly during emergencies and as part of prevention, preparedness, readiness and response activities taking a One Health approach;
• Participate in the organization-wide event management system of WHO’s alert and response operations to epidemics and pandemics, ensure the planning, implementation and monitoring of epidemiology/surveillance/information activities are in place when IMT is activated;
• Perform other related duties, as requested by supervisor, including provision of support to other areas of work and teams or programme areas, as required including acting as IHR duty officer;
• Upon request, provide technical and managerial support, backstopping and gap-filling for emergency activities at any level of the Organization or scale of emergency;
• Perform other related duties, as requested relevant to the context of the country or regional office

Required Qualifications:
Education:

• Essential: Advanced university degree in health-related field such as medicine, epidemiology, infectious disease epidemiology, public health or a related discipline from a recognized university.
• Desirable: Specialized training in epidemiology, public health, control of infectious disease, outbreak or emergency management

Experience:

• Essential: Minimum of seven years’ relevant work experience with successful track record in epidemiology, conducting monitoring and evaluation of diseases and public health issues, information management, strengthening country capacities and responding to emergencies and disasters.
• Proven field experience in outbreak management or other public health emergencies at national and/or international level.
• Desirable: Relevant work experience in WHO and/or other UN agencies.
• Field experience in outbreak and emergency surveillance and response programmes in low and/or middle-income countries in Asia. Experience in management, staff development and planning.

Skills:

• Demonstrated expertise in field epidemiology, quantitative methods, data management and surveillance in the area of emerging/re-emerging disease.
• Proven ability to link routine health information and quantitative data to public health response in outbreaks, emergencies, planning, service delivery and/or policy decision-making.
• Ability to analyse surveillance systems and to develop and plan appropriate improvement measures.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills combined with ability to multitask and produce accurate results under pressure.
• Ability to think strategically and to demonstrate initiative, leadership qualities, and skill in dealing with difficult situations.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to communicate in a credible and effective way, and synthesize information in a clear and concise manner.

Source: https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=2400066