External Emergency Roster - Health Operations Team Lead

Purpose of the External Emergency Roster

The purpose of the roster is to provide short-term support during acute events for a period of up to six (6) months which may be extended up to one year depending on operational needs. Placement on the roster entails a general commitment from the external candidate to deploy within 2 to 4 weeks from the time a request for availability is made.

Purpose of the Position

The overall goal of WHO's World Health Emergencies (WHE) Programme is to minimize the health consequences of emergencies due to any biological, natural, technological or societal hazard. Collective and sound health emergency and disaster risk management is essential to health security, to sustainable development and to building the resilience of communities, countries and health systems.

Objectives of the Programme and of the immediate Strategic Objective

The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to help countries, and to coordinate international action, to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies.

Organizational context

Reporting to the Incident Manager and under the overall guidance of the Head of WHO Country Office, in close coordination with other members of the Incident Management team, the respective regional office office and WHO/HQ, the incumbent leads the IMS overall health programmes in reponse to emergencies and has front line responsibility for the Health Operations section. S/he will be accountable for the technical pertinence and scientific soundness of the operation. This requires ongoing contacts with officials and representatives from health cluster partners, other technical staff in partner agencies (both within and outside the UN system), and senior staff of ministries of health (MOH). S/He will collaborate with technical staff at the three levels of the organization.

Summary of Assigned Duties

During deployment, the duty station may change, and duties may be modified, based upon the technical needs of the Programme.

Depending on the level and complexity of the incident, the incumbent might be performing all or some of the following duties:

• Lead the team, guide, direct and oversee implementation of the response plan. Ensure that the best knowledge, scientific evidence and information related to the public health risks and impacts of the event is available to the team to set standards and norms, develop and disseminate technical guidance and validate training, resource mobilization and communication materials.
• In coordination with the Incident Manager, oversee the coverage of all health operations in support to the Ministry of Health (MOH), coordinate partners and WHO implementation of the most effective prevention, control and response measures.

Communicable Diseases

1. Manage planning, operationalization of strategies and implementation of communicable diseases programmes addressing the risks of outbreak and/or health emergency, develop action plans for interventions in high-risk groups and recommend measures for special attention.

2. Coordinate early prevention, detection, verification, assessment and investigation of any risks of outbreaks and the dissemination of data related to the occurrence of outbreaks.

3. Establish, strengthen or operationalize rapid response teams responsible for the rapid investigation of alerts, field risk assessments and early response.

4. Oversee the information systems on communicable diseases and the monitoring of progress towards universal health coverage (UHC) facilitating integration with the national health information systems.

5. Lead the design and implementation of a variety of community outreach activities empowering communities to actively participate in the prevention, reporting and treatment of communicable diseases.

6. Ensure that communication messages are technically sound and socioculturally appropriate to induce, engage and empower stakeholders in the prevention, mitigation and control of risks. Oversee that scientific and technical advice is transformed into usable format and language. Deliver messages using the most effective and far-reaching means, in order to cover the greatest numbers of targeted stakeholders.

Health service delivery

7. Advise the national authorities and partners on equipping the health facilities with the necessary infrastructure, equipment, drugs, public health laboratories and blood safety, and medical supplies to address the existing and foreseen risks and to prevent the dissemination of infectious diseases within the facilities.

8. Ensure that health facilities provide quality preventive and curative health care to the affected population and continue to deliver routine essential health services in addition to responding to the cause of the crisis.

9. Provide technical expertise to the local authorities and other partners in capacity-building and training of local staff on best preventive, diagnostic, control and curative knowledge, practices and standards.

Prevention and control measures

10. Identify and develop clear recommendations and guidance on most relevant actions to be taken in affected as well as non-affected areas/countries in order to prevent and/or control causes of excess morbidity and mortality.

11. Coordinate the implementation of prevention and control mechanisms such as vaccination, enhanced surveillance, vector control, infection control (including personal protection), enhanced sanitation and hygiene, increased provision of water and/or nutrients, prepositioning of drugs and medical supplies, etc.

Sciences and research

12. Identify gaps in knowledge on the etiology, physiopathology, transmission, reliable and rapid diagnostic, effective prevention and treatment of any of the causes of excess morbidity and mortality of the affected population. Advise on key research, knowledge and product development to address these gaps.

13. Bolster collaboration and knowledge sharing between different internal and external partners; ensure concerted flow of communication at all levels of the organization.

14. Perform all other related duties as assigned.

Competencies

• Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

• Communication
• Respecting and promoting cultural differences
• Creating an empowering and motivating environment
• Promoting WHO's position in health leadership
• Teamwork

Functional Knowledge and Skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of the rapid response operations and their implementation in emergencies as related to public health, complemented by demonstrated ability to identify and manage difficult situations.
• Proven skills to manage multidisciplinary and multinational staff.
• Comprehensive knowledge of the theory, principles, methods and techniques of public health, communicable diseases and health services delivery.

Education Qualifications

Essential
• Advanced university degree (Master’s level or above) in Medicine, Public Health, Epidemiology, Health Systems/Services Administration or Management or related field from an accredited andrecognized academic institution.

Professional Experience

Essential
• A minimum of ten (10) years of relevant professional work experience, at the national and international level, managing health operations, with proven experience in managing outbreaks and/or health emergencies.
• Related experience in managing human and financial resources.

Desirable
• Relevant work experience in outbreaks and/or health emergency management and related development and implementation of strategies and action plans within WHO or UN agencies or health cluster partners or recognized humanitarian organizations; experience working in relevant nongovernmental organizations.

Use of Language Skills

• Excellent knowledge of English or French (depending on the country of assignment). • Working knowledge of another WHO official language would be an asset.

Other Skills (e.g. IT)

• Knowledge of Microsoft Office software applications.

Note: This Vacancy Notice is open to external candidates, WHO consultants and short term staff on SSA contracts who meet the minimum requirements of the position. Only shortlisted candidates will advance to the assessment stage of the pre-qualification process; and will be notified of its outcome accordingly.

Placement on the External Emergency Roster does not guarantee a commitment from WHO to recruit or hire the candidate in emergency responses as this depends on the operational needs of the Organization.