Technical Officer

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The IVB Department's mission is “To promote the health and well-being of all people, in all countries, by advancing the impact of vaccines and immunization programmes through partnership & leadership; policies & guidance; evidence & research”. Our work is aligned with the WHO 13th Global Programme of Work (GPW13), with a central focus to drive impact in countries, to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being at all ages. The Strategic Objectives of the IVB Department include:1) Establishing global immunization agendas, strategies and policies to build and harness commitment to action.2) Promoting research and innovation to increase impact of vaccines, technologies and immunization practices.3) Advancing evidence-based introduction and access to vaccines and immunization innovations.4) Optimizing immunization delivery to ensure high-impact, sustainable and equitable programmes.5) Harnessing Vaccine Alliances and Partnerships, including collaborations with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and key WHO partners, towards cross-programme coordination and collaboration in pursuit of universal health coverage.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Reporting to Team Lead Demand and Behavioural Sciences, in the Essential Programme on Immunization Unit (EPI) this position provides urgent support to programmes and partners to achieve high acceptance and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. It covers the following range of activities as part of a surge response for the delivery of COVID-19 vaccines: Supports the development of policies and strategies for implementation of COVID-19 vaccines through collaboration with colleagues and partners. Works closely with the IVB Demand and Behavioural Sciences team to advance and help operationalize programmatic strategies to increase and sustain confidence and uptake of COVID-19 vaccines. Provides expertise and insights in robust use of the latest evidence on behavioural and social sciences to guide the development of guidance and supporting materials, with a particular focus on new prioritized populations for COVID-19 vaccines. Coordinates with Regional and Country Offices to support implementation of tools and guidance and contributes to building capacity in relation to behavioural and social sciences as applied to vaccination. Serves as a reference for data related to behavioural and social drivers of COVID-19 vaccination, supporting local data-gathering and consolidating insights and trends at a global level. Contributes to the monitoring and evaluation of the subject area of key performance indicators and meeting reporting requirements, including for IA2030 and the WHO/UNICEF joint reporting form. Conducts research on best practices for equitable and people-centered programmes, including developing and disseminating documentation to expand the knowledge base and build capacity. Liaises with partners and stakeholders in other UN Agencies, donor, or research institutions in the area of Demand and Behavioural Sciences to position the technical area of work and guide implementation into Global and/or National policies. Represent the programme area of work at various meetings to contribute to advancing knowledge and practice and advocating for investment in strategies to increase COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Prepare briefs, talking points and messaging on the drivers and barriers of COVID-19 vaccination uptake, and presentations for various events. Perform all other related duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: A university degree (ideally at an advanced level) in behavioural and social sciences, medical anthropology, health psychology or other related field relevant to the position.

Experience

Essential: A minimum of five years of relevant professional experience in global health and disease prevention, including at least two years of experience in the area of vaccination and social sciences Demonstrated experience in supporting the development of policies, guidelines or other materials to guide programme implementation Proven experience in multi-country project management, and international research planning and implementation Demonstrated experience at the international level A proven track record in contributing technical knowledge and expertise, including in application to the development of programmatic policies and strategies Experience in interacting with a broad range of immunization stakeholders at global and country level.
Desirable: Direct field implementation or research experience in relation to the social and behavioural drivers of vaccination uptake, addressing hesitancy in a variety of country settings. Proven experience in engaging in multi-stakeholder partnerships, and in contributing to the planning and coordination of multi-stakeholder convenings. Proven experience in offering technical assistance, training and capacity building at country, regional and global levels. Experience in human or user centered design and approaches to behaviour change in areas of health

Skills

Essential: Strong technical skills in the area of behavioural and social sciences. Strong track record and background in acceptance and uptake of vaccination, vaccine hesitancy, behaviour change communication, and application of social science disciplines to public health. Strong ability in reviewing evidence and translating insights into operational guidance Track record of international project management, able to plan and deliver projects in a timely manner with strong planning and organization skills Ability to engage and communicate effectively and diplomatically with external partners including Ministries of Health, Donor institutions, Civil Society, and other stakeholders. Committed to effective collaboration with other key partners in immunization.

Desirable: Knowledge of immunization programmes and key global initiatives such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and relevant global health partnerships Highly motivated individual capable of promoting collaboration and open communication Proven technical and analytical writing skills, and an ability to combine theoretically sound strategies with practical realities. Ability to develop effective working relationships with a wide range of partners and external stakeholders

WHO Competencies

Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Producing results
Moving forward in a changing environment

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of French. Intermediate knowledge of UN language.

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 62,120 (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 4260 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.

• 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's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.

• 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.

• For WHO General Service staff who do not meet the minimum educational qualifications, please see e-Manual III.4.1, para 220.