Health Policy and Planning Officer (re-advertised)

Vacancy Announcement

Health Policy and Planning Officer, P-4

Amman, Jordan (re-advertised)

Note: Applicants to vacancy number 17-HQ-AM-07 need not re-apply.

Deadline for Applications

28 August 2017

(31 July 2017 for internal applicants)

Duration

2 years, with the possibility of further extension, subject to the availability of funds, satisfactory performance and continuing need.

Vacancy Announcement Number

17-HQ-AM-36

UNRWA encourages applications from qualified women and welcomes applications from qualified candidates with disabilities.

UNRWA, the largest United Nations operation in the Middle East with over 30,000 staff working across five areas of operation, is looking for professionals like you.

Managing primary health care for 5.3 million Palestine refugees

For over 60 years, the UNRWA Health programme has been delivering comprehensive primary health care services to Palestine refugees, and helping them access secondary and tertiary health care services.

Today, UNRWA manages 143 health centers with 3400 staff in Gaza, West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, and responds to around 8.5 million health consultations a year (ref: https://www.unrwa.org/resources/reports/health-department-annual-report-2016). The key health problem among Palestine refugees is non-communicable diseases (NCD), and to address NCD, UNRWA introduced health reform through person-centered family health team, or family medicine approach, in almost all health centers. To support such reform, UNRWA introduced electronic health record (or e-health), healthy life-style campaigns, public health research and other innovations.

UNRWA’s health services are extremely unique in the United Nations systems. UNRWA directly provides services to beneficiaries, and manages such service provision with 3400 UNRWA health staff. UNRWA purchases medicines and medical supplies directly (around USD 20 million a year) and purchases hospital services from local hospitals (around USD 20 million a year). This is one of the most stimulating and inspiring health services and their management within the United Nations systems.

Do you want to make a lasting difference?

The function of Health Policy and Planning Officer is the cornerstone of UNRWA’s health services management. You can directly contribute to the reform on primary health care for Palestine refugees. You will support and advise the Director of Health in the development of strategic orientations such as policies, strategic plans and guidelines related to the strengthening of UNRWA Health Programme, both in technical and administrative including project management, human resources, procurement of goods and services, and in monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the Health work plan and policy against established health targets and performance indicators.

The main responsibilities include:

•         Advising Health Department staff on the formulation, implementation and evaluation of UNRWA health policy, particularly on technical aspects of programme implementation and achievement of expected results; supporting the design and management of effective information flows to, from and within the health sector ensuring awareness of, and adherence to key planning deadlines;

•         Providing support to the Director of Health in planning, monitoring and evaluation of interventions related to human resources for health, integrated health information systems, monitoring the achievement of major global, regional and national targets (MDGs); enhancing and facilitating interaction with other relevant sectors on cross-sectoral issues;

•         Contributing, through regular assessment, to the improvement of health services performance in order to provide quality health services that are efficient and equitable;

•         Providing support for the development of strategic orientations such as policies, strategic plans and guidelines related to strengthening of UNRWA Health Programme;

•         Designing and leading epidemiological research studies; advising the Health Department staff on identifying and conducting research and on the use of research findings;

•         Using available and developed managerial tools for monitoring, evaluation and reporting; producing regular reports on implementation and achievements; ensuring quality and standards in adherence to WHO guidelines;

•         Providing in-house training and organizing seminars on strategic and operational planning processes for UNRWA staff at HQ and Field levels.

Conditions of service 

UNRWA offers an attractive compensation package including annual salary starting at $70,647 net tax free with post adjustment of 36.4% (subject to change without notice). All UNRWA duty stations (with the exception of Gaza and Syria) are family duty stations. Other benefits, subject to eligibility, include:

•  Dependency allowances

•  Rental subsidy

•  Education grant for children

•  Home leave travel

•  6 weeks (30 working days) annual leave

•  Pension fund entitlements under the

    UN Joint Staff Pension Fund

•  International health insurance; optional

    life insurance

•  Disability protection

Additional information

The incumbent may be required to travel frequently within the UNRWA’s Area of Operations.

To qualify for this position, you will need:

Education

A university degree from an accredited educational institution in Medicine with a Master in Public Health with concentration on Health Services Management or a related discipline;

Work

experience

At least eight years of experience in public health management including planning processes, performance management, monitoring and evaluation in a large governmental or international organization of which five years should have been at an international level outside your home country in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of health systems delivery programmes;

Language(s)

Excellent command of written and spoken English.

Desirable qualifications:

•         Knowledge of Arabic;

•         Substantial practical experience of research and policy development pertaining to Health

You will also need to demonstrate the following competencies:

•         Good knowledge of health planning methods

•         Good practical knowledge of health economics and its link to public health approaches

•         Good managerial and leadership skills

•         Positive attitude and strong analytical, interpersonal and communication skills

•         Ability to establish and maintain effective work relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment

•         Excellent writing and drafting skills

•         Strong understanding of concepts and approaches relevant to assessment, monitoring and evaluation

•         Strong competency in conceptualizing and designing policies and strategic frameworks

For guidance on how to prepare for competency-based interviews:

      https://careers.un.org/lbw/home.aspx?viewtype=AYI

How to apply

To start the application process, applicants are required to register at http://jobs.unrwa.org by creating a personal profile and completing UNRWA Personal History Form. Only applications received through http://jobs.unrwa.org will be considered. Due to the large number of applications received for UNRWA vacancies, only applicants short-listed for interview will be contacted. The United Nations does not charge fees at any stage of the recruitment process. The United Nations does not concern itself with information related to bank accounts.

General information

UNRWA staff are expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, neutrality and impartiality at all times. This includes respect for and commitment to human rights, diversity, and non-violent means of dealing with all kinds of conflict. Only persons who fully and unconditionally commit to these values should consider applying for UNRWA jobs. UNRWA is a non-smoking work environment.

The retirement age for staff entering or re-entering service in the UN Common System after 1 January 1990 is 62 and 65 after 1 January 2014. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete a term of appointment will normally be considered.

The Agency reserves the right not to make an appointment, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description.

Date of issue: 18 July 2017/ LA