Scientist (Geriatrics and Gerontology)

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Application deadline 2 years ago: Monday 20 Dec 2021 at 22:59 UTC

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Contract

This is a P-5 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 10 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 212,092 USD and 265,800 USD.

Salary for a P-5 contract in Geneva

The international rate of 110,869 USD, with an additional 91.3% (post adjustment) at this the location, applies. Please note that depending on the location, a higher post adjustment might still result in a lower purchasing power.

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OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing supports a world where by 2030, every woman, newborn, child, adolescent and aging person in every setting realizes their rights to physical and mental health and well-being. This will be achieved by supporting WHO's General Programme of Work and universal health coverage for all. The department provides support to countries with a focus on high burden countries to ensure evidence-based policies and strategies are in place to achieve universal access to high quality health services for maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and ageing (MNCAH&A), and increase coverage and quality of effective MNCAH&A interventions among pregnant women, newborns, children, adolescents, young adults and older people, and to create mechanisms to measure the impact of those strategies.The vision of the WHO Global Strategy and Action Plan on Ageing and Health and the UN Decade for Healthy Ageing is a world in which everyone can live a long and healthy life. In order to enable the successful implementation of the Strategy, the Department for Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing (MCA) will facilitate the development of norms, standards, guidelines and policy guidance, and research on key components of clinical and integrated care for older people, and systems, to support long term care. Work in this area will include the further development of WHO integrated care guidelines, as well as projects to identify evidence based service delivery models for integrated health and long-term care in high, medium and low resource settings, and to identify assessment tools and measures of country implementation that can be used for accountability of progress during the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021-2030. This includes policies and interventions involving health and social care to help people build and maintain capacity across the life-course, and to support people with declines in capacity to compensate or adapt to these losses.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The incumbent will provide global strategic leadership on medical and technical issues relating to geriatrics and integrated care, at the clinical and population level spanning health and social services, in ways that foster healthy ageing, including intrinsic capacity and functional ability. Efforts will strongly reflect person centered goals of older people and promote health across the life course. The incumbent is assigned the following responsibilities:Refine conceptual approaches to ageing that enable Member States and key stakeholders to better assess the health and social care needs and rights of older adults, in all countries including those who have rapid population ageing in light of demographic change and epidemiologic transition, Lead the implementation of Organizational strategy responding to the specific needs and vulnerabilities of older people, engaging geriatricians and health professionals who require geriatric competences, and addressing geriatrics incorporating gerontology when developing appropriate responses.Oversee the development, piloting, and scaling up of specific policies to foster healthy ageing in addressing the two priority action areas of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing that AAH coordinates, i.e. integrated care and long term care, and provides guidance on geriatrics, including health promotion, disease prevention, treatment through each level of the health system (primary, secondary and tertiary care), rehabilitation, and palliative care.Independently, and in collaboration with country-based partners and global networks, develop and evaluate country-based intersectoral models to provide integrated care that shifts existing independent programmes addressing diseases (such as specific non-communicable diseases) towards integrated, person-centered care for older adults, and for conditions relevant to older populations, to be adapted for country setting.Coordinate and lead research and evidence synthesis on geriatric conditions and intrinsic capacity, towards publishing scientific articles and ensuring delivery of technical products relating to ageing and health in particular geriatrics.Synthesize evidence and provide technical advice on the integration of clinical practice, community services and population based programmes, addressing older adults in the design and analysis of national health plans and country cooperation strategies to contribute to the achievement of healthy ageing and the goals of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing.Coordinate AAH Unit research activities relating to clinical and measurement issues relating to intrinsic capacity and improvement of healthy ageing. Mobilize resources focusing on geriatrics and healthy ageing including managing and developing a wider resource base with stakeholders and professional organizations addressing geriatrics and gerontology.Represent the Organization in technical meetings, seminars, congresses and academic events under areas of responsibility.Perform other related responsibilities as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: Medical degree with specialization in geriatrics, with additional training on epidemiology, statistics, or equivalent in relation to measurement and understanding of disease and health trends.PhD or equivalent addressing research on older persons and medical issues.

Experience

Essential: Ten years of combined national and international experience in clinical setting relevant to geriatrics, and population ageing, demonstrating increasing levels of responsibility relating to clinical care, management, research, planning, monitoring and evaluation of health programs and services that are relevant to the key needs of older populations. Experience in the area of research and research publications including writing of original articles and editing of articles. Strong presentation skills and ability to speak with senior officials in government and other stakeholders. Strong and up to date publication record in geriatrics and gerontology, addressing clinical and population issues. Desirable: Experience in teaching at the university level addressing ageing and geriatric research. Experience collaborating with WHO or other UN agencies as an expert in technical or advisory groups relating to geriatrics, clinical care and older adults.

Skills

Theoretical knowledge and expertise at the highest level geriatrics and needs of older populations and possible strategies to address them. Knowledge and skills in the area of the practice of geriatrics reflecting responsible leadership positions in clinical management and research on older adults. Demonstrated understanding of the measurement of healthy ageing and need for comprehensive assessment of older adults' intrinsic capacity, reflecting evidence based approaches addressing the continuum of capacities and abilities. Demonstrated understanding of various approaches to the continuum of care that can foster healthy ageing from primary and chronic care, to rehabilitation, to long term care, to palliative care. Demonstrated ability conducting and guiding research, leading the development of research protocols, managing research projects specific to geriatrics, and writing and leading collaborative research articles that are published in scientific journals, e.g. demonstrating project planning, management and evaluation, including resource mobilization and grant management. Demonstrated track record of current and relevant research publications, including as the lead author, in scientific journals addressing topics of high relevance to geriatrics and healthy ageing. Demonstrated track record of developing successful research grant proposals funded from a wide range of institutions and entities. Membership in scientific advisory boards and committees that shape strategies and research approaches. Strong public health and strategic thinking background showing resourcefulness, initiative, leadership qualities and skills to deal with difficult situations and sensitive areas; demonstrated ability to identify, assess, analyze, synthesize and provide recommendation on key political and technical issues. Demonstrated ability to work in different regions and communicate in multiple languages. Strong interpersonal skills, diplomacy and tact to effectively communicate with senior level officials, multiple stakeholders and professionals from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds. 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. Demonstrated ability to work as part of an achievement oriented team.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences Communication Producing results Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond Creating an empowering and motivating environment

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English. Desirable: Expert knowledge of French. Intermediate knowledge of WHO language.

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 89,837 (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, and currently amounts to USD 6094 per month for the duty station indicated above. 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 prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

  • WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

  • 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.

Added 2 years ago - Updated 2 years ago - Source: who.int