Medical Officer, NCD Integrated Services at World Health Organization

The incumbent will be expected to perform the following duties:

• Provide leadership and promote the prevention and control of NCDs and mental disorders, across the life course even in emergency situations;
• Implement innovative ways of working to facilitate strong collaboration and linkages with programmes, clusters, and partners (WHO Collaborating Centers, research and teaching institutions, NGOs, regional and sub regional economic entities, etc.) to ensure that appropriate, efficient and timely support is provided to countries, even during emergencies.
• In coordination with the WRs, improve or establish mechanisms or platforms for cross-border activities which should address multiple issues and document best practices in cross-border collaboration;
• Promote cross-cutting, end-to-end delivery to achieve impact and strengthen health systems to deliver integrated, NCD services at PHC and all levels of care for UHC;
• Technically lead the development and implementation of cross-cutting Guidelines, medicines, and technology, strengthening effective referral services;
• Build the capacity of Member States and WHO technical staff; at all levels, for provision of essential NCDs and mental health services in all situations and advocate for conducive policies and strategies;
• Provide technical advisory and support services to enable countries to develop/adapt and implement WHO technical packages at PHC level to address NCD and their risk factors, mental health, and substance abuse through multisectoral action across the life course and continuum of care;
• Foster research, and promote innovations on the integrated service delivery of NCDs in the region and ensure that the individual county technical support needs are fulfilled working with the WRs, clusters and partners including through the use of expertise outside of WHO;
• Strengthen surveillance, monitoring and evaluation of NCDs, their risk factors, and mental health including the GPW 13 impacts and outcomes, global and regional health trends, Sustainable Development Goals’ indicators, health inequalities and disaggregated data; and Support individual countries consolidate health data, information and intelligence to highlight progress and identify challenges to achieving programmatic goals and on the basis of that document the technical support needs to improve or sustain progress;
• Technically advocate for and support the inclusion of NCDs and Mental disorders into the national Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) system in order to strengthen individual disease/condition-based surveillance;
• Collaborate with, and technically support national officials and country staff to adapt the WHO Package of Essential NCDs interventions (WHO PEN), MH GAP, and other NCD and mental-health, service-delivery models;
• Provide support to countries in the MCATs to prevent and control NCDs and mental disorders in the context of national health policies and strategies and promote a system-based approach to integrate NCDs and MH in health and related social sectors, in coordination with relevant agencies and entities;
• Technically support member States to develop, implement, and evaluate NCDs and Mental health policies, strategies, and national plans for strengthening health systems to provide priority health services at PHC facilities;
• Strengthen partnership and collaboration with all stakeholders and alliances in order to harmonize and streamline country support for integrated management of NCDs and mental disorders at all levels;
• Contribute to mobilizing domestic and external resources for integrated NCDs and Mental disorders prevention and management and psychosocial support, by using innovative resource mobilization techniques;
• Perform other related responsibilities as assigned, including replacing and backstopping for others as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
WHO Competencies

• Moving forward in a changing environment
• Promoting the Organization’s position in Health Leadership
• Producing Results
• Building and Promoting Partnerships across the Organization and Beyond
• Communication
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

Functional Knowledge And Skills

• Extensive, area-specific, technical and programmatic knowledge of programmes and approaches for integrated, capacity-building programmes and interventions including one or more of the following disciplines: clinical public health; Cardiovascular diseases; Diabetes; chronic respiratory diseases; Cancers; Mental Health and substance abuse; common NCD risks factors prevention, working knowledge of district hospital care, Universal health coverage, in-service and pre-service training and capacity building, Essential NCD and MH drugs, PHC delivery systems;.
• Demonstrated ability to innovate, provide clear advice and guidance to multiple stakeholders and partners.
• Willingness to share technical knowledge.

Education
Essential:

• Medical degree with post-graduate degree in public health or specialization in one of the four major NCDs from an accredited/recognized institute

Desirable:

• Advanced university degree (Masters level or above) in a health-related field

Experience
Essential:

• A minimum of 7 years' experience in developing, managing, and/or providing medical advisory services for the prevention and management of one or more major NCDs through policy guidance and capacity building in programmes, at the international and national level.

Desirable:

• Experience in capacity building, developing, and promoting collaborative partnerships.
• Relevant work experience in International Organizations, UN agencies, non-governmental or humanitarian organizations.
• Field experience in developing countries.

Essential:
Use of Language Skills

• Expert knowledge of English or French with good working knowledge of the other.
• The above language requirements are interchangeable.

Desirable:

• Intermediate knowledge of Portuguese.

Other Skills (e.g. IT):

• Working level of computer literacy with proven ability to use standard office software packages, including eHealth tools.