Team Lead (AMR)

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 168,113 USD and 216,746 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

The mission of the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Division is to define, advance, promote and monitor comprehensive policies and strategies that prevent, reduce, and mitigate drug-resistant infections and the overall impact of antimicrobial resistance globally based on the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance and the 13th Global Programme of Work of WHO and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also provides global direction and strategic leadership for the global response to antimicrobial resistance in coordination with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and other United Nations and international agencies and facilitates the creation of common goal and vision through innovative partnerships, political engagement and promoting multisectoral engagement and synergy across the One Health spectrum in humans, animals, plants, food, feed and the environment. Its main objective is to support the development, implementation, and monitoring of One Health National Action Plans for Member States and facilitate the mainstreaming of effective strategies and actions, including on the prevention and control of infection, antimicrobial stewardship, awareness creation and communication, research and development in their health and development agendas in partnership with FAO, OIE and other key partners.

The Department of AMR Surveillance, Prevent and Control leads the implementation efforts of National Action Plans on AMR as the backbone to achieving the five objectives of the Global Action Plan on AMR; reinforces strategic country-level capacity to mitigate the spread of AMR in health facilities and communities; coordinates global surveillance and consumption monitoring efforts across the human-animal interface to support the One Health response to antimicrobial resistance; monitors and reports on national and global progress towards achievement of the of the GAP, the triple billion targets of WHO's 13th Global Programme of Work and the Sustainable Development Goals. Surveillance, Evidence and Laboratory strengthening & One Health Surveillance Unit (SEL): Monitors antimicrobial resistance and use (AMR/U) through the Global Antimicrobial resistance & use Surveillance System (GLASS) and promotes AMR/U surveillance globally by developing tools to assist implementation of AMR/U surveillance and an IT platform for data gathering and regular reporting; providing laboratory strengthening, including application of new technologies; leading One Health integrated surveillance (AMR in humans, environment and animals), early warning and risk assessment of emerging AMR and Assessment of the impact of AMR on human health.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Generic duties:

• Develops and proposes innovative technical health policies and strategies for implementation through collaboration with Regional and Country Offices and provides advice in developing further the microbiology laboratory strengthening to improve access to quality laboratory diagnosis of AMR for strengthening and improving technical capacity of target clienteles.
• Manages the subunit area of work in delivering its objectives through efficient managing a small team of technical staff, to optimize the programme's deliverables in line with the mandate of the Organization.
• Develops and monitors work plans and budgets for the team's activities and follow up on the implementation of planned activities.
• Analyses data and information on best practices in implementing sustainable public health programmes and disseminates information.
• Manages research activities and the implementation of the subunit's activities and dissemination of information for capacity building in the respective area of work.
• Conducts monitoring and evaluation of the specific field of work and conducts timely reporting for decision makers.
• Provides technical guidance and works closely with counterparts in technical departments across the Organization and liaises with counterparts in partner UN Agencies, Donors and other stakeholders to harmonize recommendations on policies and strategies related to Public health and the facilitation of successful implementation of national and/or global health programmes.
• Upon delegation represent WHO at various meetings.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.

Specific duties:

• Assist countries with the development of laboratory capacities at national reference laboratories, including the application of molecular methods and epidemiological tools in all regions.
• Assist countries with developing laboratory networks for increased access to AMR diagnosis at all levels of the health system.
• Lead operational research on introduction of new laboratory tools, including coordination of the work on the introduction and evaluation of new technologies for the identification of AMR in common human bacterial pathogens, including phenotypic and non-phenotypic methods.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential:

• Advanced level university degree (i.e., Masters level or above) in public health or health and health sciences related field, combined with a first university degree in medical technologies related to the functions of the position.
• Training in human microbiology, including laboratory procedures for detection of AMR.

Desirable:

• A PhD in one of the above-mentioned fields.
• Training in molecular methods to identify AMR mechanisms (e.g., sequencing methods, metagenomics) applied to surveillance of pathogens.
• Training in epidemiology.

Experience

Essential:

• A minimum of 7 years of professional experience at a senior technical level in major programmes or activities related to laboratory network strengthening, including experience in the development of health policies and strategies.
• Demonstrated experience managing human and financial resources.
• Demonstrated experience at the international level.
• Experience in assisting low- and middle-income countries (as per World Bank classification) to develop laboratory capacities for AMR diagnosis and surveillance.

Desirable:

• Experience in assisting low- and middle-income countries (as per World Bank classification) in the incorporation of new technologies for AMR identification.
• Documented experience in developing technical documents in the field of microbiology of AMR.
• Documented experience of development of research projects, programmes and policies.

Skills

• Sounds skills in the management of public health programmes, which may include the implementation of a public health/disease control programmes.
• Strong skills in the area of developing and establishing polices and strategies.
• Excellent skills and ability in managing diverse teams and financial resources.
• Good skills in mobilizing resources.
• Ability to engage effectively and diplomatically with external partners including Ministries of Health, Donor institutions, Civil Society, and other stakeholders.
• Commitment to collaborate effectively with other key partners in the Health Subject area.
• Technical/Scientific Knowledge and skills:Sound knowledge of AMR mechanisms, including phenotypic and genotypic expression, data collection and analysis of antimicrobial susceptibility testing and genotype analysis.
• Expert knowledge of laboratory organization and laboratory tools (development) for diagnosis of AMRExpert knowledge of software on laboratory information management systems (LIMS).

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: Intermediate knowledge of French. of Spanish.

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 73,516 (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 5759 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'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.