Team Lead (SLD Surveillance, Labs & Data Polio)

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 204,886 USD and 256,769 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 objective of the Polio Eradication Initiative is to interrupt the transmission of wild poliovirus globally and ensure long-term biosafety from polioviruses, by leading the global eradication effort of national governments and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. The World Health Assembly has declared Polio Eradication a Programmatic Emergency for Global Public Health. WHO and the core Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners have taken a number of steps to put the polio eradication program on an emergency footing, including the development of the Global Emergency Action Plan for Polio Eradication 2022/2026 and the Global Polio Surveillance Action Plan 2022/2024 (GPSAP). The poliovirus surveillance team leads the ongoing epidemiologic analyses and risk assessments coordinate activities to strengthen poliovirus surveillance at the regional and national level and participates in providing secretariat functions to the Global Polio Certification Commission (GCC) and Regional Certification Commissions (RCCs). The Global Polio Laboratory Network (GPLN) coordination team coordinates activities of the GPLN, comprised of more than 150 national, regional reference, and specialized global polio laboratories. The data management team is responsible for the collection, organization, analysis, and sharing of high-quality immunization, program monitoring, and poliovirus surveillance information.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

• Provides technical leadership and managerial support within the Department, in the area of surveillance, laboratories and data management ensuring that activities in this area are carried out efficiently and effectively.
• Develops and proposes technical health policies and strategies for implementation through collaboration with Regional and Country Offices and provides advice in developing further strategic disease surveillance, and data analysis for strengthening and improving technical capacity of target clienteles.
• Manages the programme area in delivering its objectives through efficient managing SLD team, financial resources and effective work planning to optimize the programme's deliverables in line with the mandate of the Organization.
• Coordinates and supports regular global and regional risk assessments to guide policy, strategy and plans for mitigating the risk of poliovirus transmission and response plans for polio outbreaks.
• Closely coordinate with GPEI partners on implementation, analysis and monitoring of Global surveillance action plan 2023-24.
• Oversees the technology upgrades and capacity building for effective Polio information and data management system.
• Oversees the coordination of activities of the global polio laboratory network (GPLN). Supports development of technical guidelines for special surveillance activities.
• Leads the strategic analyses and prepare presentations for Global and Regional Certification Commissions and other meetings of GPEI advisory and oversight bodies.
• Supports and conducts research on best practices in implementing programmes and activities and dissemination of information for capacity building in the respective area of work.
• Manages the monitoring and evaluation and reporting of the subject area of work of key performance indicators and reporting requirements and mechanisms to optimize the performance of Programme deliverables.
• Serves as the technical reference among the peer community, GPEI partners, UN Agencies, and other stakeholders at the technical levels in the respective area of expertise.
• Liaises with and utilizes partnerships in other GPEI partner agencies, UN Agencies, Donor, and Global Polio Laboratory Network (GPN) to position surveillance, laboratories and polio data management into Global and/or National policies.
• Represent the programme area of work at various meetings to advocate for surveillance, data management, and containment-related activities.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.

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REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential:

• Advanced university degree in a health discipline.

Desirable:

• Medical degree or doctoral degree in epidemiology or public health.

Experience

Essential:

• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in the management of large-scale public health and infectious disease control programmes at national and international levels, particularly in developing countries, including experience in the area of health policies and strategies.
• Demonstrated experience managing human and financial resources.
• At least five years working in polio eradication programmes, including the implementation and assessment of both polio immunisation programmes and polio surveillance.

Desirable:

• Experience in collaboration and negotiations with external agencies and knowledge of GPEI partners and WHO Regions is desirable.
• Experience with international organizations and/or nongovernmental organizations would be an advantage.
• Proven quantitative research ability reflected in peer-reviewed publications would be an asset.

Skills

• Concrete skills in the planning and coordination of multidisciplinary public health programmes.
• Extensive knowledge of public health and epidemiology, with broad practical knowledge of public health, infectious disease surveillance, microbiology laboratories and vaccine science, policies and strategies and their application in developing and developed countries.
• Strong skills in the area of developing and establishing polio related polices and strategies.
• Excellent skills and ability in managing diverse teams and financial resources.
• Good skills in mobilizing resources.
• Ability to engage and communicate effectively and diplomatically with external partners including Ministries of Health, Donor institutions, Civil Society, and other stakeholders.

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.

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 90,664 (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 5364 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.