Open Positions at World Health Organization

Description Of Duties
The incumbent is assigned the following responsibilities:

• Leadership
• Facilitate the acceleration of Oral Cholera vaccine rollout initiatives and vaccination in the development, implementation, and monitoring of WHO AFRO’s regional strategies, polices, plans, programmes, and interventions to achieve the SDGs in the WHO African Region.
• Facilitate coordinated and integrated approaches contributing to the needs of the Member States of the Region.
• Oversee capacity building and training based on technical norms, standards, best practices, and Standard Operating Procedures.
• Collaborate with the UHC/LC, EPR and UHC/HP Clusters to build strong and resilient health systems for preventing and controlling vaccine preventable diseases by accelerating the introduction of Ebola vaccine in members states.
• Promote cross-cutting activities and ensure full collaboration and coordination of activities.
• Continue to collaborate in cross-Cluster work and task teams to achieve organizational results, including for resource mobilization and evidence guided advocacy.
• Generation of evidence, data & information products
• Conduct analytical studies and implementation research as needed and collaboratively develops guidelines and recommend solutions for Oral Cholera vaccine rollout.
• Facilitate the documentation of best practices and success factors within the countries in the Region.
• Facilitate the development of progress monitoring tools and reports on Oral Cholera vaccine implementation.
• Perform other related responsibilities as assigned, including replacing and backstopping for others as required,
• Document authoritative reports on Oral Cholera vaccine rollout status in African region.
• Technical support to countries
• Determine and set policies for the introduction of Oral Cholera vaccine, and related technologies, including strengthening country capacity to assess the burden of VPD.
• Develop and implement harmonized protocols to facilitate policy decisions and organize regional training on new vaccine introduction.
• Support WCO in the submission of applications to GAVI to receive financial support (for GAVI eligible countries),
• Support planning, vaccine forecasting, country readiness, assessment on logistics, and training of immunization staff at all levels.
• Develop work-plans and activities based on assessment of Oral Cholera vaccine roll out activities of the Member States,
• Adapt and develop guidelines and training materials for Oral Cholera vaccine rollout for use in the African member states.
• Support the verification and validation strategies for Oral Cholera vaccine rollout in member states.
• Solicit feedback from countries technical experts on global and regional policies to strengthen recommendations made at the global and regional levels and ensure feasibility of implementation at the national level.
• Communications
• Support advocacy, communication, development of key messages for social mobilization, launching of the vaccines and evaluation of the introductions.
• Regularly conceive and publish bulletin/newsletter on Ebola vaccine roll out and vaccination data.
• Develop and disseminate programme advocacy materials (Region, Sub-region & countries…) on Oral Cholera vaccine rollout.
• Partnership, resources mobilization, grant Management
• Establish and strengthen communication and partnerships with national and regional officials, health professionals, representatives of multi- and bilateral agencies as required.
• Identify problems and provide broad guidance for resolving challenges and for possible redesign of existing policies and integration of such policies into other programme areas within the framework of WHO Staff Rules and Regulations, financial rules, and AFRO accepted procedures.
• Support WHO countries offices to collaborate with national immunization programme to include regional and global immunization policies and strategies in the Country Cooperation Strategy, through nationally relevant evidence and discussions with the National Regulatory Authority (NRA) and the National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG).

Required Qualifications
Education

• Essential: University Degree in medicine, epidemiology, public health or health policy, infectious diseases, or communicable diseases.
• Desirable: Specialization in vaccinology, immunology, clinical research.
• Post-graduate degree in epidemiology, public health or health policy, infectious diseases, or communicable diseases.

Experience
Essential: A minimum of five (5) years’ experience in developing, designing, and implementing public health programmes, especially implementation and/or M&E of vaccine preventable disease programmes in low and/or middle-income countries.
Desirable: Experience in epidemiological field, quality management, strategic and policy planning as well as facilitating consultations.

• Experience in resources mobilization and partners coordination.
• A track record of research, with publications at senior authorship level in peer reviewed journals, would be an asset.
• Experience in implementation of accelerate disease control initiatives.
• Experience in overseeing implementation, reviewing, and updating existing policies, strategies and guidelines and recommending new initiatives and innovative approaches.
• Experience in the development of capacity building tools and databases for monitoring and evaluation purposes, introduction process of new vaccines, monitoring of VPD programme including demand generation through inclusive community engagement approach and vaccines management.
• Experience in facilitating coordinated and integrated approaches to effective programme management and implementation; monitoring and evaluation; national strategic plan development.

Skills

• Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of principles, practices, methodology and techniques of immunization programmes.
• Excellent capacity in analyzing vaccine-preventable diseases and EPI-related data, synthesizing information, and presenting clear and concise conclusions to foster decision-making,
• Monitor and reporting on results, progress, lessons learnt and obstacles,
• Proven track record in the development and implementation of norms, standards, monitoring and evaluation,
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with the ability to write in a clear and concise manner and provide technical advice and guidance taking into consideration the views of multiple stakeholders and partners in resource-limited contexts; and to participate in resource mobilization and advocacy activities,
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to promote consensus, communicate progress and results, and resolve issues in a proactive manner, while ensuring effective work practices and ethics, diplomacy, tact, and courtesy.
• Familiarity with the UN system, including knowledge of WHO country, regional and global functions. Ability to work as a team member, and sensitivity to working in a multi-cultural environment.

WHO Competencies

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

Use of Language Skills

• Essential: Expert knowledge of English or French.
• Desirable: Working knowledge of other UN official languages.

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Description Of Duties
The incumbent is assigned the following responsibilities:

• To lead the area of work aimed at capacity building on EPI norms and practices for immunization health workforce to attain mature integrated and evidence-based decision immunization programmes at regional, sub-regional and country levels;
• To contribute and support the mapping of countries capacity building needs, mapping of capacities and materials on vaccinology and immunization norms and practices;
• To contribute and support to the development of guidelines, Norms, Standards operating procedures, training materials at global, regional, sub-regional and at country level on capacity building of Health workforce including supporting and/or independent bodies in collaboration with other technical focal persons in other VPD areas of work;
• To facilitate coordinated approaches of trainings and capacity building of immunization Health workforce and supporting and/or independent bodies such as NITAGs, ICC and other committees.
• To coordinate and support the establishment and strengthening of functional NITAGs and other supporting bodies such as Inter agency coordinating committees, Health sector coordinating Groups in the African Region,
• Facilitating optimal use of all available immunization policy resources and training materials, including NITAG, ICC, HSCG resources and platforms,
• Providing technical expertise and networks of advisory bodies to liaise with WHO headquarters,
• Facilitating the participation of NITAGs in SAGE and GNN meetings, identify priority countries and coordinate twinning opportunities,
• Coordinating NITAG assessments, including review of assessment reports, sharing reports with the group of NITAG partners and following up on actions identified with the country.
• Ensuring that NITAG work plans are aligned with evaluation report recommendations. Encourage close collaboration at regional, sub-regional and national levels to promote information sharing.
• To Ensure regular reporting on the work of the NITAGs, including the preparation and submission of annual reports in the area of immunization
• Developing/collaborating on the development and maintenance of up-to-date regional and national databases for countries Immunization health workforce training in African regional
• To support the VPD team leader in development of proposals, updating of workplans, budget, financial expenditure projections and resource mobilization for the work area.
• Strengthen partnership, collaboration with all stakeholders and alliances to harmonize and streamline country support for the health workforce capacity building at all levels;
• Facilitate the back-up of Inter Country Support Teams (ISTs), to provide technical assistance to Member States relating to health workforce capacity building;
• Collaborate with other programmes to promote and support the development of online training and adoption of innovations and digitalization in capacity building area;
• Perform other related responsibilities as assigned, including replacing and backstopping for others as required.

Required Qualifications
Education

• Essential: Master's degree in medicine with post-graduate degree in public health or health policy.
• Desirable: Specialization in immunization, vaccinology and or health policy related domain.

Experience

• Essential: A minimum of seven (07) years progressive experience in developing, designing, and implementing public health programmes, especially managing routine immunization system, planning, implementation and/or M&E of immunization programmes.
• Experience in the development of capacity building tools and databases for monitoring and evaluation including setting up online training platform.
• Desirable: Experience in policy formulation, strategic and policy planning as well as facilitating consultations.
• Experience in implementation of national immunization programme.
• Experience in overseeing implementation, review and updating existing policies, strategies and guidelines and recommending new initiatives and innovative approaches.
• Experience in developing or supporting countries to develop evidence-based health and or immunization policies.

Skills

• Within the context of the immunization agenda 2030 and the AFR Regional Immunization Strategic Plans, the incumbent is expected to have demonstrated knowledge of routine immunization programmes, vaccine preventable diseases and global health. Proven ability to think independently and strategically plan, coordinate and implement routine immunization activities, including norms and standards for vaccines management and related capacity building; coordination of the demand generation for immunization services, monitoring and reporting on results, progress, lessons learnt and obstacles. Proven understanding of routine immunization as related to preventable diseases including case-based surveillance as well how to achieve universal Health coverage (UHC). Proven track record in the development and implementation of norms and standards and effective reporting mechanisms and systems, and M&E.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with ability to write in a clear and concise manner and give technical advice and guidance taking into consideration the views of multiple stakeholders and partners in resource-limited contexts; and to participate in resource mobilization and advocacy activities. Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to promote consensus, communicate progress and results, and resolve issues in a proactive manner, while ensuring effective work practices and ethics. Diplomacy, tact and courtesy.

WHO Competencies

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Creating a motivating and empowering environment
• Promoting innovation and organizational learning

Use of Language Skills

• Essential: Expert knowledge of English or French.
• Desirable: Working knowledge of other UN official languages.

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Description Of Duties
The incumbent is assigned the following responsibilities:

• To Coordinate and facilitate the members states in development and costing of multi-year plans including advocating for sustainable financing for implementation
• Support countries proposals development for Immunization financing
• Proactively participate and collaborate with partners and stakeholders within and outside WHO/AFRO in economic analysis and evaluation of immunization and health systems strengthening ecosystems.
• To contribute to the development and dissemination of guidelines, tools, norms, standards, and frameworks for economic evaluation of immunization financing for decision making;
• Contribute to identification and capacity building of national and sub-regional human and institutional capacities in immunization economics and financial sustainability.
• To proactively collaborate with regional and subregional economic platforms in resource mobilization and advocacy activities that drives access to vaccines and new technologies in support of the implementation of WHO and AFRO resolutions pertaining to immunization.
• Contribute to producing scientific papers on the economics of immunization and vaccine preventable diseases including financial projections.
• To Coordinate immunization financing reviews as part of country level comprehensive immunization programme review and regional level review of regional strategic plan for immunization
• Developing/collaborating on the development and maintenance of up-to-date sub regional databases on immunization programme financing as well as monitoring of immunization financing for strengthening and improvement of interventions.
• To contribute to development of work plans and budgetary proposals, as required and perform other related responsibilities as assigned.

Required Qualifications
Education

• Essential: Master’s degree in Economics, Management or Business Administration, complemented by post-graduate degree or studies in health economics or public health.

Experience

• Essential: A minimum of seven (7) years’ experience in planning, costing of immunization and vaccine programme, and economics analysis of public health programmes and interventions within broad health systems perspective.
• Desirable: Experience in policy formulation, strategic planning, and management, as well as facilitating consultations and skills transfer.
• Experience in implementation of national immunization programme.

Skills

• Within the context of the immunization agenda 2030 and the AFR Regional Immunization Strategic Plans, the candidate is expected to have demonstrated knowledge of health economics, health sector financing, routine immunization programmes, vaccine preventable diseases and global health architecture. Proven ability to think independently and strategically plan, coordinate, and support implementation of health programme interventions
• Understanding health sector development financing ecosystems, multi-lateral and bilateral funding mechanisms and Development Financial institutions (DFI), Public Financial Management (PFM) and operational modalities of special financing vehicles for immunization and health.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with ability to write in a clear and concise manner and give technical advice and guidance taking into consideration the views of multiple stakeholders and partners in resource-limited contexts; and to participate in resource mobilization and advocacy activities.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to promote consensus, communicate progress and results, and resolve issues in a proactive manner, while ensuring effective work practices and ethics, diplomacy, tact, and courtesy.

WHO Competencies

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Creating a motivating and empowering environment
• Ensuring the effective use of resources

Use of Language Skills

• Essential: Expert knowledge of English or French.
• Desirable: Working knowledge of other UN official languages.

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PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

• The incumbent will be the focal person for VPD outbreak preparedness and Response within the Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (VPD) Programme at the WHO Regional office for Africa, which supports the achievement of universal immunization coverage in the African Region, accelerated disease control and integrated disease surveillance, as part of broader efforts to strengthen primary health care and achieve universal health coverage, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, the incumbent has first line responsibility for all aspects of vaccine preventable disease surveillance preparedness and response, guided by the Global Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA 2030), the Regional Strategic plans, the Addis Ababa Deceleration on Immunization targets contributing to provide transformational leadership in the implementation of the UCN/VPD programme. These will be achieved in a context of strengthened and resilient health systems, contributing to attaining UHC and other health related SDG targets through proactive contribution to supporting governing bodies, technical working groups and advisory bodies, coordination with member states and partners.

Description Of Duties
The incumbent will support and facilitate the VPDs outbreaks responses and support to the immunization programmes through the following:

• Support the development, update and dissemination of WHO guidance, norm and standards, tools and Standard Operating procedures on VPDs outbreak preparedness;
• Proactively support the development of outbreak-readiness tools and response plans for countries at national and sub national levels for the update/review of countries in collaboration with vaccine focal persons within regional, IST and WCO;
• Contribute and support the capacity building of countries teams in VPD surveillance including risk assessment, Outbreak preparedness and response;
• Support countries in the preparation, implementation and evaluation of VPDs outbreak response by proactively supporting monitoring of readiness, intra-actions reviews and after action reviews;
• Support the documentation and dissemination of best practices;
• Liaise with and support the team members in accelerated disease control/ elimination, in the process of validation of elimination/ eradication of VPDs at country and regional levels;
• Collaborate with other programmes to promote and support the adoption of innovations, particularly in the optimization and digitalization of surveillance systems, and risk assessment and outbreak preparedness;
• Develop and/or collaborate on the development and maintenance of up-to-date regional, sub-regional and national databases for VPD outbreaks’ readiness and response as part of the development of new/improved tools and strategies;
• Perform other related responsibilities as assigned, including replacing and backstopping for others as required

Required Qualifications
Educational (Qualifications)
Essential

• Master’s degree in epidemiology, public health, health policy, infectious diseases, communicable diseases or related field.

Desirable

• Post-graduate training in public health, vaccinology or another related filed.
• Specialization in social science, infection diseases, anthropology, bacteriology, virology, parasitology, technical expertise in disease control and immunization.

Experience
Essential

• A minimum of Seven (07) years’ experience in developing, designing, and implementing public health programmes, especially managing disease surveillance, outbreak investigation and response as well as setting up sentinel surveillance. Planning, implementation and/or M&E of immunization surveillance programmes.

Desirable

• International experience in disease surveillance and outbreak response.
• Experience in implementation of national immunization and surveillance programme.
• A track record of research, with publications in peer reviewed journals.
• Experience in overseeing implementation, review and updating existing surveillance and laboratory guidelines and recommending new initiatives and innovative approaches.
• Experience in capacity building, producing surveillance tools and databases for monitoring and evaluation purposes, experience in surveillance of new vaccines, monitoring of impact of new vaccines.
• Experience in working with variety of partners/stakeholders

Skills

• Within the context of the immunization agenda 2030 and the Regional strategic plans, the incumbent is expected to have demonstrated knowledge of surveillance of vaccine preventable diseases and global health security.
• Track record in thinking independently and strategically, planning, coordinating and implementing disease surveillance activities, including norms and standards for surveillance of priority diseases and related capacity building; coordination of the data management activities.
• Proven understanding of VPD surveillance as related to preventable diseases including case-based surveillance, Integrated Disease surveillance (IDSR) and International Health Regulations (IHR) as well as how to achieve universal Health coverage (UHC).
• Proven track record in the development and implementation of surveillance norms and standards and effective disease reporting mechanisms and systems, and M&E.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with ability to write in a clear and concise manner and give technical advice and guidance taking into consideration the views of multiple stakeholders and partners in resource-limited contexts; and to participate in resource mobilization and advocacy activities. Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to promote consensus, communicate progress and results, and resolve issues in a proactive manner, while ensuring effective work practices and ethics, diplomacy, tact and courtesy.

WHO Competencies

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Creating a motivating and empowering environment
• Ensuring the effective use of resources

Use of Language Skills

• Essential: Excellent knowledge of English or French.
• Desirable: Working knowledge of other UN official languages

Other Skills (e.g., IT)

• Proven ability to use standard office software packages, Conversant with common IT software including eHealth tools.