Technical Officer (Health Systems Strengthening)

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

WHO has been entrusted with the implementation of the Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) component of the Health Sector Transformation Project (HSTP) under the Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF), managed by the World Bank, which commenced in July 2024. The HSTP under the MDTF has been conceived as part of the process of increasing efficiencies, reducing transactional costs, and improving health system and service delivery impact within the health sector. The HSTP consists of two components: Health Service Delivery (HSD) and Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) that will be implemented by UNICEF and WHO respectively, while ensuring synergy and complementarity to maximize impact. The HSS interventions were jointly developed under the leadership of the Ministry of Health in collaboration with partners and are aligned to the Health Sector Strategic Plan (2023-2027) priorities. They are structured along the following eleven program areas: Emergency Preparedness and Response; Laboratory Systems; Blood Transfusion Services; Health Information Systems; Health Financing; Leadership and Governance; Partnerships; Quality of Care; Essential Medicines; Human Resources for Health; and Disease Control. The WHO country office is therefore embarking on implementation of the health systems strengthening component of the HSTP and requires a Health Systems Technical Officer to provide overall technical assistance and coordinate the implementation of the health systems strengthening interventions.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Provide technical guidance and support in the development and implementation of robust national and state health strategies and plans, ensuring alignment with programme level policies and plans. Advise and collaborate on the development, implementation, and evaluation of technical cooperation programmes in the areas of health governance, health policy and systems development, health services organization and management Support the establishment of standards for the design, organization and functional health programming and operation of health systems based on primary healthcare, supporting continuous quality improvement, access to quality essential medicines; blood transfusion services; public health laboratory infrastructure and services. Provide technical assistance to the ministry of health to design an essential health service package, taking into consideration the social and cultural aspects for the effective use and access to services. Contribute to the identification and targeting of health inequities and the inclusion of vulnerable groups to ensure equitable access to quality health services. Contribute to the development, planning, and training of human resources in health aimed at increasing the efficiency, effectiveness, and quality of the workforce; organize, conduct, or facilitate capacity-building activities. Disseminate up-to-date knowledge and findings in the various areas of specialization; advise on the introduction and transfer of experiences and technologies through capacity-building processes. Support the development and consolidation of the health information system to assist in the decision-making processes; monitor performance; provide information on the health situation, status and trends pertaining to the effective and efficient management of health services. Perform any other incident-specific related duties, as required by the functional supervisor.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: 1. University degree in medicine or related field with master's degree in public health or health policy, planning and financing.2. An advanced university degree (master's level or above) in public health, health systems/services administration, health management or health related field from an accredited/recognized institute.
Desirable: Post-graduate qualification in policy analysis.

Experience

Essential: At least seven (7) years of progressive and related experience, at the national and international levels, in areas related to health policy, planning and management, health systems recovery and development, health services delivery in emergencies, extension of health care services to underserved populations/areas, and developing strategies to overcome barriers to accessing health care services, including essential medicines.
Desirable: Experience in health sector assessments and analyses and producing its reports, with track record in consensus building and enlisting cooperation, as well as the evaluation of health services and facilitating consultations.

Skills

Excellent analytical skills with the ability to coordinate activities and multitask. Excellent interpersonal skills with ability to negotiate with and convince officials with tact and diplomacy. Ability to write in a clear and concise manner, and to present factual information. Knowledge or understanding of WHO mandate and goals in the emergency incident management context.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
Ensuring the effective use of resources

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 77,326 (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 3609 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 and/or an asynchronous video assessment 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.

• According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

• 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.

• The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

• The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its staff. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int

• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. 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.

• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with WHO and an underlying premise of the international civil service. 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.

• WHO also offers wide range of benefits to staff, including parental leave and attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work-life balance and to allow all staff members to express and develop their talents fully.

• The statutory retirement age for staff appointments is 65 years. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete the term of appointment will normally be considered.

• Please note that WHO's contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• In case the website does not display properly, please retry by: (i) checking that you have the latest version of the browser installed (Chrome, Edge or Firefox); (ii) clearing your browser history and opening the site in a new browser (not a new tab within the same browser); or (iii) retry accessing the website using Mozilla Firefox browser or using another device. Click this link for detailed guidance on completing job applications: Instructions for candidates