Occupational Safety and Health Officer

Result of Service 1. Maintain a healthy, productive workforce while enhancing general health and safety awareness. 2. Ensures that the organization's Safety and Health requirements are met.

Work Location ESCAP

Expected duration Start date: April 2022 up to 31 December 2022

Duties and Responsibilities Organizational Setting and Reporting:

The position is located in the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) in Thailand. The incumbent will be based in Bangkok and will report to the P4 Medical Officer of ESCAP under the Division of Administration (DA). The technical line of communication for all occupational safety risk management coordination activities is maintained with the Director of Administration of ESCAP and the Safety Manager Liaison of the Division of Healthcare Management and Occupational Safety and Health (DHMOSH).

Responsibilities:

The incumbent will provide field safety advice and recommendations to the Designated Official, Director of Administration, managers and staff in the area of specialization, promoting safety culture by contributing to the development and implementation of standards, regulations, guidance, SoPs, training courses and briefing sessions.

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the Director, Division of Administration or her designated mandated representative(s), the incumbent will be responsible for the following duties:

1. Organizes and coordinates safety risk management programme operations of all Occupational Safety and Healthy (OSH) risk management personnel within the UN Compound/of ESCAP, especially in relation to any scheduled construction projects.

2. Advises the OSH coordination cell to ensure that all OSH personnel working for different UN and affiliated organizations within the UN Compound are working together to further inter-agency safety and health risk management coordination.

3. Provides technical support and guidance to the country-specific hazard and risk assessment process with emphasis on the introduction of an OSH risk management methodology that is fully integrated with programming and operations, including the implementation of hazard control and risk mitigation measures.

4. Collects, interprets, and analyzes hazard and risk information, as it pertains to the safety and health of UN system staff and operations including identification of problems and emerging trends and the establishment of country-specific early-warning systems; contributes to the development and implementation of the Occupational Safety Standards to promote a safety culture, supports for safety and health requirements, standards, and procedures.

5. Supports adherence to safety and health policies and procedures including preparation, maintenance and updating of country-specific safety and health contingency plans.

6. Monitors compliance and implementation of the Occupational Safety Standards in the UN Compound; develops 24-hour response mechanisms to safety and health-related incidents involving UN staff as well as ensures the effective maintenance of fully functional emergency communications system.

7. Establishes and maintains liaison with specialized agencies, Programmes and Funds, international organizations, and relevant host government agencies; establishes good contacts with national OSH related agencies with a view to obtaining best possible safety and health protection for staff members.

8. Develops, conducts, and supervises in-house safety programmes to ensure that UN personnel receive local safety training as required and determines the need for training.

9. Serves as member in the Occupational Safety and Health Committee.

10. Performs other related duties as required.

Competencies:

Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to UNESCAP; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to UNESCAP procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented.

Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues.

Planning and organizing: effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities.

Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups. .

Qualifications/special skills Skills: Strong communication and presentation skills required. Familiarity with standard computer/IT tools such as MS Office is required. Experience using other electronic tools and online clinical databases is highly desirable. Academic Qualifications: An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in Occupational Safety, Engineering, Security, or related field. A first-level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying safety specific experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Official certification or training in the specific field of Occupational Safety, Traffic Safety, Aviation Safety, Fire Safety or Security Risk Management from an internationally and/ or UN recognized, school, academy or training institute is required. Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of relevant professional experience, at least 3 years of which should be in an Occupational Safety and Health, Risk Management or Engineering programme management position, with proven experience in managing Occupational Safety programmes, crisis, risk, and emergency situations is required. Minimum of 2 years’ experience in international Occupational Safety Risk programme management is desirable. Language: Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Working knowledge of Thai language is desirable.

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.