Technical Officer, Health Emergencies Surveillance

Contract

This is a NO-B contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 2 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be more than 4,621 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.

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

This is a requisition for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)

PAHO Country Offices are responsible for ensuring that the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) country program of technical cooperation and its country presence provides adequate support to the national health development process and, at the same time, enables countries to shape the subregional, regional, and global health agendas. The PAHO/WHO Country Office is the basic organizational unit for technical cooperation with the country/ies, drawing on PAHO/WHO resources from all levels and all parts of the Organization.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the general supervision of the PAHO/WHO Representative, and the direct supervision of the Advisor, Health Emergencies, the incumbent will be responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

1. Collaborate and support the provision of technical cooperation on surveillance of epidemic and pandemic prone diseases in the country;
2. Provide technical support to strengthen the federal entities and municipalities on modeling of epidemiological data by using R software, including Geographic Information System (GIS) of open source (such as Qgis) and health situational analysis;
3. Collaborate in developing forecasting and nowcasting on epidemic and pandemic prone diseases, including during emergencies and disasters, by using software of open sources;
4. Provide technical support on risk assessment at the municipal level for emerging and reemerging diseases;
5. Provide support and collaborate in the development of bigdata models, probabilistic relationship of databases and processes for timely visualization of indicators;
6. Propose and develop training in predictive models, using R software, and geoprocessing of data of interest to emergencies and disasters in health, using Qgis;
7. Collaborate in the preparation of technical reports, bulletins, SitReps and other information products related to detection, verification and risk assessment of public health events and emergencies;
8. Provide technical support and collaborate in the planning, development and monitoring of plans, programs and projects related to Health Emergencies; review and consolidate work plans for the different States and Municipalities in the country to improve the efficiency of implementation, accounting and reporting;
9. Collaborate in the development and in the implementation of activities related to detection, verification and risk assessment related to public health events;
10. Support the national authorities of different sectors in the implementation and expansion of the surveillance capacities including increasing the capacity of response to health emergencies;
11. Provide technical support to the Ministry of Health in surveillance, prevention and control in the framework of SUS (Sistema Único de Saúde);
12. Identify technical assistance issues (needs, options and resources); supervise/coordinate the technical assistance for the Projects and Terms of Cooperation related to Health Emergencies and Disasters under the responsible Technical Unit and implementing partners at country level;
13. Provide technical support on knowledge management for areas of work assigned, using all the available means for the dissemination of relevant scientific and technical information;
14. Participate in the development and/or strengthening of analysis related to the health situations that contribute to reducing the risk of health emergencies and disasters;
15. Collaborate in the preparation of the Country Office’s Biennial Work Plan (BWP) and the execution of national technical cooperation related to Health Emergencies and Disaster and Implementation;
16. Participate in inter-programmatic work in order to achieve the maximum levels of efficiency and effectiveness;
17. Serve as communication link between the Organization and the inter-sectoral teams on matters of technical and strategic project implementation and evaluation;
18. Provide support to national technical teams on the preparation of technical cooperation requests and on-site support for the submission of documentation to PAHO, as per agreed upon operating procedures;
19. Prepare and maintain all documents and progress reports pertaining to the project’s implementation at country level;
20. Coordinate the collection of baseline data for monitoring of project implementation and ongoing data collection as per agreed monitoring and evaluation framework;
21. Support the Unit Coordinator to implement and evaluate the overall performance of the Projects/Programs/Terms of Cooperation; act on behalf of the Project Advisor, as needed;
22. Support the supervision of the technical team assigned to the implementation of the program at national level;
23. Perform other related duties, as assigned;

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education****:

Essential: A bachelor’s degree in a health science or in any other area related to the functions of the post, from a recognized university.

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/. PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation http://www.chea.org/ and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to support the validation process.

Experience****:

Essential: Five years of experience in technical cooperation in institutions concerned with public health management.

Desirable: Experience in epidemiology, data analysis and surveillance of communicable diseases, including during emergencies and disasters, would be an asset.

SKILLS****:

PAHO Competencies:

• Overall attitude at work****: Maintains integrity and takes a clear ethical approach and stance; demonstrates commitment to the Organization’s mandate and promotes the values of the Organization in daily work and behavior; is accountable for work carried out in line with own role and responsibilities; is respectful towards, and trusted by, colleagues and counterparts.
• Teamwork****: Collaborate and cooperate with others. - Works collaboratively with team members and counterparts to achieve results; encourages cooperation and builds rapport; helps others when asked; accepts joint responsibility for the teams’ successes and shortcomings. Identifies conflicts in a timely manner and addresses them as necessary; understands issues from the perspective of others; does not interpret/ attribute conflicts to cultural, geographical or gender issues.
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences****: Relate well to diversity in others and capitalize on such diversity - Treats all people with dignity and respect. Relates well to people with different cultures, gender, orientations, backgrounds and/or positions; examines own behavior to avoid stereotypical responses; considers issues from the perspective of others and values their diversity.
• Communication****: Express oneself clearly when speaking/Write effectively/Listen/Shares knowledge - Quality and quantity of communication targeted at audience. Listens attentively and does not interrupt other speakers. Adapts communication style and written content to ensure they are appropriately and accurately understood by the audience (e.g., power-point presentations, communication strategies, implementation plans). Shares information openly with colleagues and transfers knowledge, as needed.
• Knowing and managing yourself: Manages stress/Invite feedback/Continuously learn - Remains productive even in an environment where information or direction is not available, and when facing challenges; recovers quickly from setbacks, where necessary. Manages stress positively; remains positive and productive even under pressure; does not transfer stress to others. Seeks feedback to improve knowledge and performance; shows self- awareness when seeking and receiving feedback; uses feedback to improve own performance. Seeks informal and/or formal learning opportunities for personal and professional development; systematically learns new competencies and skills useful for job; takes advantage of learning opportunities to fill competencies and skill gaps.
• Producing Results****: Deliver quality results/Take responsibility - Produces high-quality results and workable solutions that meet clients’ needs. Works independently to produce new results and sets own timelines effectively and efficiently. Shows awareness of own role and clarifies roles of team members in relation to project’s expected results. Makes proposals for improving processes as required and takes responsibility for own work and/or actions, as necessary. Demonstrates positive attitude in working on new projects and initiatives. Demonstrates accountability for own success, as well as for errors; learns from experience.
• Moving forward in a changing environment****: Propose change/Adapt to change - Suggests and articulates effective and efficient proposals for change as needed when new circumstances arise. Quickly and effectively adapts own work approach in response to new demands and changing priorities. Is open to new ideas, approaches and working methods; adjusts own approach to embrace change initiatives.

Technical Expertise:

• Technical expertise in the areas of Communicable Diseases surveillance, including health emergencies and disasters.
• Knowledge of planning, monitoring, evaluation and control of the technical cooperation actions designed for national levels.
• Ability to plan, monitor and evaluate the technical cooperation processes.
• Knowledge and skills in the formulation of technical cooperation interventions and in the development of criteria for evaluating program interventions.
• Managerial skills for the development, implementation and analysis of technical cooperation programs and activities, including budget programming and control.
• Ability to integrate managerial and administrative inputs into recommendations for decision-making processes; ability to work independently and to manage multiple assignments simultaneously in a complex organizational environment.
• Strong professional oral and writing skills, including the development of reports, oral presentations, and technical/persuasive documents.

Languages:

Very good knowledge of Portuguese with a working knowledge of English or Spanish.

IT Skills:

Demonstrated ability to effectively use current technology and software, in particular R software, Geographic Information System (GIS) of open source (such as Qgis), spreadsheets and presentations, as well as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and management information systems. Other IT skills and knowledge of software programs such as Python and Shiny would be an asset.

REMUNERATION

Annual Salary****: (Net of taxes)

BRL R$ 255,453.00

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (Local Recruitment)

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.

Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and e-Manual.

For information on PAHO please visit: http://www.paho.org

PAHO/WHO is an ethical organization that maintains high standards of integrity and accountability. People joining PAHO are required to maintain these standards both in their professional work and personal activities.

PAHO/WHO also promotes a work environment that is free from harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and other types of abusive behavior. PAHO conducts background checks and will not hire anyone who has a substantiated history of abusive conduct.

PAHO/WHO personnel interact frequently with people in the communities we serve. To protect these people, PAHO has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. People who commit serious wrongdoing will be terminated and may also face criminal prosecution.

PAHO/WHO is committed to workforce diversity. PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

PAHO offers an attractive compensation package including an annual net salary (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance). Other benefits include: 30 days annual leave, dependency benefits, pension plan and health insurance scheme.

All applicants are required to complete an on-line profile to be considered for this post.

Candidates must hold a permanent local working visa (citizenship or permanent resident card) of Brasilia, Brazil.

Candidates will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration. A written test and/or interview will be held for this post. The post description is the official documentation for organizational purposes.