Public Health Officer (Epidemiology) - Multiple Locations at World Health Organization

Summary Of Assigned Duties

• The incumbent will manage WHO’s access to, and analysis of, country-specific data. He/she will collaborate with relevant authorities to enhance the analysis and provision of data-driven evidence to facilitate public-health policy advice and decision making. The incumbent will enhance national capacity in overall disease prevention and control by collaborating on the development and implementation of national, public health programmes and strategies on surveillance and response which may include emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases. This may also serve to strengthen early detection, verification and rapid response to epidemics and other public health events of national or international concern.

Key Duties
The incumbent will perform all or part of the following, and other related responsibilities as required by the needs of the office:

• Work in coordination with all technical focal points at regional and headquarters levels, under the guidance of the head of the WHO country office.
• Provide advice to national public health authorities and manage the epidemiological work of the country office that underpins policy formulation. Support to relevant teams on building core capacities for surveillance, early detection, verification and rapid response to epidemics and other public health events of international concern, as required in the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005.
• Ensure that the WHO Country Office has access to all relevant existing country-specific health-related data. This includes national and subnational datasets, such as demographics of populations affected by specific diseases (relevant age, gender, etc.) and time trends. Analyze such data sets to provide additional insights on the country’s health context and epidemiological situation.
• Serve as focal person for all internal and external requests related to country-specific data. As needed, ensure government agreement for the use and dissemination of such data.
• Assist the government and relevant institutions on the enhancement of national capacities in epidemic and disease-trends’ forecasting and detection systems, including epidemiology and laboratory surveillance for monitoring and evaluating the core surveillance and real-time analysis of outbreak intelligence data.
• Coordinate the development of training courses for public health professionals on epidemiological surveillance, outbreak investigation, and/or the improvement of related data management.
• Manage the WHO Office’s support to the government in conducting field investigations of public health events. when required by the specific country or health situation.
• Collaborate with Health Emergency teams to promote WHO’s position and successfully influence national health authorities to develop infection prevention and control programmes in health care facilities, including (where and when required) focusing on preparedness and response to epidemics and pandemics.
• Participate, as needed, in risk assessments for unusual health events.
• Collaborate with relevant authorities on the development and maintenance of a national system for comprehensive data collection and trend analysis of public health events.
• Manage the analysis, interpretation, and knowledge building of surveillance data (including virological data) through WHO and peer-reviewed publications and media.
• Encourage collaboration and develop advocacy initiatives and project proposals for joint action and resource mobilization to augment national, operational responses to public health events.
• Act as the main liaison between government and WHO (all levels) on country-specific data gathering and dissemination of WHO-generated data and data analysis.

Competencies

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Producing Results
• Ensuring effective use of resources

Functional Knowledge And Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge and professional skills in the development and implementation of public health surveillance systems.
• Seasoned expertise in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of epidemiological and event-based surveillance data.
• Strong ability to process, analyze and interpret epidemiological and event-based surveillance data.
• Expertise in providing technical support/guidance for a rapid, public-health response to public-health events.
• Experience in data analysis and interpretation related to epidemics/pandemics.
• Knowledge of the communicable and non-communicable disease profile of the country.
• Demonstrated training skills (developing and conducting training).
• Ability to lead and coordinate multidisciplinary teams, projects, and programmes.
• Demonstrated skills to develop public-health guidelines.
• Proficiency in specialized surveillance/data-management software, computers and office software packages, handling of web-based management systems, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and Cloud Management Enterprise System such as Workday.
• Ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as helping others to do the same.

Educational Qualifications

• Essential: A university degree in epidemiology, public health, medical or other studies in a field directly related to the position. Post-graduate training in epidemiology (EPIET) or similar programme

Experience

• Essential: A minimum of five years of work experience relevant to the position (in epidemiology including developing and/or implementing programmes, policies, and guidelines as well as monitoring and evaluation of diseases and public health issues), with some of it obtained in an international context.
• Desirable: Experience in public-health responses in complex emergency and humanitarian crisis situations. Relevant experience in a developing country context is desirable. Experience in WHO or within the UN system with an understanding of its mandate, goals, and procedures.