Programme Manager, PCR EHI

Objectives of the Programme and of the immediate Strategic Objectives

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 actions are based on this and rooted in the underlying values of equity, solidarity and participation. 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.

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 Division of Policy and Governance for Health and Well-being (PCR) leads the implementation of Health 2020 – the European Health Policy Framework supporting governments and societies towards their implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). PCR specifically targets SDG 3 by aiding national and sub-national health policy development in countries.

The PCR division has two core missions. In addition to leading and coordinating the SDG roadmap and implementation of Health 2020 and supporting Office-wide implementation of the WHO's 13th General Programme of Work, the division provides strategic and technical leadership in a number of cross-cutting programmatic areas that have a strong relevance to the work of the whole Regional Office. This technical leadership on governance for health and health equity extends into particular focus on the social and environmental determinants of health, gender, migration, human rights and vulnerabilities.

PCR is also responsible for the coordination a several networks, such as the WHO Healthy Cities Network, the Small Countries Initiative and the Regions for Health Network, bringing together policy-makers and stakeholders working to put health high on the social, economic and political agenda. The division also hosts the secretariat of the European Environment and Health Process, a regional intersectoral process and platform for the development and implementation of policies advancing environment, health and well-being. The European Interagency Platform for Working Together for Better Health and Well-being for All and the UN issue-based coalition on health and development are also run by the PCR. These programmes were launched in 2016 and are pan-European approaches aimed at strengthening and enabling intersectoral cooperation. Areas of interest include between the health, education and social sectors, and facilitating and promoting the implementation in the Region of the targets of SDG 3 and the many other health-related SDG targets.

The Division has staff located in the WHO/EURO main office in Copenhagen and in two technical centres\: the European Office for Investment for Health and Development in Venice, Italy and the European Centre for Environment and Health in Bonn, Germany. Additionally, PCR has staff in several country offices.

The WHO/ECEH (European Centre for Environment and Health) is the technical and scientific centre of the WHO Regional Office for Europe for addressing environmental impacts on health. It provides Member States with state-of-the-art evidence on existing and emerging environmental health risks and assists them in identifying and implementing policies to protect and promote health. It develops policy advice and international guidelines, methods and tools to inform and support decision-making by governments, health professionals, citizens and other stakeholders, and contributes to shape the environment and health research agenda WHO/ECEH supports Member States to implement their environment and health-related commitments, in line with relevant World Health Assembly and Regional Committee Resolutions, as well as multilateral environmental agreements and multisectoral policy platforms. These activities contribute to improved and more equitable health for all people of the WHO European Region through the development of healthy environments and strengthened community resilience. In turn, they support the attainment of the global environment and health-related targets of the Sustainable Development Goals, and of the WHO Thirteenth General Programme of Work.

WHO/ECEH is organized in four technical programmes\:

• The programme on healthy living and working environments addresses air quality, noise, chemicals, occupational health and aspects of climate change mitigation and environmentally sustainable health systems.
• The program on water and climate addresses the health-related aspects of water, sanitation, hygiene and climate change adaptation.
• The program on environment and health impact assessment addresses crosscutting issues\: economics of environment and health, environment and health impacts assessment, risk assessment, burden of disease analyses, urban and built environments, and environmental health inequalities.
• The programme on multisectoral partnerships for environment and health supports the European Environment and Health Process, the Transport, Health and Environment Pan-European Programme, and promotes the establishment of partnerships with environment and health stakeholders including Inter-governmental Organizations, Non-government Organizations and actors at the regional and local level.
• The Environment and Health Impact Assessment (EHI) programme’s scope of work is to monitor and assess the role of environmental health determinants by using and combining multiple sources of evidence and information, collating data, knowledge and methodology, and by providing a common basis for evaluating data and evidence on environment and health in Europe.

The programme contributes to implementing the Environment and Health Process, Health 2020 and the SDGs. The EHI programme aims at supporting Member States in addressing the health implications of broad, multi-sector, complex domains with high relevance for environment and health, sustainability and societal resilience including (i) waste and industrial contamination, (ii) green space, blue space and urban environments, (iii) circular economy, and (iv) environmental health inequalities and economics. These domains involve multiple risk factors and determinants and require assembling multiple types of evidence with variable degree of reliability, through multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral approaches. Risk assessment and health impact assessment, including burden of disease analysis, are the main tools for these evaluations. The EHI programme also aims at anticipating and early-detecting environment and health risks and stimulating Member States to take a proactive attitude towards emerging issues such as major global trends, new technologies, emerging health threats.

Summary of Assigned Duties

To direct and supervise the implementation of activities and strengthen strategic leadership and capacity of the Regional Office in the area of environmental health impact assessment, risk assessment and risk management.
The post contributes to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 3, 9, 10 and 12, to implementing the European Health 2020 policy framework (priority area 4 on supportive environments and strategic objective on reducing health inequalities) and supporting the European Environment and Health Process.

Under the guidance of the relevant supervisors, the incumbent will assume the following responsibilities and achieve the following objectives\:

A. Core responsibilities in assisting Member States in relation to environmental health issues linked to environmental health impact assessment as part of country efforts to strengthen policy and governance for health and well-being include\:

(i) dialogue with and advise policy makers on evidence-based, effective and equitable policies, measures and strategies in environment and health. Advise and guide on responsibilities in the health sector and involvement of stakeholders with clear lines of accountability and transparency;
(ii) articulate consistent ethical and evidence-based policy and advocacy positions and develop and implement innovative approaches, adapted to regional/country needs, in the selected technical areas;
(iii) bring emerging issues and challenges in environment and health to the attention of Member States, and provide fora and platforms to discuss and address them, including policy dialogues and meetings of the EHTF;
(iv) provide technical assistance with\: the development of mechanisms, instruments and tools such as national health strategies and policies, monitoring and evaluation, performance assessment and performance management and approaches to enhance effectiveness of stakeholder involvement; the estimation of required resources (human, financial, infrastructure and technological) and knowledge (i.e. through research, evaluation, performance measurement and knowledge management); building understanding and capacity for improving and assessing issues relating to environmental health impact assessment issues (i.e. leading policy development and coordination, transforming information into intelligence and applying this to the development and assessment of health policies and strategies; mobilizing its legal and regulatory powers to attain health system goals; and exerting influence across sectors other than health and advocating for better health); and
(v) support advocacy, knowledge transmission and advice for the enhancement of the capacities and skills of health ministries in carrying out their function particularly in areas related to environmental health impact assessment and risk governance.

B. Core responsibilities in providing intellectual and technical leadership and guidance in directing the development of environmental health issues in the field of environmental health impact assessment include\:

(i) acting as the WHO EURO content expert and focal point for environmental health impact assessment issues;
(ii) ensuring technical quality and competence in the area of environmental health impact assessment and to be responsible for the overall timeliness and quality of all programme deliverables of both country and inter country work plans;
(iii) developing regional plans to implement global and regional strategies in the area of environmental health impact assessment and harnessing European and other experience and knowledge (e.g. including influencing other sectors to incorporate health concerns in their policies and enhance effectiveness of donor and other stakeholder involvement), documenting gaps therein for the definition of the research agenda on the subject matter;
(iv) ensuring consistency and cohesiveness with the WHO guidelines, approaches, and messages, contributing to the WHO normative function in specific technical areas assigned to the incumbent;
(v) coordinating international activities with relevant organizations and partners in the technical area;
(vi) managing and synthesizing related knowledge to build the evidence base for dissemination to Member States as required;
(vii) producing authoritative and relevant policy papers and briefs on the subject matter;
(viii) documenting and rendering explicit the pros and cons of various policy options applicable to environmental health impact assessment issues in terms of their implications and their impact on the level and distribution of health, responsiveness, and financial protection based on country experiences;
(ix) supporting Divisional efforts to implement follow-up of the commitments taken through declarations at the various Ministerial Conferences on Environment and Health;
(x) when relevant, provide technical support and direct advice on technical information and data on disasters and emergencies in the area of environment and health; support data analysis and preparation of reports to facilitate information sharing, decision-making and response to events. Liaise with relevant experts to ensure broadest dissemination possible to international community and general public.

C. Core responsibilities as a Programme Manager\:

(i) provide leadership and managerial oversight to the work of all programme/project staff;
(ii) mobilize resources to efficiently deliver services/products within country and inter country work plans;
(iii) be responsible for the allocation of resources within country and inter country work plans in coordination with the Strategic Objective Facilitator (ensure availability of funds and monitoring of dates and budget constraints);
(iv) perform the general management of the programme’s professional and general service staff, as first level supervisor (to include monitoring of workload, funds availability, performance management, and to establish mechanisms which ensure proper coordination within the team regarding travel, holidays), including, in liaison with the Head of Country Office, technical programme staff based outside Bonn, and
(v) regularly monitor and assess the performance of the technical programme through evaluation and reporting.

Educational Qualifications\:
Essential\: University degree (Master-s level) in medicine, environmental health, public health or related areas relevant to the post.
Desirable\: Doctorate or additional post-graduate qualification in public health or life sciences or health related disciplines.

Experience\:
Essential\: At least ten years’ work experience in environment and health issues at national and international levels, attaining senior managerial rank. At least three years of practical experience in implementing or advising on key domains of environmental health impact assessment.
Experience advising on key domains of environmental health impact assessment in low and middle-income countries.

Desirable\: Relevant work experience in WHO or in the UN system.

Languages\:

Essential\: expert knowledge of English

Desirable\: intermediate/working knowledge of Russian, French or German

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.
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• 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.