Technical Officer

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

To achieve the control of communicable and noncommunicable diseases throughout the Western Pacific Region by targeting the reduction of morbidity and mortality of such conditions and diseases. The division supports integrated people-centred care approaches by strengthening primary healthcare services for prevention, diagnosis, care and treatment of target diseases and conditions along the life-course, while ensuring to reach the unreached and achieving universal health coverage.

Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (MTD)
The Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases unit works with Member States and partners to eliminate and control malaria and neglected tropical diseases in the Western Pacific Region. Focus areas of the programme are regional and country adaptation of evidence-based policies and strategies, facilitation of coordinated multisectoral actions, enhancement of intervention and service delivery such as mass drug administration, vector control and case management, engagement and empowerment of communities, and strengthening of monitoring, evaluation and surveillance.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the supervision of first-level supervisor and guidance of the related country office teams and the Head of WHO Country Office in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, the incumbent will perform the following:

Programme Coordination:

• Work with the Ministry of Health (MOH) to support key advisory groups (policy, technical and surveillance), who are linked to the national emergency operations centre; and
• Guide the MOH during the implementation of relevant emergency response plans for the national notifiable diseases and ensure these plans are maintained with clearly defined concepts of operation.

Technical Support:

• Assist the MOH to conduct regular country-specific all-hazards assessments and response for public health risks and notifiable diseases, (inclusive of diseases targeted at elimination such as malaria and lymphatic filariasis) and any other public health events of concern;
• Provide training and supervision to emergency operations dedicated staff on notifiable disease surveillance and response protocols;
• Support the MOH to extend the national health information strategy to capture routine notifiable disease data from hospitals and health centres from core public health programmes directly into national health information system (DHIS2);
• Work with MOH to extend the use and capacity of MOH on the standardized emergency operations database module in DHIS2 that includes dashboards designed for all 18 notifiable diseases; and
• Support MOH to implement aggressive targeted malaria falciparum elimination interventions with the objective of reaching hard to reach populations and achieving the national malaria elimination goals.

Programme Reporting and Resource Mobilization

• Facilitate cross-programme work related to emergency operations including activity planning, implementation, progress monitoring and reporting, including malaria elimination;
• Coordinate and prepare reports to donors;
• Support resource mobilization activities, working closely with country and regional offices colleagues and teams; and
• Perform other duties as directed by the first-line supervisor and the Head of WHO Office in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: University degree in medical and health sciences or related field.
Desirable: Master’s level university degree in public health or related disciplines. Additional postgraduate training in any of the following areas: infectious diseases, epidemiology and management, health systems, and project/health management.

Experience

Essential: Minimum of five years’ work experience in public health, policy and planning, health management including experience at international level.
Desirable: Experience in epidemiology or disease surveillance and response. Experience of managing communicable disease surveillance and response in a developing country at international level.

Skills

Skills and knowledge in emergency public health responses in low- or middle-income countries.

Skills and knowledge of conducting outbreak investigation planning, policies, and standard operating procedures in low- or middle-income countries.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Knowing and managing yourself
Producing results

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English.

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 62,692 (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 1750 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 prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• 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.