Technical Officer, Neglected Tropical Diseases

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

This requisition is for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)

The Communicable Diseases and Environmental Determinants of Health Department (CDE) promotes, coordinates, and implements technical cooperation activities directed toward the surveillance, prevention, control, and elimination of communicable diseases and zoonosis that are technically sound and appropriate for the political and socio-cultural context in which they are implemented. It strives to achieve a sustainable impact on health by providing normative guidance, furthering the implementation of evidence-based interventions, and fostering alliances that strengthen country capacity, improve the effectiveness of inter-country collaboration, and facilitate policy and decision-making processes through improved health information coverage, analysis and quality at all levels.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the general supervision of the Director, Communicable Diseases and Environmental Determinants of Health (CDE), and the direct supervision of the Unit Chief, Neglected, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases (CDE/VT), the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

1. Provide technical support for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.3, through the implementation of the World Health Assembly Resolution WHA66.12, Neglected Tropical Diseases (2013), the WHO Neglected Tropical Diseases Roadmap, “Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030”, PAHO´s “Disease Elimination Initiative: a policy for an integrated sustainable approach to communicable diseases in the Americas” and the approved PAHO programmatic plans of action for Neglected Infectious Diseases (NIDs);
2. Collaborate and provide technical support to strengthen the capacity of Member States to implement the Organization’s “Disease Elimination Initiative: a policy for an integrated sustainable approach to communicable diseases in the Americas” approved through PAHO’s Directing Council Resolution CD57.R7, other Neglected Infectious Diseases plans; the WHO Neglected Tropical Diseases Roadmap, “Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030”; the World Health Assembly resolutions and strategies on neglected infectious diseases and promote the achievement of the public health goals set by PAHO and WHO’s governing bodies;
3. Plan, organize and assist in the implementation of training workshops, seminars, virtual training platforms; collaborate and contribute to the design and implementation of Member States integrated national action plans for the control or elimination of Neglected Infectious Diseases and other programs for NID control and elimination;
4. Provide technical cooperation for the development of national integrated plans of action, planning and micro-planning of mass drug administration campaigns and virtual spaces for collaboration of NID data and electronic forms;
5. Collaborate to increase and strengthen coordination of activities among PAHO and stakeholders, partners and national or subnational health authorities in Latin American Countries for the implementation of strategies, programs, plans and projects for control and elimination of Neglected Infectious Diseases - including implementation and evaluation of baseline and follow up surveys, transmission assessment surveys and evaluation of WHO Joint Action Packages and Drug Donation Applications for Member States, and work with WHO’s Collaborating Centers, US CDC, USAID and other bilateral agencies, foundations, NGOs and other partners and collaborators;
6. Promote inter-programmatic coordination of activities for control and elimination of Neglected Infectious Diseases with other disease control programs, such as malaria, public health entomology, Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI), immunizations, indigenous and Afro-descendent health, HIV/AIDS, nutrition, environmental and occupational health, water sanitation and hygiene, and social and environmental determinants of health in order to enhance coverage and control of parasitic and neglected infectious diseases, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness;
7. Provide technical support and actively contribute to the development and implementation of plans, guidelines, protocols and documents as tools for strengthening and building capacities at national and subnational levels towards Neglected Infectious Diseases goals in Latin American and Caribbean countries;
8. Collaborate for planning, implementation and evaluation of regional forums (meetings) for Neglected Infectious Diseases, mainly for the control and elimination of soil-transmitted helminthiases, lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis as debate spaces with counterparts, partners and experts to generate knowledge and information for making decisions according to the regional epidemiological profile;
9. Provide technical support for the development and follow-up of projects for testing integrated, inter-sectoral, inter-programmatic and multi-disease approaches to neglected infectious disease prevention and control, and their use as an entry point to combat poverty, promote sustainable development, and address the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and other international and regional mandates;
10. Prepare annual and periodic progress reports, situation analyses of Neglected Infectious Diseases, and other documents with strategic information for dissemination at regional level in order to document and systematize information in the framework of the WHO and PAHO’s Resolutions and the progress of countries towards global and regional control and elimination goals;
11. Collaborate in the preparation, implementation and evaluation of grants and prepare reports of projects and proposals to be funded by donors and stakeholders as support for the implementation of activities for technical cooperation for Neglected Infectious Diseases in Latin American Countries;
12. Participate and provide technical content for the writing of public health protocols and research proposals on Neglected Infectious Diseases control and elimination; coordinate and ensure their submission to ethics research committees;
13. Perform other related duties, as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Essential: A university degree in a health science related to the functions of the position from a recognized institution.

Desirable: A master’s degree in communicable diseases, public health, epidemiology, or related field, would be an asset. If your candidacy is retained for an interview, you will need 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 accredited/recognized institution 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 following link: http://www.whed.net/. PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation http://www.chea.org/search/default.asp and the College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to support the validation process.

Experience:

Essential: Seven years of combined national and international experience working in epidemiology and public health and in the implementation of health projects or health research, including practical experience in the control of lymphatic filariasis, schistosomiasis and other parasitic diseases, as well as health data analysis.

Desirable: Experience in Neglected Infectious Diseases surveillance, prevention, control and elimination in Latin America and the Caribbean would be an asset.

SKILLS:

PAHO Competencies:

• Overall attitude at work: Maintains integrity and takes a clear ethical approach and stance; demonstrates commitment to the Organization’s mandate and promotes the values of the Organization in daily work and behavior; is accountable for work carried out in line with own role and responsibilities; is respectful towards, and trusted by, colleagues and counterparts.
• Teamwork: Collaborate and cooperate with others / Deal effectively with conflict. Creates team spirit; promotes collaboration and open communication in the team; proactively supports others; welcomes team responsibilities and drives team results; promotes knowledge sharing in the team. Proactively identifies conflicts and facilitates their resolution in a respectful manner; tactfully resolves conflicts between or with others and takes action to reduce any possible tension; effectively builds a rapport with individuals and teams, establishing good personal and professional relationships, as well as minimizing risk of potential conflict.
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences: Relate well to diversity in others and capitalize on such diversity. Treats all people with dignity and respect. Relates well to people with different cultures, gender, orientations, backgrounds and/or positions; examines own behavior to avoid stereotypical responses; considers issues from the perspective of others and values their diversity.
• Communication: Express oneself clearly when speaking/Listen/Write effectively/Share knowledge - Foresees communication needs of audience and targets message accordingly. Facilitates open communication; encourages others to share their views openly and takes time to understand and consider their views. Writes down ideas in a clear, structured, logical and credible way; drafts and supports the development of guidelines, policies and procedures. Shares relevant information openly and ensures that the shared information is understood; considers knowledge sharing as a constructive working method and demonstrates awareness of the Organization.
• Producing Results: Work efficiently and independently/Deliver quality results/Take responsibility - Prioritizes work, monitors own progress against objectives and adapts plans as required; communicates adjustments as necessary. Acts proactively and stimulates action as needed; handles problems effectively and constructively. Produces high-quality results and workable solutions that meet clients’ needs. Works independently to produce new results and sets own time lines effectively and efficiently. Shows awareness of own role and clarifies roles of team members in relation to project’s expected results. Makes proposals for improving processes as required and takes responsibility for own work and/or actions, as necessary. Demonstrates positive attitude in working on new projects and initiatives. Demonstrates accountability for own success, as well as for errors; learns from experience.
• Moving forward in a changing environment: Propose change/ Adapt to change. Actively supports Organizational change initiatives and demonstrates personal commitment to them, including when faced with new demands; proposes workable solutions to challenging situations. Engages in positive responses to a changing environment and promotes workable solutions to achieve own and team’s results. Welcomes, and actively seeks to apply, new ideas, approaches and working methods and technologies in order to improve own and/or team’s work processes and results; demonstrates commitment to Organizational change initiatives.

Technical Expertise:

• Theoretical and practical knowledge of infectious disease prevention and control methods, information and systems, public health surveillance, and epidemiology, with emphasis on neglected infectious diseases.
• Strong managerial, project monitoring and execution skills, including operational aspects of prevention and control programs such as transmission assessment surveys and sentinel surveillance methods.
• Professional expertise in preventive public health and epidemiological assessment of neglected infectious diseases.
• Expertise and skills in the development of systematic reviews, articles to be submitted for peer-review and funding proposals.
• Strong professional oral and writing skills; ability to prepare reports, presentations, and technical/persuasive documents for consideration at the highest levels of the Organization.

Languages:

Very good knowledge of English or Spanish with a working knowledge of the other language. Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese would be an asset.

IT Skills:

Demonstrated ability to effectively use current technology and software, spreadsheets and presentations, as well as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and management information systems. Other IT skills and knowledge of software programs such as Microsoft Excel, Outlook, OneDrive, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, and Word are considered essential. Proficiency with software for mapping, GIS and/or statistical analysis software, other IT skills and knowledge of other software programs such as SAS, SPSS, Epidat, Epinfo, Stata, or Tableau, would be an asset.

REMUNERATION

Monthly Salary: (Net of taxes)

US$5,343.42 (Salary is non-negotiable)

Post Adjustment:

US$3,393.07 This amount is to be considered as indicative since variations may occur each month either upwards or downwards due to currency exchange rate fluctuations or inflation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates to fill other similar short-term professional positions, at the same grade level.
• Candidates will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration. A written test and/or interview will be held for this position as a form of screening.
• The post description is the official documentation for organization purposes.
• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and e-Manual.
• For information on PAHO please visit: http://www.paho.org
• PAHO/WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• PAHO is an ethical organization that maintains high standards of integrity and accountability. People joining PAHO are required to maintain these standards both in their professional work and personal activities.
• PAHO also promotes a work environment that is free from harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and other types of abusive behavior. PAHO conducts background checks and will not hire anyone who has a substantiated history of abusive conduct.
• PAHO personnel interact frequently with people in the communities we serve. To protect these people, PAHO has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. People who commit serious wrongdoing will be terminated and may also face criminal prosecution.
• PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are encouraged.
• All applicants are required to complete an on-line profile to be considered for this post.