Health Officer (Primary Health Care)
Support program implementation to strengthen primary health care services in Lebanon.
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Overview
Support program implementation to strengthen primary health care services in Lebanon.
You have:
- University degree in Medicine, Public Health, Health Sciences, or a related field.
- At least 3 years of experience (professional, volunteer, academic, or intern) in medicine, emergency medicine, or public health is desirable.
- Good analytical, writing, and communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
- Flexibility and ability to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions.
- Organizational and coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
Contract
This is a UNV contract. More about UNV contracts.
Lebanon’s health system continues to face unprecedented challenges resulting from successive economic, financial and humanitarian crises that have significantly affected the availability, accessibility and quality of essential health services. Primary Health Care (PHC) remains the cornerstone of the country’s health system and serves as the first point of contact for vulnerable populations, including women, children, refugees and underserved communities. Strengthening PHC services is therefore critical to improving equitable access to quality healthcare and enhancing the resilience of the national health system. In partnership with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), UNICEF Lebanon is implementing a comprehensive programme to strengthen primary health care services and health systems across the country. The programme adopts an integrated health systems approach that combines infrastructure strengthening, service quality improvement, workforce capacity development, digital transformation, community engagement and health system governance.
Key interventions include:
1- Rehabilitation and upgrading of Primary Health Care Centres (PHCCs), including the provision of essential medical equipment to improve the availability and quality of maternal, newborn and child health services.
2- Expansion of the AaSalameh initiative, UNICEF’s flagship community health programme, which utilizes nurses, midwives and community health workers to increase access to preventive maternal and child health services, immunization, nutrition, health education and early identification of vulnerable children through outreach activities.
3- Introduction and institutionalization of Japanese quality improvement methodologies, particularly KAIZEN and 5S, to strengthen quality of care, improve patient flow, optimize workplace organization, enhance efficiency and foster a culture of continuous quality improvement within PHC facilities.
4- Strengthening the capacity of healthcare workers, managers and community health workers through competency-based training, supportive supervision, mentoring and continuous professional development.
5- Supporting the digital transformation of primary healthcare through the enhancement of health information systems, digital monitoring platforms, data quality improvement, interoperability, and evidence-based decision-making.
To support these efforts, UNICEF Lebanon seeks to engage a Volunteer with a background in health care: clinical and public health, health systems or a related field. The UN Volunteer will contribute to program implementation while serving as a bridge between donors and implementing agencies.
Under the supervision of the Chief Health, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:
- Project Coordination and Implementation: Assist the supervisor in coordinating and implementing Japan-funded health program activities.
Facilitate communication and collaboration among UNICEF, the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), healthcare facilities, implementing partners, and Japanese stakeholders.
Assist in organizing meetings, workshops, and field visits, and monitor implementation progress against workplans and timelines.
- Primary Health Care and Quality Improvement
Assist in monitoring PHC infrastructure improvements, medical equipment installation, and implementation of the AaSalameh initiative.
Contribute to quality improvement activities, including the application of Japanese KAIZEN and 5S methodologies in health facilities.
- Capacity Building and Digital Health :
Assist in developing training materials and facilitating knowledge exchange with Japanese partners.
Support the implementation and monitoring of digital health platforms, including PHOENIX, MERA, and MERA PRO, and contribute to improving data quality and digital health systems.
- Monitoring, Reporting, and Knowledge Management :
Prepare technical reports, presentations, donor updates, and communication materials.
Document lessons learned, best practices, and success stories to support knowledge sharing and programme improvement.
Care
Respect
Integrity
Trust
Accountability
Sustainability
Adaptability and flexibility
Creativity
Judgement and decision-making
Planning and organizing
Professionalism
Self-management
UNICEF Specific Competencies:
Build and Maintain Partnership
Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
Drive to achieve results for impact
Innovates and embraces change
Manages ambiguity and complexity
Thinks and acts strategically
Works collaboratively with others
Full UNICEF competency framework: https://www.unicef.org/careers/media/1041/file/UNICEF%27s_Competency_Framework.pdf
University degree in Medicine, Public Health, Health Sciences, or a related field.
At least 3 years of experience (professional, volunteer, academic, or intern) in medicine, emergency medicine, or public health is desirable.
Managing emergencies and related clinical knowledge and experience.
Organizational and coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
Good analytical, writing, and communication skills.
Ability to work effectively in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint);
Lebanon is a unique country, and UNICEF is a unique (humanitarian) operation. It offers an interesting and enriching environment, while also requiring a high level of cultural awareness, as well as stamina and commitment. Flexibility, and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions – sometimes involving physical hardship and limited comfort – are therefore essential.
Lebanon is currently a middle-income country which has been facing an economic and financial crisis since 2019, compounded by ongoing conflict since 2023. These conditions have significantly impacted the overall stability and quality of life across the country.
In Beirut, living conditions can be relatively comfortable compared to other areas; however, periodic escalations in conflict, particularly in 2024 and since March 2026, have contributed to an increasingly unstable and stressful environment. Lebanon is currently designated as a non-family duty station, with Beirut classified as a hardship category D. Despite these challenges, Beirut remains a vibrant and culturally rich city, offering a wide range of restaurants, entertainment venues, and social amenities.
Basic services, including healthcare, education, electricity, and water, are generally available, though access often relies on private providers due to limitations in public infrastructure. The quality of these services can be relatively high, but they frequently come at a significant cost. Overall, while Beirut continues to offer a dynamic urban lifestyle, the broader economic crisis and security situation require careful consideration.
You may check the full benefits and allowances applicable to the duty station using the UVP calculator : https://app.unv.org/calculator. Please see the Conditions of Service for UN Volunteers for more information and details: https://www.unv.org/sites/default/files/Conditions%20of%20Service%201%20April%202026_0.pdf
Potential interview questions
| Describe a situation where you had to coordinate a project with multiple stakeholders. What challenges did you face? | The interviewer wants to assess your experience in project coordination. | Provide a specific example and explain how you managed the challenges and ensured communication among stakeholders. |
| What strategies have you used to implement quality improvement methodologies in healthcare? | This question evaluates your knowledge of quality improvement approaches. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Tell me about a time when you had to adapt to a difficult working environment. How did you handle it? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| How do you ensure effective communication in a multicultural team? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Have you ever developed training materials? What was your approach? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Can you share an experience where you contributed to digital health initiatives? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| Describe how you keep up-to-date with public health trends and best practices. Why is this important? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
| What does sustainability in healthcare mean to you, and how would you incorporate it into your work? | Pro members can see the explanation. | Pro members can see the explanation. |
Added 21 days ago
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Updated 7 days ago
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Source:
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