Country Program Specialist (ECS)

Contract

This is a P-2 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 2 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 57,661 USD and 78,318 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 Office of Barbados and Eastern Caribbean Countries (ECC) collaborates with its Member States and organizations to improve the health status of the people of ten countries and territories of the Eastern Caribbean, including the three French Departments of the Americas (FDA), working with Caribbean Governments and other partners to sustain and advance national, regional and global health and development, and to enhance technical cooperation.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the direct supervision of the PAHO/WHO Representative for Barbados and Eastern Caribbean Countries (PWR/ECC), the incumbent is responsible for, but not limited to, the following assigned duties:

1. Provide technical support and advice to the Representative and Country Office team on strategic and operational planning, program management, budgeting, resource coordination and mobilization to enable the implementation of the PAHO/WHO technical cooperation program in the country or territories, consistent with the Organization’s mandates, priorities and results-based management (RBM) framework;
2. Collaborate in the development and implementation of a system for coordination and monitoring of the Organization's technical cooperation in health, as well as the Eastern Caribbean Countries’ cooperation with other development partners working in and with the country or territories, including the identification of opportunities for joint collaboration;
3. Provide and facilitate briefings on the Organization's framework to senior and middle management personnel of Ministry(ies) of Health;
4. Support the development, implementation, monitoring and reporting on the Multi-Country Cooperation Strategy (MCCS), or the PAHO/UKOTS Strategic Document, consistent with the Organization’s policies and guidelines through a consultative and participatory approach with national counterparts and staff of the Country Office, and Subregional and regional programs;
5. Implement the results-based management framework and develop the managerial tools to ensure the achievement of expected results by the Country Office; support the Representative in the operational planning and implementation of the assigned country’s Biennial Work Plan (BWP), ensuring that these are aligned with the Organization’s Strategic Plan and Multi-Country Cooperation Strategy (MCCS); prepare reports; coordinate with technical advisors on setting realistic targets and milestones and ensuring up-to-date information to monitor progress on BWP implementation;
6. Monitor Agreements on technical cooperation with the Ministry(ies) of Health (MoH) and strategic partners, at the international and national levels; apply the tools and systems for operational planning, and support the implementation of the planning, programming, budgeting and resource coordination processes through an entity- wide participatory process;
7. Monitor program expenditure and prepare the relevant monitoring and monthly tracking reports on the use of awarded funds; assist with preparation of grant reports and ensure that required reporting is done in accordance with corresponding Agreement;
8. Develop and update the health situation analysis and the Health System Profile of the assigned country or territory, in collaboration with nationals from the health and non-health sectors;
9. Coordinate in-country knowledge management processes, including information dissemination and respond to requests or national data to and from the Organization;
10. Identify needs and possible opportunities for, and assist with resource mobilization to address priorities in health, including assessed and voluntary contributions and technical cooperation projects;
11. Liaise with national authorities in the health sector, as well as with other government institutions and the designated national country focal point to facilitate planning, implementation and evaluation of the Organization’s technical cooperation program, based on the country collaboration support and other frameworks, as agreed;
12. Prepare and review technical proposal requests with Ministry of Health counterparts; review technical /financial reports related to the implementation of the technical cooperation program before submission to the office of the Representative; participate in the ongoing monitoring and evaluation of technical cooperation projects;
13. Collaborate in the preparation of the Representation's Biennial Work Plan (BWP) and the execution of international cooperation, including the analysis of political, technical and socioeconomic realities;
14. Maintain effective partnerships with all project stakeholders to exchange critical and technical information and resolve program/project implementation issues to ensure results are achieved as planned;
15. Analyze and update information regarding key social actors in the health area, regarding trends and variations in policies, strategies, and actions for the better fulfillment of national health policies, as well as the regional and global agendas;
16. In collaboration with the technical advisors, provide technical support for cross cutting themes – gender, equity, ethnicity and human rights - to be mainstreamed in the work of the Country Office;
17. Collaborate with all technical advisors of the Country Office by providing the relevant political, health policy and planning perspectives; consolidate and synchronize activities, in consultation with staff with respect to the project implementation, targets and timeframes;
18. Provide support to Risk Management Focal Point and Technical Advisors in completion of risk management analysis of BWP Programs and implementation of approved mitigation response plans;
19. Serve as the Country Security Focal Point in the assigned country and under the guidance of and in coordination with United Nations Department of Security and Safety;
20. Represent the PWR in Country as delegated;
21. Perform other related duties as assigned

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education****:

Essential: A university degree in a health or social science from a recognized institution.

Desirable: A master’s degree in public health, health policy and planning, project management, health administration, public administration, management or related field would be an asset.

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: Five years of combined national and international experience with increasing responsibility for design, review, implementation and/or evaluation of health development and cooperation projects and familiarity with international cooperation mechanisms at the national level.

Desirable: Experience in multi-country project management and implementation with international experience would be an asset.

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.
• Teamwork: Collaborate and cooperate with other/Deal effectively with conflict - Creates team spirit; promotes collaboration and open communication in the team; proactively supports others; welcomes team responsibilities and drives team results; promotes knowledge sharing in the team. Proactively identifies conflicts and facilitates their resolution in a respectful manner; tactfully resolves conflicts between or with others and takes action to reduce any possible tension; effectively builds a rapport with individuals and teams, establishing good personal and professional relationships, as well as minimizing risk of potential conflict.
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences: Relate well to diversity in others and capitalize 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.
• Communication: Express oneself clearly when speaking/Listen/Write effectively/Share knowledge - Foresees communication needs of audience and targets message accordingly. Facilitates open communication; encourages others to share their views openly and takes time to understand and consider their views. 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.
• Knowing and Managing Yourself: Remain productive/Continuously learn - Remains objective and focused even in a “changing and moving” environment; continues to display positive behavior when facing some constraints; keeps challenges in perspective. Seeks all relevant information for decision making from a wide range of sources; quickly learns new competencies and skills that expand role capability; shows rapid understanding of new and/or complex information relevant to job.
• Producing results: Work efficiently and independently/ Deliver quality results/Take responsibility - Prioritizes work, monitors own progress against objectives and adapts plans as required; communicates adjustments as necessary. Acts proactively and stimulates action as needed; handles problems effectively and constructively. Produces high-quality results and workable solutions that meet clients’ needs. Works independently to produce new results and sets own time lines effectively and efficiently. Demonstrates positive attitude in working on new projects and initiatives. Demonstrates accountability for own success, as well as for errors; learns from experience.

Technical Expertise:

• Theoretical and practical knowledge of international technical cooperation, with emphasis on the negotiation and management of international cooperation programs and projects;
• Practical knowledge of results-based management concepts and tools and their applications; especially related to outcome formulation and indicator development;
• Mature judgment, strong technical, analytical and conceptual skills; demonstrated ability to assess, analyze, synthesize and provide recommendations on key technical issues;
• Ability to integrate managerial and technical inputs into recommendations for decision-making processes; ability to manage multiple issues and tasks in a complex organizational environment;
• Ability to create and advocate innovative approaches to facilitate and enhance project management capacity, as well as monitoring of these processes;
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills combined with strong professional oral and writing skills, including the development of reports, oral presentations, and technical/persuasive documents for consideration at the highest levels of the Organization.
• In-depth knowledge and skills in the area of organization, planning, management and provision of health care services at the country level. Knowledge and skills in the formulation of technical cooperation interventions and in the development of criteria for evaluating program interventions.
• Ability to prepare clear, concise and complete analyses, proposals, reports, and other written materials; maintain accurate records and meeting critical deadlines; research and analyze complex problems, evaluating varied information and data, either statistical or narrative form, and exercise sound judgment within established guidelines.
• Ability to manage multiple issues and tasks in a complex organizational environment to re-prioritize actions on short notice. Ability to analyze technical and political information and synthesize inputs from multiple sources.

Languages:

Very good knowledge of English. A working knowledge of Spanish or French would be an asset.

IT Skills:

Demonstrated ability to effectively use a computer and utilize software programs such as Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint and Outlook. Other IT skills and knowledge of other software programs such as Visio and Project would be an asset.

REMUNERATION

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

US$ 48,805.00 post adjustment

Post Adjustment****: 48.2% 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****.

Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

A written test may be used as a form of screening.

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 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.