Health Economist

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The mission of the Department of Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals (IVB) is to work towards a world in which all people are vaccinated against vaccine preventable diseases. The overall work of the department is distributed in three main areas\:

1. Initiative for Vaccine Research Team (IVR) that provides leadership on the research activities to develop new or improved vaccines against diseases of public health importance and to facilitate their introduction and use.

2. Immunization policy that provides guidance and norms for vaccine roll-out.

3. The Expanded Programme on Immunization Team (EPI) aimed at maximizing access to high quality immunization services, strengthen surveillance systems, and establishes links to other interventions.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

To lead the area of work of immunization financing towards sustainable national immunization financing across low and middle-income countries.

In particular\:

- To provide direct and remote technical assistance to countries for costing of comprehensive multi-year plans for immunization (cMYP).

- To strengthen existing and develop new immunization costing tools, and transferring planning and costing knowledge to regional and country counterparts.

-To manage and strengthen data collection, quality control, distribution and analysis on vaccine and immunization financing towards informed policy making at the international, regional and country level.

-To develop a WHO advocacy strategy towards increased national funding to immunization in context of current WHO efforts on health financing for Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

-To lead WHO work in the area of Gavi transition, enhancing country policies for successful move to sustainable national immunization financing.-To represent WHO in technical/managerial meetings and prepare technical briefings and materials as relevant to the above mentioned work areas.

-To develop new effective linkages with other technical groups in IVB and across WHO departments (e.g. Health Governance, Financing and Systems) to support the integration of activities and collaboration towards the achievement of the WHO Global Programme of Work 13.

-To support the supervisor in the area of fundraising, development and updating of workplans, budget, financial expenditure projections for the work area.

-To recruit and manage consultants/consultancy groups as may be required to carry on specific immunization financing tasks.

 

- Perform all other related duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential\: An advanced university degree (Masters level)in economics or health economics.
Desirable\: PhD in Economics or Health Economics.

Experience

Essential\: At least seven years internationally based professional work experience in the field of health economics (either public or private), including demonstrated experience with low-resource environments and relevant experience in health or immunization financing. Experience working with development partners and countries in health programme planning, costing, financing and/or financial sustainability. Experience working to deadlines and budgets, including in collaboration with a diverse range of stakeholders. Experience supervising and managing teams. Demonstrated experience of working with and managing data/statistics for analytical and decision making purposes.
Desirable\: Experience working with a global health initiative.

Skills

Knowledge of development and health economics, with particular understanding of health and immunization financing. Excellent capacity to conduct quantitative evaluation and data analysis on economics of immunization. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Ability to work as a team member and/or coordinate diverse groups of stakeholders. Strong interpersonal, networking and diplomacy skills. Conscientious, with the ability to take the initiative and work independently under general guidance. Familiarity with the UN system and a range of international public/private health partners, including knowledge of WHO country, regional and global functions, pharmaceutical industry, procurement agencies, civil society organizations.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Producing results
Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

Use of Language Skills

Essential\: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable\: Intermediate knowledge of French.

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 71,332 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 4434 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test may be used as a form of screening.

• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. 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/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit\: http\://www.who.int.

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link\: http\://www.who.int/employment/en/. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.