Team Lead

Purpose of the Post:

Under the guidance of the Divisional Director and the WHO Representative, Greece, the incumbent provides technical and scientific expertise in the development and implementation of activities of the Athens Quality of Care Office, working towards the implementation of the Office’s Workplan and the 5 years agreement with the host Government. The incumbent facilitates the establishment and staffing of the Office as well as and the full and timely implementation of the agreed activities. The incumbent also contributes towards building a strong identity and both external and internal visibility of the Athens Office as centre of excellence in the area of Quality of Care and Patient Safety within the European Region and particularly with Member States around the Mediterranean basin and South-eastern Europe.

Objectives of the Programme and of the immediate Strategic Objective:

The WHO European Centre of Excellence for Quality of Care and Patient Safety (Athens Quality of Care Office/QoC) is technically guided by the Division of Country Policies and Systems (CPS):

The Division of Country Health Policies and Systems (CPS) assists countries in the Region with the design and implementation of appropriate health policies and systems to strengthen universal health coverage. It works to strengthen data-driven, evidence-informed, contextually tailored health policy development and implementation at national, regional and local levels, taking an inclusive approach across the life course. The Division advocates strengthening of public health leadership, focusing on implementing policies that are people centred, promote health, prevent illness, and address the social and economic determinants of health, while fostering leadership on equity, human rights and gender mainstreaming in health. It focuses on building capacity for health systems innovation to enable the sustainable delivery of high-quality primary health and community services that are effectively linked to hospitals, and mental health, public health and social care services. To do so, CPS supports country efforts to facilitate access so as to leave nobody behind, to improve financial protection, to strengthen the health workforce, to increase access to affordable medicines and technologies, and to promote the uptake and implementation of digital technology.

Summary of Assigned Duties:

Under the guidance of the Divisional Director and the WHO Representative, Greece, the incumbent provides technical and scientific expertise in the development and implementation of activities of the Athens Quality of Care Office, working towards the implementation of the Office’s Workplan and the 5 years agreement with the host Government. The incumbent facilitates the establishment and staffing of the Office as well as and the full and timely implementation of the agreed activities. The incumbent also contributes towards building a strong identity and both external and internal visibility of the Athens Office as centre of excellence in the area of Quality of Care and Patient Safety within the European Region and particularly with Member States around the Mediterranean basin and South-eastern Europe.

Key duties:

1. Developing annual work plans and reports in relation with the work of the Athens Quality of Care Office.

2. Contributing with senior technical advice and expertise towards developing the Office's strategies in line with the EPW - European Programme of Work - and specifically: development of overall strategy and workplan (including detailed results and indicators, possible sub-regional strategies and focus countries), partnerships and communication strategies.

3. Contributing to the EPW's priority countries, by developing internal and external partnerships including transversal cooperation with programmes and with WHO Country Offices as well as to enhancing and facilitating partnerships with regional and sub-regional stakeholder relevant organizations.

4. Providing technical leadership to the Athens Quality of Care Office activities around country support, National strategies and frameworks and sharing good practices with countries and stakeholders to scale-up successful interventions.

5. Ensuring through sustained advocacy efforts among other that innovation and knowledge synthesis around quality of care and patient safety elevates the Athens Quality of Care Office to become a centre of excellence within the European Region.

6. Coordinating the development of policy analysis in the sphere of quality of care and patient safety mainly for countries in the South-eastern European and the Mediterranean basin part of the WHO European Region.

7. Building broad and multisectoral networks and alliances and promote stakeholder engagement in the area of Quality of Care and Patient Safety.

8. Establishing and maintaining close and effective contacts with high level officials in Member States, at ministerial level, and international partners, representing WHO/EURO as and when requested by the from the Regional Director and in agreement with the respective Directors and WHO Country Representatives.

9. Other tasks as requested by the Divisional Director.

Competencies: Core, management or leadership competencies required

Teamwork

Respecting and prmoting individual and cultural differences

Communication

Producing results

Creating an empowering and motivating environment

Functional Knowledge and Skills:

1. Strong leadership and organizational skills

2. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with all stakeholders, both internal and external, including diplomacy, tact, empathy and an ability to deal with and communicate effectively with senior level officials, multiple stakeholders, and professionals from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds.

3. Demonstrated ability in conducing successful high-level policy dialogue.

4. Excellent oral, written and presentational communication skills.

5. Demonstrated knowledge of WHO European Region political context and public health settings.

6. Ability to work in a fast-paced environment.

7. Demonstrated emotional awareness: 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.

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: University degree (Master’s level) in public health or in a field relevant to the position.

Desirable: PhD in the field of Quality of Care and/or Patient Safety, or in a related area.

Experience:

Essential:

Essential: At least 10 years of demonstrated experience with gradual increasing responsibilities at national and international level in a technical coordination role and management of health programmes, within a public health context.

Demonstrated experience working with national counterparts and relevant agencies and stakeholders at country level. Demonstrated experience in translating evidence into actionable policies options.

Experience in leading teams and projects.

Demonstrated experience in public health with focus on any or several of the following areas: implementation, evaluation, health management, governance, policies, health systems and integrated services, health determinants, health literacy and behavioural change interventions as well as information systems and evidence-based policies.

Desirable: Demonstrated work experience on policy and strategy development and implementation of health programmes at country and regional levels. Relevant work experience within WHO and/or other UN agencies or other entities in countries of the WHO European Region.

Language Skills:

Fluency in English required.

Working/interediate kowledge of either french, Rusia or German an asset.

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 (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, Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.