Health Economist (2 vacancies-Manila & Phnom Penh)

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 127,813 USD and 177,807 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.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

Division mandate:

For the Future: Towards the Healthiest and Safest Region outlines a vision for WHO work with Member States and partners in the Western Pacific. Strong, resilient, sustainable health systems are integral to delivering the four thematic priorities. Up to 60% of people living in some countries in the Region do not have access to safe, quality and affordable health services and medicines. 1 in 5 families spend 10% of their income on health care. This threatens individuals, families, communities and economies. DHS will contribute to taking for the vision of, and for the thematic priorities in, For the Future. DHS will support Member States with high quality advice and assistance on health financing, health workforce, medical products, quality and safety, law and governance, women and children, rehabilitation, surgery and health services including primary health care so that they can build resilient, responsive and sustainable health systems.

Unit mandates:

Health Policy and Service Design (HPS) - HPS supports Member States to develop and implement policies, strategies, and plans and service delivery design, including primary health care, to strengthen governance, financing, health workforce in order to ensure access to needed promotive, preventative, curative, rehabilitative and palliative services without financial hardship.

Essential Medicines and Health Technologies (EMT) - EMT supports Member States to strengthen pharmaceutical systems and regulations, including for traditional medicines to ensure equitable access to quality-assured, safe and effective therapies and health technologies and works along with other programmes to accelerate the fight against antimicrobial resistance in the Western Pacific Region.

Maternal Child Health and Quality Safety (MCQ) - MCQ support Member States to improve health systems to provide the best and safest possible health facility services to all people, regardless of race, beliefs, gender, economic and social condition and to ensure UHC serves all people, starting from women and children.

Health Law and Ethics (HLE) - HLE supports Member States to understand, develop and implement quality and ethical legal frameworks for health. Grounded in human rights and international good practice standards, legal frameworks for health guide transformative policies and innovative programming.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

(FOR POSITION BASED IN MANILA, PHILIPPINES) Under the direct supervision of the Health Policy and Service Design Coordinator with the general guidance of the Director of Health Systems and Services, the incumbent will have the following responsibilities:

1. Provide technical support on evidence-based policy in designing the overall health financing systems and its functions particularly in revenue collection, pooling, resource allocation and strategic purchasing;

2. Contribute to policy dialogues and national policy, strategy, and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) roadmap development using the regional UHC action framework;

3. Coordinate with WHO headquarters and country offices and country focal points on Health Accounts (HA) productions (managing the project, supervising the studies and monitoring the data quality in the region; promoting the use of HA for policy-making) with minimum supervision;

4. Collaborate with country offices, headquarters, other UN specialized agencies, multilateral and bilateral agencies to strengthen national capabilities in the areas of health financing, such as resource allocation and strategic purchasing, costing methods, health account, assessment of access to services and household financial burden;

5. Collaborate within DHS and with other technical divisions to promote a corporate comprehensive support to Member States on health financing;

6. Participate in the preparation of the work plan, budget, implementation reports and donor reports, including managing WHO collaborating centres in related technical areas; and

7. Perform other related duties as assigned.

(FOR THE POSITION BASED IN PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA) Under the supervision of the Coordinator, Health Systems, and guidance of the Head of WHO Country Office, Cambodia, the incumbent will perform the following duties:

1. Provide and mobilize technical assistance to the government and especially to the Ministry of Health in developing health financing and social health protection policies, including advice on the right strategic purchasing and provider payment mechanisms;

2. Provide technical support in the design, implementation and monitoring of innovative health financing initiatives to ensure sustainable and equitable financing and universal health coverage;

3. Support the harmonization and alignment of health financing policies/strategies/plans and support donor coordination mechanisms for health;

4. Provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health in analysing health financing information, such as through national health accounts, and the use of the information for policy dialogue and policy formulation;

5. Support the Government in cost-effectiveness analysis, equity analysis, public health expenditure reviews, developing medium-term expenditure frameworks, results-based financing, to increase the efficiency of public spending for health;

6. Monitor health sector performance including general financing indicators, by specifically tracking Sustainable Development Goals and universal health coverage indicators; and

7. Provide other technical assistance, as needed.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: Advanced university degree (master's or higher) in health economics, economics, health policy, public health or other related fields from a recognized university.

Experience

Essential: Minimum of seven years relevant work experience, at national and international levels, in the areas related to economics, health economics and/or health financing. Desirable: Demonstrated qualitative and quantitative skills on cost-effectiveness and equity analysis, expenditure tracking, costing, planning and budgeting. Experience in collaborating with government and development partners.

Skills

-Good knowledge on health system financing theory and practice with some understanding of public finance.

-Good knowledge on overall health system development;

-Deep understanding of health financing, including strategic purchasing and provider payment mechanisms, and the challenges for countries transitioning from high levels of donor funding;

-Qualitative and quantitative skills on cost-effectiveness and equity analysis, expenditure tracking, costing, planning and budgeting;

-Understanding of how to map private sector expenditure and how to steward such expenditure to reduce out-of-pocket payments; and

-Excellent communication skills and experience in dealing with national policy-makers and development partners.

WHO Competencies

Creating an empowering and motivating environment

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 other UN Languages.

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 74,913 (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 (value will depend on duty station). 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

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

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

• 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/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• WHO's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link: http://www.who.int/employment/en/. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.