External Emergency Roster - Incident Manager

Purpose of the External Emergency Roster

The purpose of the roster is to provide short-term support during acute events for a period of up to six (6) months which may be extended up to one year depending on operational needs. Placement on the roster entails a general commitment from the external candidate to deploy within 2 to 4 weeks from the time a request for availability is made.

In the context of the WHO Health Emergencies Incident Management System (IMS), at the country or regional level, the incumbent will have overall responsibility in the coordination of planning, management, adaptation and implementation of strategies and work plans for the particular incident, including deciding on the ordering and the release of resources. The incumbent will manage the operational and technical components with WHO headquarters, establish clear lines of communications, ensure proper documentation of the incident, including the provision of situation reports and action plans.

The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to help countries, and to coordinate international action, to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies.

Organizational context

Reporting to the respective supervisors (depending on the location of the position and level of the emergency) the Incident Manager (IM) constitutes the first and primary organizational component of the IMS organization structure at the respective level (country or regional). In close coordination with the respective regional office, country office and WHO/HQ and input from the IMS team, the IM directs and coordinates WHO overall emergency response and recovery activities. He/she provides strategic leadership to the health sector/cluster response in support of national and local health authorities and is responsible for all aspects (operational, technical and programmatic) of the incident management system. This requires building dynamic and efficient teams to bolster WHO’s emergency response and recovery operations, extensive and ongoing contacts with officials and representatives from health cluster partners and other cluster leads and coordinators, other policy staff and technical staff in partner agencies (both within and outside the UN system), and senior staff of ministries of health (MOH) and related ministries to advocate and successfully influence national strategies. The IM will engage and closely collaborate with WHO senior management, regional office counterparts, heads of WHO country offices and external partners. Guidelines and key documents available include Incident Management System document, emergency SOPs, Framework on Emergency Risk Management (FERM), Accountability and delegation of authority framework. The incumbent is expected to exercise full judgment in adapting or modifying relevant WHO guidelines and to lead the development of new policies and guidelines to meet particular requirements or changing circumstances.

Summary of Assigned Duties

During deployment, the duty station may change, and duties may be modified, based upon the technical needs of the Programme.

During the complete operational period

1. Coordinate WHO's incident management system at the country or regional level, assess and reassess the emergency situation, determine strategies, set objectives appropriate to the level of the required response; prioritizing filling health service delivery gaps, develop an operational planning cycle to reach health sector performance standards and approve the incident action plan (IAP) -- ensuring fulfilment of WHO’s critical functions.

2. Ensure the implementation of the IMS, ensuring synergies and smooth functioning between the operational and technical components, oversee the monitoring and evaluation of the operations, take corrective actions as necessary.

3. Provide guidance to the respective state’s capacities with respect to emergency preparedness, response and recovery; ensure the participation of the country office in the joint risk assessment process of any suspected or actual emergency event.

4. Build external relations, represent WHO and its positions in negotiations in relevant inter-agency and international fora involved with the incident management system at the country level.

Immediate actions

5. Manage the Health Emergency Operations, and provide technical advice to other agencies, with emphasis on the coordination and consolidation of health agencies and health cluster activities. Coordinate overall incident health related activities to ensure the concerted approach of WHO in all required functional areas as per incident management structure.

6. Support national and local health authorities and partner with UN agencies, international, governmental and nongovernmental organizations/institutions, in respect of the mobilization and coordination of resources, identify needs and funding gaps; encourage donors to fund the overall health sector response to affected populations.

7. In cooperation with other levels of response authorize the release of related information, communications, advocacy products and statements to internal and external partners as well as to the public. Provide information to/briefing of senior and elected officials as required, manage sensitive issues arising from the incident.

8. Determines WHO response team staffing needs, ensures deployment arrangements and the mobilization of the required human resources. Provide leadership, motivation, guidance, and performance management of staff and experts, build dynamic and efficient teams to bolster WHO’s incident management operations, take concrete measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all WHO responders.

Demobilization/recovery

9. Oversee demobilization of the Operations Centre and restocking of supplies, as appropriate.

10. Ensure that after-action activities are coordinated and completed including\:
• collection of all event documentation
• conduct of staff debriefings to identify accomplishments, response and improvement issues
• identify needed revisions to the event management procedures, job action sheets, operational procedures, records, and/or other related items
• writing the after action report and improvement plan.

Competencies

1. Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
2. Communication
3. Respecting and promoting cultural differences
4. Ensuring the effective use of resources
5. Creating an empowering and motivating environment
6. Promoting WHO's position in health leadership
7. Teamwork

Functional Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of the rapid response operations and their implementation in emergencies as related to public health, complemented by demonstrated ability to identify and manage difficult situations, to lead and direct multidisciplinary and multinational staff.
• Excellent skills in the assessment, monitoring, analysis and evaluation of emergency situations, with the ability to conceptualize and implement innovative strategies and advocate their implementation.
• Authoritative and comprehensive knowledge of the theory, principles, methods and techniques in international emergency incident management system.
• Strong strategic thinking, with the ability to quickly comprehend strategic and tactical objectives and to formulate comprehensive plans to address challenges/risks.

Education Qualifications

• An advanced university degree in a health-related field, management, emergency, humanitarian, disaster management or related field from an accredited and recognized academic institution.

Desirable
• Specialized training in emergency management; specific training in humanitarian response.
• Medical degree.

Professional Experience

• At least ten (10) years of relevant professional work experience in emergency management and operations, with proven experience in emergency response.

• Substantial experience at both national and international levels in leadership positions, capacity-building and their implementation.

• Experience in developing and promoting collaborative partnerships and/or experience in developing countries.

• Substantial experience in efficient human and financial resource management.

Desirable
• Relevant work experience in outbreaks and/health emergency management and related strategy development with WHO, UN system, health cluster partners, relevant nongovernmental or humanitarian organizations.

Use of Language Skills

• Excellent knowledge of English or French (depending on the country of assignment).

• Working knowledge of another WHO official language would be an asset.

Other Skills (e.g. IT)

• Knowledge of Microsoft Office software applications.