Technical Officer (Surveillance), (NO-B), Fixed-Term, Suva, Fiji

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Pacific Health Security and Communicable Diseases unit covers three main areas of work - (1) WHO's Health Emergencies Program (WHE), (2) communicable diseases (CD), and (3) reproductive and maternal health / gender and equity (RMNCAH/GER).

The mission of WHE is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations. WHE brings together and enhances WHO's operational, technical and normative capacity in outbreaks, emergencies and risk analysis to address all health hazards across the risk management cycle in a predictable, capable, dependable, adaptable and accountable manner. It is designed to operate within the broader humanitarian and emergency management architecture in support of people at risk of, or affected by, outbreaks and emergencies, consistent with ways that strengthen local and national capabilities.

The Infectious Hazards Management (IHM) programme area within the Health Emergencies Programme is responsible for providing support to countries in prevention and control of high threat diseases of pandemic and epidemic potential through forecasting, characterization of diseases and/or infectious risks and development of evidence-based strategies to management of infectious hazards.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the general supervision & guidance of the Team Coordinator (PSC), the incumbent will perform the following:

1. In collaboration with Pacific Island countries (PIC) surveillance officers, manage and monitor the timeliness and completeness of data submitted to the PSSS, the regional mechanism for early warning disease surveillance;

2. Prepare and communicate the weekly Pacific Syndromic Surveillance Report to the Pacific public health community through PacNET and the WHO-South Pacific website;

3. Support the roll-out of event-based surveillance as complementary to syndromic surveillance PSSS, and where possible, support countries to expand the list of syndromes under surveillance;

4. Promote the roll out of the WHO ‘EWARS in a Box' mobile surveillance technology across the Pacific and support countries through training, mentoring and technical support;

5. Contribute to the elaboration of effective rapid assessment for epidemic-prone diseases in consultation with the communicable disease epidemiologist, and Regional Office and HQ as needed, and national health authorities, and international health partners including UN agencies, and Pacific technical partners;

6. Enter all Pacific outbreaks into the WHO Event Information Site (EMS) and produce a biannual report summarizing all outbreaks over the previous six (6) months. Liaise with the PSC Health Cluster Coordinator to also capture disasters and technological emergencies;

7. Support or conduct investigations of outbreaks and other disease control activities, and provide a liaison with regional laboratories for the shipment and testing of clinical samples as needed;

8. In collaboration with WPRO/WHE and the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework (PIP) Secretariat in HQ, manage the PIP workplan in the Pacific, including plan preparation, budgeting, monitoring and technical reporting. Review PIP Framework SSA progress reports and recommend actions to improve epidemiological and virological surveillance if appropriate;

9. Support implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) in Pacific countries and areas, including self-assessment of surveillance and response systems;

10. Collaborate on cross-cutting issues (e.g. outbreaks of vaccine preventable, vector borne, diarrheal diseases etc.) with other DPS programme areas;

11. Serve in the DPS' Incident Management structure during emergencies;

12. Responsible for the monitoring and implementation of the PIP award;

13. Participate in any other activities as requested by supervisors to strengthen WHO's capacity to support partners in infectious hazard management.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential:

• University Degree in epidemiology, statistics, health informatics or public health from a university recognized in the International Association of Universities' Worldwide Database of Higher Education Institutions, Systems and Credentials (WHED).

Desirable:

• Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery. Master's level degree in epidemiology, statistics, health informatics or public health.

Experience

Essential:

• At least two years of experience in the implementation of public health surveillance and/or epidemiology.

Desirable:

• Experience in working with large data sets and use of statistical programmes.
• Experience working with early warning surveillance systems, broad experience with communicable disease outbreak and epidemic response.
• Experience teaching epidemiology and/or outbreak investigations.
• Prior humanitarian working experience at field level with WHO, other UN agencies, health cluster partners, recognized humanitarian organizations or with an international non-governmental organization.

Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of surveillance and monitoring systems.
• Solid analytical skills complemented by skills in the field of epidemiological or statistical data collection, assessment, analysis and the evaluation and monitoring in a public health context.
• Strong writing and oral communication skills, presentations skills and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work harmoniously as a member of a team, adapt to diverse educational and cultural backgrounds and maintain a high standard of personal conduct.
• Proven ability to multitask across various planning and implementation processes within a highly demanding environment.

WHO Competencies

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
• Driving the Organization's Position in Health Leadership

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English.

REMUNERATION

Remuneration comprises an annual base salary starting at FJD 88,533 (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.

• 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.

• 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.