Advisor, Immunization

Contract

This is a P-4 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 148,736 USD and 191,764 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

This requisition is for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)

The Department of Family, Health Promotion and Life Course (FPL) of the Pan American Health Organization promotes, coordinates and implements technical cooperation at the regional, subregional and country levels, emphasizing the central role of the family and community to foster a culture of health promotion and protection in which health is a social value and a human right. FPL focuses on the development and implementation of programs for women and men’s health; sexual and reproductive health; maternal and neonatal health; the integrated health and development of children and adolescents; the health of aging populations; comprehensive family immunization and leads innovative, inter-sectoral and strategic efforts to address the social determinants of health.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the direct supervision of the Unit Chief, Comprehensive Family Immunization (FPL/IM), and the general supervision of the Director, Family, Health Promotion and Life Course (FPL), the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

1. Advise and provide technical cooperation to national immunization programs toward the adoption of Global and Regional mandates, to increase equity in vaccine coverage and improve surveillance integration with Primary Health Care, among others;
2. Develop a road map in order to strengthen immunization services within the broader context of health systems strengthening (HSS), universal health coverage (UHC) and regional and global strategic guidelines;
3. Promote linkages with governments, national and international agencies, NGOs, bilateral entities, external partners such as UNICEF, the GAVI Alliance, foundations, international institutions, global funds, donors, political integration and multilateral organizations to enhance political commitment and to make optimum use of the technical, administrative and economic resources available for the immunization programs;
4. Collaborate and assist the IM Program in promoting synergies and building inter-programmatic collaborative relationships with other units, Departments and three levels of WHO, to ensure the promotion of strengthened coherence and coordination of immunization activities and partnerships;
5. Advise and provide technical cooperation to national immunization programs on the implementation of program strategies and activities related to the eradication and/or elimination and/or the control of immunization targeted diseases with emphasis on Influenza, Hepatitis and Yellow Fever:
   1. Identify and resolve problems hampering the implementation of the technical cooperation for increased equity in vaccine coverage and the accomplishment of vaccine-preventable disease control/elimination/eradication;
   2. Develop immunization plans, strategies and tactics for achieving high and homogeneous vaccine coverage at municipal level;
   3. Oversee the organization of epidemiological surveillance systems for vaccine-preventable diseases, particularly Influenza, Hepatitis and Yellow Fever;
   4. Systematize methods for reporting administered immunization to eradicate or eliminate vaccine preventable diseases;
   5. Collaborate and coordinate with the Regional Program in maintaining an active information system on morbidity related to vaccine-preventable diseases;
   6. Train personnel in all aspects of program implementation, the eradication and/or elimination of vaccine-preventable diseases;
   7. Support intra and extra-sectoral coordination as well as at the institutional level;
   8. Support social mobilization for immunization programs;
6. Prepare project proposals for resource mobilization, periodic and special reports on the progress and development of immunization activities, papers and publications for peer-reviewed academic journals;
7. Lead innovative surveillance networks for vaccine effectiveness and impact evaluation in middle- and low-income countries and partner institutions, for selected vaccines integrating COVID-19 vaccines;
8. Lead Maternal and Neonatal Immunization initiatives in coordination with CLAP and other Departments, Universities, scientific societies, and other stakeholders;
9. Oversee the preparation and coordination of the Vaccination Week of the Americas in collaboration with the Member States, Partners and other Regions and Organizations;
10. Oversee the preparation and coordination of international training programs on: operational and administrative aspects of immunization programs; mobilization of resources; program management; technical issues; specialized surveillance activities for vaccine preventable diseases, particularly for Influenza, Hepatitis and Yellow Fever;
11. Develop and promote research programs related to different operational and epidemiological components of immunization programs and related activities;
12. Develop methodologies and protocols to evaluate the immunization program including the deployment of the Covid-19 or other pandemic response vaccines, and collaborate with the Member States for its implementation;
13. Advise and provide technical cooperation to national immunization programs on the process of documentation and verification of the vaccine preventable diseases in eradication and/or elimination;
14. Participate in team-based project development and execution of the program of work and the preparation of the biennial work plan (BWP) and related budgets, work plans, and progress reports, periodic analytical reports to donors, and briefing books for vaccine-preventable disease control /elimination /eradication, particularly on Influenza, Hepatitis and Yellow Fever;
15. Perform other related duties, as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education****:

Essential: A bachelor’s degree in a health-related profession, and a master’s degree in epidemiology, public health or in any other area related to the functions of the post from a recognized university.

In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO, only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation http://www.chea.org and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to support the validation process.

Experience****:

Essential: Nine years of combined national and international experience in disease control programs, with emphasis on monitoring (surveillance and data quality) and the design, implementation, and evaluation of immunization programs. Of these, at least two years managing all aspects of development and dissemination of information, using different media and information technologies.

SKILLS****:

PAHO Competencies:

• Overall attitude at work****: Maintains integrity and takes a clear ethical approach and stance; demonstrates commitment to the Organization’s mandate and promotes the values of the Organization in daily work and behavior; is accountable for work carried out in line with own role and responsibilities; is respectful towards, and trusted by, colleagues and counterparts.
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences****: Relate well to diversity in others and capitalize on such diversity - Relates well to diversity in others and capitalizes on such diversity. Treats all people with dignity and respect. Relates well to people with different cultures, gender, orientations, backgrounds and/or positions; examines own behavior to avoid stereotypical responses; considers issues from the perspective of others and values their diversity.
• Teamwork****: Collaborate and cooperate with others - Works collaboratively with team members and counterparts to achieve and build rapport; helps others when asked; accepts joint responsibility for the team’s successes and shortcomings.
• Communication****: Write effectively/Share knowledge - Writes down ideas in a clear, structured, logical and credible way; drafts and supports the development of guidelines, policies and procedures. Shares relevant information openly and ensures that the shared information is understood; considers knowledge sharing as a constructive working method and demonstrates awareness of the Organization.
• Creating an empowering and motivating environment****: Provide direction - Manages individual and group projects and ensures that roles, responsibilities and reporting lines are clearly defined, understood and accepted; delegates work appropriately to achieve best results.
• Producing Results****: Work efficiently and independently/Deliver quality results - Monitors own and others’ work in a systematic and effective way, ensuring required resources and outputs. Aligns projects with Organization’s mission and objectives. Consistently solves own and team’s problems effectively as needed. Proactively engages in projects and initiatives, accepting demanding goals, in line with Organizational Strategies and Program of Work. Demonstrates accountability for work of team and sets an example, while explicitly articulating lessons learnt for own and team’s benefit.
• Ensuring effective use of resources****: Strategize and set clear objectives/Monitor progress and use resources well - Sets specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely objectives for own team and/or the Organization; systematically analyses and anticipates priority projects for own team and allocates necessary resources to achieve them; identifies the cross-Organizational resources needed for large- scale projects in line with key Organizational objectives. Anticipates foreseeable changes and adapts own and team’s projects in the face of unforeseen circumstances and/ or challenges; creates measures and criteria to monitor progress of overall projects against key Organizational objectives; creates cost-effective solutions for the Organization.
• Building and promoting partnerships across the Organization and beyond****: Develop networks and partnerships and encourage collaboration - Builds and negotiates strategic partnerships and alliances with a wide range of key stakeholders to ensure Organizational results and success. Creates innovative opportunities for promoting synergies inside and outside the Organization to improve Organizational success.

Technical Expertise:

• Extensive knowledge of the principles and recent developments in surveillance, epidemiology, and biostatistics.
• Extensive knowledge on program management.
• Extensive knowledge in the implementation strategies to eradicate and/or eliminate vaccine preventable diseases.
• Extensive knowledge and abilities in editing publications for international audiences and in developing policy documents.
• Ability to negotiate, influence, and impact positively on the generation and implementation of plans.
• Demonstrated ability in the application of epidemiological techniques and procedures for analyzing the magnitude of vaccine preventable diseases or conditions affecting the health of the population, determining factors which influence the magnitude of these diseases or conditions; applying and evaluating selected interventions designed to reduce the magnitude of these diseases.
• Strong professional oral and writing skills, including the development of papers for peer reviewed journals, reports, oral presentations, and technical/persuasive documents for consideration at the highest levels of the Organization.

Languages:

Very good knowledge of Spanish or English and a working knowledge of the other language. Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese would be an asset.

IT Skills:

Demonstrated ability to effectively use current technology and software, spreadsheets and presentations, as well as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and management information systems. Other IT skills and knowledge of software programs such as Microsoft Excel, Outlook, OneDrive, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, and Word are considered essential.

REMUNERATION

Annual Salary****: (Net of taxes)

USD $75,602.00 post adjustment

Post Adjustment****: 54.1% of the above figure(s). This percentage is to be considered as indicative since variations may occur each month either upwards or downwards due to currency exchange rate fluctuations or inflation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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

Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and e-Manual.

For information on PAHO please visit: http://www.paho.org

PAHO/WHO is an ethical organization that maintains high standards of integrity and accountability. People joining PAHO are required to maintain these standards both in their professional work and personal activities.

PAHO/WHO also promotes a work environment that is free from harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and other types of abusive behavior. PAHO conducts background checks and will not hire anyone who has a substantiated history of abusive conduct.

PAHO/WHO personnel interact frequently with people in the communities we serve. To protect these people, PAHO has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. People who commit serious wrongdoing will be terminated and may also face criminal prosecution.

PAHO/WHO is committed to workforce diversity. PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

PAHO/WHO offers an attractive compensation package including an annual net salary and post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station and exchange rates (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance). Other benefits include: 30 days annual leave, dependency benefits, pension plan and health insurance scheme. Benefits for internationally recruited staff may include home leave, travel and removal expenses on appointment and separation, education grant for dependent children, assignment grant and rental subsidy.

Candidates appointed to an international post with PAHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

All applicants are required to complete an on-line profile to be considered for this post.

Candidates will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration. A written test and/or interview will be held for this post. The post description is the official documentation for organization purposes.