National Professional Officer (HIV and hepatitis)

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

All Member States of WHO in the European Region share the common value of the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental human right.All of WHO's actions are based on this and rooted in the underlying value of equity as described in the General Programme of Work.

The 13th General Programme of Work defines the mission of WHO as one to promote health, to keep the world safe, and to protect the vulnerable. The GPW calls for heightened accountability, prioritizing impact and outcome at country level, and to improve the lives of three billion people, through universal health coverage, through addressing health emergencies, and promoting healthier populations.

WHO's mandate revolves around six core functions\:

(i) providing leadership on global health matters;

(ii) shaping the health research agenda;

(iii) setting norms and standards;

(iv) articulating evidence-based policy options;

(v) providing technical support to countries; and

(vi) monitoring and assessing health trends.

The European Region (EURO) of WHO is made up of 53 countries, with over 880 million people. The diversity of people and health situations requires, on the demand side, a solid understanding of the emerging socio-economic, epidemiologic and demographic patterns and trends at both aggregate as well as national and sub-national levels, with due sensitivity to disadvantaged populations and vulnerable segments of the society. On the supply side, it is equally crucial to have a solid understanding of the commonalities and divergences of the health systems, the circumstances and political economy under which they have evolved and operate and, more specifically, how these bear upon the way the health system stewardship function of health ministries is carried out.

The objective of WHO's presence in countries, territories and areas is to develop a two-way collaboration between the Secretariat and national relevant stakeholders; of supporting their efforts of achieving national health goals; of ensuring the attainment of universal health coverage and of contributing to global and regional public health action when and where required. WHO provides guidance and technical support in organizing the humanitarian health response and in revitalizing the capacity of the health sector to rebuild and recover from emergencies in appropriate and sustainable ways.

The WHO Country Office supports the Member State to shape its health policy in line with WHO's principles and values and advocates for an integrated approach to health development. By means of a single, unified and functionally integrated country representation, WHO facilitates the implementation of the GPW13 and particularly BCA with the Member State and its corresponding country work plan. WHO helps the country to improve its health system, facilitates policy dialogue and provides technical support as necessary. The WHO country office administers, consolidates, manages and enhances WHO collaboration in the country including all resources deployed in the country either permanently or temporarily to maximize WHO impact. The Country Office also has a representational, fund-raising and resource steering function, as needed.

The aim of the Division of Communicable Diseases and Health Security is (

i) to assist countries in the Region to design, establish and run effective health programmes that are able to tackle the burden of communicable diseases, particularly, influenza, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (especially X/MDR-TB), malaria, vaccine-preventable diseases, and antimicrobial resistance, and to achieve/maintain regional elimination/eradication goals as for measles, rubella, malaria, and poliomyelitis;

(ii) to improve health security across the WHO European Region by maintaining regional alert and response operations and assisting countries in developing disease surveillance systems, preparedness for, and response to public health emergencies, in line with the requirements of the International Health Regulations and specific country risks;

(iii) to determine and monitor environmental risks to health as well as environmental determinant of health, and propose relevant research projects, health interventions and partnership to tackle the acute and long-term health impact of environmental changes, including climate change,

(iv) to ensure, within EURO, the availability of state-of-the-art competency to provide high level technical support to Member States of the Region, in collaboration with Headquarters and in close partnership with relevant institutions of the Region;

(v) to promote WHO leadership in communicable disease control, health security, and environment and health programmes, including through relevant regional initiatives and specific research projects.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The incumbent will provide technical assistance in HIV and hepatitis prevention, diagnosis and treatment to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, Centre for Public Health and the National HIV and Hepatitis Programmes, with the overall aim to end HIV and hepatitis in Ukraine within the framework of the Biennial Collaborative Agreement (BCA) between the WHO Regional Office for Europe and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the Health 2020 European health policy framework and the WHO Global Health Sector Strategies for HIV/AIDS and for Hepatitis.

Key duties\:

1. Provide technical assistance and support to the Ukrainian Ministry of Health, Ukrainian Centre for Public Health and other national bodies on the prevention, treatment and control of HIV and viral hepatitis;

2. Provide technical support to facilitate development and implementation of a national strategies, national guidelines and tools in line with global and regional consolidated guidance for HIV and viral hepatitis;

3. Support efforts to strengthen HIV and viral hepatitis surveillance, monitoring and evaluation systems in line with existing regional surveillance networks;

4. Support efforts to strengthen country capacity to generate and systematically use HIV and viral hepatitis strategic information through national information systems and routine programme monitoring in line with global norms and standards;

5. Support efforts to strengthen country capacity to provide key HIV and viral hepatitis interventions through training using adapted manuals, tools and curricula and support the dissemination, adaptation and implementation of global guidelines on HIV and viral hepatitis prevention, diagnosis, care and treatment;

6. Support efforts to map HIV and viral hepatitis technical assistance needs and facilitate provision of high quality technical assistance for TB programme management governance, implementation and resource mobilisation;

7. Provide technical assistance, capacity building and training, and coordination of planning, implementation and evaluation of activities in line with the approved work plan of HIV and viral hepatitis area of work (within the communicable disease workplan), BCAs, the Health2020 European Health policy framework, Global Fund and other collaborative agreements;

8. Support the development and implementation of national strategies and action plans aligned with global and regional HIV and viral hepatitis strategies, Global fund and other collaborative agreements;

9. Contribute to documenting the implementation of the WHO European response to HIV and viral hepatitis with regard to reducing vulnerability and removing structural barriers and the related priority areas of intervention, related targets and relevant indicators defined by global and regional strategies, the Strategic Development Goals and the Health2020 European Health policy framework;

10. Promote WHO policies, practices and integrated service delivery approaches to promote equitable access to HIV and viral hepatitis prevention, diagnosis, care and treatment;

11. Support policy dialogue, technical assistance and capacity building for national HIV and viral hepatitis programmes;

12. Provide technical support to strengthen civil society in their responses to scaling up HIV and viral hepatitis treatment and to vulnerability and structural barriers to accessing communicable disease services;

13. Identify, document and advance international best practices in HIV and viral hepatitis treatment and prevention and related policy, strategy and research relevant to Ukraine;

14. Contribute to the work of the WHO country office related to ensuring access to quality communicable disease prevention and treatment to all in need particularly in the conflict affected areas and including internally displaced persons, marginalized people and those in the penitentiary system;

15. Ensure timely reporting of HIV and viral hepatitis related activities within country workplans through Medical Officer to WR Head of Country Office and Regional Office;

16. Prepare reports to donors on HIV and viral hepatitis programme/project implementation;

17. Organize and support national and international HIV and viral hepatitis consultancies and country missions;

18. Contribute to regular HIV and viral hepatitis monitoring and assessment performance through evaluation and reporting;

19. Perform other duties as designated by the supervisor withinthe technical scope of the position.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential\: University degree (Bachelor's level) in medicine, public health or related area of study.
Desirable\: Master's degree in any of the above mentioned areas. Post-graduate training in HIV and/or viral hepatitis.

Experience

Essential\: At least two years of work experience in HIV and/or viral hepatitis prevention and control at the national level.
Desirable\: Relevant work experience within WHO, United Nations or another international organization. Relevant work experience with countries of Eastern Europe.

Skills

1. Demonstrated knowledge of public health disease control strategies, especially of current practices and associated technologies for treatment and prevention of HIV and viral hepatitis;

2. Demonstrated knowledge of the epidemiology and challenges of HIV and viral hepatitis in Eastern Europe in general and Ukraine in particular

3. Demonstrated knowledge of targeted interventions for key populations at higher risk;

4. Proven skills in developing partnerships with and between Government officials and agencies responsible for HIV and viral hepatitis; civil society, community-based organizations and other networks in Eastern Europe in general and Ukraine in particular;

5. Demonstrated knowledge and ability to develop and implement HIV and viral hepatitis prevention, treatment and related advocacy efforts and products.

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. Expert knowledge of Russian.
Desirable\: Intermediate knowledge of Ukrainian.

REMUNERATION

Remuneration comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 35,147 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable) and 30 days of annual leave.

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.

• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

• 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.

• This is a National Professional Officer position. Therefore, only applications from nationals of the country where the duty station is located will be accepted. Applicants who are not nationals of this country will not be considered.