Date of last update: 13/07/2022 2022-07-13
WHO began when our Constitution came into force on 7 April 1948 – a date we now celebrate every year as World Health Day. We are now more than 7000 people from more than 150 countries working in 150 country offices, in 6 regional offices and at our headquarters in Geneva.
Our primary role is to direct and coordinate international health within the United Nations system and our main areas of work are health systems; health through the life-course; noncommunicable and communicable diseases; preparedness, surveillance and response; and corporate services.
We support countries as they coordinate the efforts of governments and partners – including bi- and multilaterals, funds and foundations, civil society organizations and the private sector.
Working together, we attain health objectives by supporting national health policies and strategies.
WHO works worldwide to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable.
Our goal is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and well-being.
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OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME
The mission of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage public health threats and health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international response to contain outbreaks and health emergencies and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.The unit of Infectious Hazards Management is responsible for supporting countries for prevention and control of high threat diseases of both epidemic and pandemic potential through development and dissemination of evidence-based strategies, policies, tools, norms and standards to manage infectious disease hazards. The Sub-Unit of High Threat Pathogens (PAT) develops strategies, guidance, regional mechanisms and interventions to address high threat pathogens responsible for epidemics or pandemics thereby reducing their impact on affected populations and limiting their international spread. This group deals with known high threat pathogens such as influenza, Ebola and other viral haemorrhagic fevers (VHF), Zika, Chikungunya, cholera, yellow fever, coronaviruses like the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), meningitis and plague.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
Within the framework of the delegated authority, the incumbent is assigned all or part of the following responsibilities:
1. Lead and coordinate the work on High Threat Pathogens (HTP) within the Infectious Hazards Management (IHM) t with particular emphasis on prevention and control of e regional infectious hazards and threats, specific preparedness and readiness measures necessary to mitigate and prevent these threats. .
2. Ensure development, coordination and implementation of a strategic programme to respond and control threats with potential of regional/global spread (e.g. vector-borne epidemics, emerging and re-emerging pathogens including smallpox, plague, MERS-CoV and other respiratory viruses).
3. Develop the technical guidelines and preparedness plan in collaboration with other disease programs and the preparedness groups in WHE and foster research for new tools and approaches to prevent and control infectious hazards with pandemic potential.
4. Provide the IHM contribution to the surveillance and risk analysis and risk communication of infectious hazards with pandemic potential in close collaboration with the risk assessment and information group and other groups in WHE.
5. Develop the new policies, concepts, tools and strategies and their implementation in High Threat Pathogens.
6. Plan, manage and monitor the activities of the team so that activities reflect the administrative and budgetary standards, guidelines, priorities and directions of WHE/IHM and the allocate, monitor the use of the unit's resources so that adequate support is assured.
7. Develop work plans and performance indicators, monitor, identify gaps and coordinate the work of the team and its interaction with other teams so that the work is technically excellent, effectively and efficiently conducted, and completed to a high standard.
8. Lead and coordinate the work on developing guidelines for surveillance, field investigation, detection and response to the transmission of high threat pathogens in community and healthcare settings; Collect timely data on evolving risk as well as to guide appropriate response to prevent spread;
9. Build partnerships with the various counterparts and international partners to implement appropriate interventions, including strategic planning, tactical and project planning, facilitation, instruction, and information and documentation development.
10. Proactively flag to the supervisor of situations which might pose a threat to WHO or its reputation and propose solutions to address the problems.
11. Represent the Unit at international meetings and conferences, when required.
12. Perform other related duties including replacing and backstopping as required.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Essential: University degree in medicine with a master's degree in public health
Desirable: Training in field epidemiology, surveillance and outbreak investigation
Experience
Essential: At least 10 years of combined national and international level experience in public health specially in the control and prevention of infectious diseases. Proven experience in managing finances, budgets and staff and clear proof of responsibility for management of work plan activities.
Desirable: Proven primary responsibility for managing cross-cutting initiatives involvingdifferent departments or organizational entities in a multinational context such as the UN, WHO or similar. Proven primary responsibility in developing strategies in prevention and control ofinfectious diseases.
Skills
1) Expert level knowledge of infectious diseases, particularly in region specific infectious hazards and threats, specific public health preparedness measures for its control.
2) Solid managerial skills including proven ability to move from design of a strategic concept, to its operational implementation, to its successful completion, and sound knowledge of planning, human resources, budgeting and financing aspects of management.
3) Proven understanding of the management of acute and urgent public health responses, including infectious disease outbreaks in humanitarian emergencies.
4) Demonstrated effectiveness in building sustained partnerships and working with others in international settings.
WHO Competencies
Use of Language Skills
Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable: Knowledge of Arabic or French is an asset.
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 2720 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
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Type of contract: Staff (Permanent and Fixed Term)
Macro-area: Middle East and Northern Africa
Level of experience: Senior Professional, more than 5 years
Area of work Definition: Health and Nutrition
Type of organisation: Multilateral Organisations