Animal Health Officer (Global Surveillance Coordinator)

1H011H01

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The length of appointment for internal FAO candidates will be established in accordance with applicable policies pertaining to the extension of appointments

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• FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
• Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply
• Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
• FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination　　
• All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
• All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
• FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) contributes to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda through the FAO Strategic Framework by supporting the transformation to MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

Organizational Setting

The Animal Production and Health Division (NSA) promotes and facilitates the sustainable development of the livestock sector, integrating scientific and technical expertise and policy advice.
The position is within the framework of the Emergency Prevention System for Animal Health (EMPRES-AH) and in support of the Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases under the technical areas of FAO's One Health priority programme area (OH PPA). The OHPPA aims to have strengthened and better performing national and international integrated OH systems for human, animal and plant health achieved through improved pest and disease prevention, early warning and management of national and global health risks, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and environmental health, for optimal outcomes for production and global health security.
The position is located in the Animal Production and Health Division (NSA) at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.

Reporting Lines
The Animal Health Officer reports to the Senior Animal Health Officer, EMPRES-Animal Health, and is under the overall supervision of the Chief, Animal Health Service/Chief Veterinary Officer-FAO. S/he works in close collaboration with the Senior Animal Health Officer, Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD) to support the implementation of the ECTAD work programme, and other units in NSA, the Zoonoses Centre (CJWZ) and other divisions involved in the One Health programme at global, regional and country levels, and in support of Decentralized Offices and the ECTAD country teams.

Technical Focus
Disease surveillance and risk assessment frameworks, strategies and technical guidance for early warning and control of priority transboundary animal, zoonotic and emerging diseases. Overall coordination of surveillance and risk assessment with decentralized offices, ECTAD teams and global and regional partners.

Key Results
Comprehensive technical and policy expertise to support the planning, development and implementation of divisional programmes, projects, products and services in accordance with divisional objectives and the FAO Strategic Framework.

Key Functions
• Plans and leads components of multi-disciplinary teams, leads and/or participates in Organization-wide, cross-divisional committees, project teams and working groups and/or provides specialized expertise on technical networks and/or international technical policy and standard setting bodies;
• Develops technical, analytical, monitoring and reporting frameworks, and related methodologies, tools, systems and databases, etc. to support the planning, implementation/delivery and monitoring of programmes of work, projects, products and/or services;
• Designs and conducts research, data collection, validation, analysis and/or reporting activities to support the development of technical standards, international instruments, innovative approaches and strategies, new tools, technologies, technical reports/publications and/or policy proposals as well as the provision of technical/policy/ specialist/advice and expertise;
• Responds to country requests for technical and policy assistance, provides technical advice, assistance and solutions to Decentralized Offices and provides technical backstopping to field projects;
• Collaborates in, provides technical backstopping to and ensures the quality/effectiveness of capacity development and knowledge sharing activities within member countries such as policy support, organizational development and individual learning events including preparation of related information, learning materials and on-line tools;
• Promotes international cooperation/advocates best practices, increased policy dialogue and provides technical expertise at international/intergovernmental meetings;
• Participates in resource mobilization activities in accordance with the FAO Corporate Strategy.

Specific Functions
• Leads the design and development of global tools for surveillance, outbreak investigation, risk assessment and value chain risk management for control of priority diseases (including operational tools of the Triparite/Quadripartite), and coordinates the national planning and implementation;
• Facilitates and leads the national capacity assessments (e.g. Joint External Evaluation, World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)Performance of Veterinary Services and FAO Surveillance Evaluation Tool missions), plans the enhancements of national surveillance systems and provides recommendations and technical guidance for progressive improvements;
• Provides EMPRES disease situation updates (for highly pathogenic avian influenza, Middle East respiratory syndrome, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2and other priority diseases) and epidemiological analyses for priority diseases and emerging disease threats working in collaboration with One Health partners, and other groups in NSA, CJWZ and other technical divisions as required;
• Leads the risk assessments of emerging disease threats and coordinates support to national risk assessment activities, provides science and evidence based recommendations for prevention and control, technical support to emergency missions, and planning of surveillance for sustainable control;
• Leads the development and planning of surveillance for high impact diseases (avian influenza, Middle East respiratory syndrome, Rift Valley fever, African swine fever virus and others), including the development and novel approaches for surveillance such as environmental/sewage surveillance, and coordinates the country implementation with ECTAD teams and Decentralized Offices, ensuring relevant epidemiological data is uploaded in EMPRES-I and used for analyses and intervention planning;
• Contributes to the organization of national and regional trainings to build harmonized capacity on risk assessment, surveillance and biosecurity management for priority pathogens;
• Coordinates with science research networks, various field studies and epidemiological analyses for characterization of pathogens, animal host susceptibility and addressing research gaps at global and regional level including the risk of potential animal-human spillover and transmission for avian influenza, MERS, RVF, coronaviruses and other priority diseases;
• Leads the zoonotic avian influenza global risk assessment activities jointly with WOAH and World Health Organization (WHO), including FLURISK, Tool for Influenza Pandemic Risk Assessment (TIPRA), and provides situation assessments and guidance on zoonotic influenza events;
• Provides strategic and technical inputs to global and regional networks of high impact pathogens such as highly pathogenic avian influenza (OFFLU Network on Avian Influenza) and others, and liaison with FAO Reference Centres for various collaborative activities;
• Serves as the focal point for the OFFLU Applied Epidemiology group and collaborate on the revision of the FAO-WOAH Avian Influenza control strategy under Global Framework for the Progressive Control of Transboundary Animal Diseases (GFTADs), and leads the development of the Avian Influenza early warning/forecasting tool;
• Leads the development of strategies and frameworks for collaborative surveillance and monitoring at high-risk wildlife-animal-human interfaces and associated value chains for early warning and detection of priority pathogens, collaborating with partners and FAO divisions and teams;
• Collaborates on surveillance with other ongoing initiatives such as Preventing Zoonotic Disease Emergence (PREZODE), Science for Nature and People Partnership (SNAPP) 'WildHealthNet: A collaborative and evidence-based approach to sustainable wildlife health surveillance', STOPSpillover and others as needed.

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CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements
• Advanced university degree in veterinary/animal sciences, with postgraduate degree in veterinary epidemiology, veterinary public health, public health or in a discipline relevant to the duties listed, including technical areas listed above.
• Seven years of relevant experience in the following areas:
- epidemiological analysis and risk assessment of high impact zoonotic, emerging and transboundary diseases;
- planning and implementing surveillance programs for early warning, prevention and control in animal value chains;
- health capacity assessment tools frameworks and monitoring systems.
• Working knowledge (proficient - level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate - level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).

Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Technical/Functional Skills
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions, is desirable.
• Extent and relevance of experience in epidemiology, data analysis, risk assessment, designing, implementing surveillance and control programmes.
• Extent and relevance of experience in One Health information sharing and integrated surveillance.
• Familiarity with emerging infectious diseases and interface surveillance.
• Experience in development of tools for capacity assessments, risk assessments and health systems strengthening.
• Post-graduate qualification in veterinary epidemiology, epidemiological analyses, risk assessment of emerging and transboundary infectious diseases.
• Extent and relevance of experience working on relevant topics with multi-disciplinary teams from animal, wildlife and public health sectors.
• Experience of collaborations with international organizations and partners on infectious disease surveillance.
• Previous experience in frameworks and methodologies for health systems assessments and strengthening.
• Experience of coordinating multidisciplinary teams on disease surveillance.
• Previous experience in international organizations.
• Strong written and oral communication skills in English.