Technical Officer (Cancer Control)

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Special Initiative on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and Innovation (SNI) supports Member States in their work to free the WHO European Region from avoidable NCDs. SNI recognizes both the urgency for immediate action as well as the need for a visionary paradigm shift that puts NCDs higher on the political and health agendas for future generations. Therefore, SNI takes a dual-track approach, promoting accelerated progress toward the NCD-related SDG commitments for 2030 (RACE to the Finish) while simultaneously championing the key generational shifts required, to address NCDs within the permacrisis (Vision2050), and achieve a sustainably healthier European Region. SNI's commitment is to support Member States to achieve a healthier population and to close the gap in NCDs including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes that persist within countries and across the Region. SNI is also charged with fostering Innovation in Public Health across the whole of the work of WHO in the European Region (not just for NCDs).SNI promotes an approach to innovation that is forward thinking and agile, institutionalizing innovation and adjusting to meet the changing needs of a vast region facing demographic, societal and environmental shifts, emergencies, and rapid technological advances. The work under this area includes supporting an ecosystem of innovators in health, matching innovative solutions with stated public health needs in countries, and pushing the envelope in trending areas such as the application of artificial intelligence to public health. The WHO country office works with the National Authorities to achieve the highest standard of health as a fundamental human right, based on equity and on SDGs principle of leaving no one behind. WHO actions are engrained in the WHO 14th General Programme of Work with its 3 prong objectives of promoting healthier populations, keeping the world safe through addressing health emergencies, and protecting the vulnerable through Universal Health Coverage. WHO's mandate revolves around six core functions: 1)providing Global Health leadership; 2)shaping the health research agenda; 3)setting norms and standards; 4)articulating evidence-based policy options; 5)providing technical support to countries; and 6)monitoring and assessing health trends. The WHO Country Office is an integral part of the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Its main role is to facilitate and coordinate all WHO activities at country level and to implement the European Programme of Work 2020-2025-“United Action for Better Health in Europe” which sets out a vision of how the WHO Regional Office for Europe can better support countries in meeting citizens' expectations about health. WHO at country level delivers this through practical, actionable and country focused solutions to health challenges, keeping in perspective that achieving health and well-being is a whole-of-society endeavour; This is done through facilitating the implementation of the Biennial Collaborative Agreement with the country and its corresponding workplan. The WHO Country Office maintains good working relations and ensures information exchange between the country and WHO, policy and strategic guidance on Health issues to all national and international partners in the country, provision of direct technical expertise when needed and aims at more community engagement and participation, and to promote health equity.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

This position will lead WHO's work in Uzbekistan on NCDs, particularly cancer, and will coordinate and provide technical support to the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan, national counterparts, and all relevant health development partners. The Technical Officer will be responsible for the WHO Global Childhood Cancer Initiative, the WHO Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative, and the Islamic Development Bank "Support to Development of Oncology Services Project in the Republic of Uzbekistan", as well as other related programmatic work. The post will contribute to the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, particularly cancers, within the overall framework of the Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) and will focus on health services across the continuum of care (clinical prevention, early detection/screening, treatment of acute and chronic conditions, palliative care) for the four major conditions (cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases and cancer).

Key duties:

• Work under the direct supervision of the WHO Representative /Head of WHO Country Office, Uzbekistan with oversight and technical guidance from the EURO cancer and NCD teams
• Ensure contribution and integration from the perspective of NCDs through teamwork and collaborative activities across the relevant WCO units to support the implementation of the national health strategy, aligned with UNSDCF/SDGs and GPW14
• Advise national government counterparts and partners on and facilitate the adoption of global best practices, norms, standards, guidelines, and tools to support the implementation of all projects pertaining to NCDs, especially cancers, programme of work in Uzbekistan
• Support the Ministry of Health (MOH) and other national partners in developing, implementing, and evaluating national strategies and policies in NCD prevention and control at national and subnational levels. Specifically, support the development and implementation National Cancer Control Plan with appropriate involvement of all levels of WHO and key national and international partners
• Assist, advise and support MOH and national counterparts in establishing legislation, technical working groups, task forces etc and in undertaking policy dialogues, roundtables, workshops and meetings to facilitate for NCD prevention and control programme implementation at national and subnational levels
• Ensure expert technical advice is provided to national counterparts to ensure NCDs, including cancers, are integrated into the national and subnational health system focusing on Primary Health Care (PHC)approaches to achieve Universal Health Coverage
• Facilitate and guide governance and capacity building at all levels of the health system for NCDs, including systematic enhancement of digital health technologies; safe, efficacious, and affordable medicines; and documenting and dissemination of best practices and partners' experiences
• Advocate, build and strengthen partnerships and networks to enhance intersectoral collaboration and mobilize resources to address NCD prevention and control
• Ensure close working relationships across relevant UN agencies and with partners, especially donor agencies supporting NCDs (e.g. IsDB, St Jude Hospital etc)
• Perform other duties as required under guidance of the WHO Representative aligned with Organizational priorities

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: University degree (Master's level) in public health or field relevant to the position
Desirable: Additional Master's level qualification or degree in any of the above areas or post graduate training in a relevant NCD specialty such as cardiology, endocrinology, oncology and/or family medicine or similar

Experience

Essential: At least seven years of relevant work experience in NCD prevention and care, and ideally cancer-control including at least three years at international level. Evidenced experience in effective communication with governments, national professionals, and technical experts. Proven organizational and project management skills.
Desirable: Relevant experience in WHO, UN organizations/agencies, international institutions or NGOs. Proven experience working in partnership with UN organizations, the private sector, multinational organizations and non-governmental organizations Relevant experience in intersectoral work and resource mobilization. Proven experience working with Ministries of Health and other Ministries/Governmental Agencies/Legislative Authorities.

Skills

• Demonstrated in-depth knowledge of the prevention and control of NCDs notably cancer in low- and middle-income countries, including stakeholder engagement
• Technical and programmatic knowledge of the prevention and control of a range of noncommunicable diseases
• Expertise to strategically plan, coordinate, and support the implementation of health programme interventions for NCDs and experience inworking in relevant country context
• Working knowledge of health care systems, Universal Health Coverage, in-service and pre-service training, essential noncommunicable disease drugs, primary health care delivery systems
• In-depth knowledge of international best practice in the related disease control areas of WHO's policies, practices, guidelines and procedures, and ability to apply them in the country context and WCO setting
• Excellent knowledge of NCDs in the context of public health practice particularly health systems
• Excellent analytical and organizational skills, with the ability to deliver results
• Skills in developing and promoting collaborative multisectoral partnerships and mobilizing resources
• Demonstrated ability to provide clear advice and guidance to multiple stakeholders and partners and to negotiate in the context of diverse views
• Ability to foster teamwork and to establish and maintain effective working relationships at all levels, particularly across the WHO CO team in a multicultural and diverse environment
• Emotional intelligence: the ability to identify and harness one's emotions and apply them to tasks; and the ability to manage emotions, which includes both regulating one's own emotions when necessary and helping others to do the same

WHO Competencies

Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Producing results
Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of Russian

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 77,326 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 2520 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level

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• A written test and/or an asynchronous video assessment may be used as a form of screening

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