Senior Public Health Officer at United Nations (UN) WCESA

Responsibilities:

1. Direct and coordinate UN WCESA activities in the health sector

• Map activities and gaps by each agency
• Conduct negotiations with the Ministry of Health to include Person of Concern (PoCs) in host Government public health services at secondary and tertiary level (already achieved at primary level)
• Closely follow up with Implementing Partners to oversee the transition of NGO- provided health services to public health services
• Coordinate and participate in assessments: qualitative and quantitative
• Coordinate and participate in development and implementation of appropriate monitoring and evaluation activities
• Chair the NGO-UN WCESA medical committee which decides on assistance to medical cases which pass the thresholds as agreed on in the UN WCESA Health Guidelines
• Develop systems to ensure proper and efficient screening for medical resettlement
• Develop systems to ensure proper and efficient NGO referral of refugees to secondary and tertiary care facilities
• Improve and standardise health information systems

2. Undertake needs and resources assessments with Governments and partners in order to prioritise needs and activities in provision of services to refugees and other persons of concern to UN WCESA.

• Review and analysis of relevant project proposals and budgetary submissions presented by UN WCESA partners within context of UN WCESA programme cycle
• Ensure that project plans and proposals submitted to UN WCESA for funding adhere to internationally accepted standards and are based on a comprehensive primary health care strategy
• Maintain and update contingency plans for potential epidemics, refugee and returnee movements

3. Monitor and evaluate country-level health and nutrition programmes against standard UN WCESA and international indicators to ensure that programmes are evidence-based and implemented in a comprehensive and cost-effective manner.

• Organisation and use of UN WCESA ?s Health Information System
• Application of standard guidelines and protocols
• Comprehensiveness of health programme.
• Apply various mechanisms and tools to ensure proper monitoring including:

1. 1. Regular meetings, in accordance with UN WCESA programming cycle
   2. Site visits
   3. Regular flow of information (reporting)
   4. Use of Health Sector Monitoring Forms
   5. Conventional/non-conventional surveys and evaluation studies

• Meeting with health implementing partners
• Providing technical support and guidance to implementing/operational partners where required
• Data analysis and interpretation Support periodic nutrition surveys

4. Support capacity building initiatives so that refugees and other persons of concern to UN WCESA, UN WCESA and its partners acquire the needed knowledge, skills, and sense of responsibility and ownership of programmes.

• Support health and nutrition focal points and coordinators to develop training plan, organise and act as resource persons in workshops and training both in-service (formal) and on the job (coaching)

5. Advocate, inform, and communicate amongst stakeholders to ensure that refugee health and nutrition issues are on the national and international agenda and that the health and nutritional needs and status of refugees and other persons of concern to UN WCESA are appropriately documented and disseminated

6. Any other responsibilities/functions deemed necessary or as delegated by the UN WCESA Representative/Chief of Section in order to meet the level of the services in the organization.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Advanced university degree (Post graduate level) in Medical science or Public Health or Epidemiology with focus on Reproductive health and HIV/AIDS related communicable diseases.

Experience:

• Minimum of 6 years progressively responsible functions in HIV/AIDS and Public Health or Reproductive health in tropical countries dealing with development of comprehensive public health care programmes.
• Of the 6 years, at least 4 years of experience should be in an international humanitarian organization dealing with HIV/Public health in large scale emergencies or displaced refugee situations.
  Specific and proven skills and training in the areas of HIV and AIDS and Public health, including reproductive health.
• Demonstrated ability to organise and conduct training activities, seminars and mass information campaigns for the benefit of Implementing Partners and relevant government agencies.
  Applied knowledge in UN WCESA programme management, project formulation and monitoring as per UN WCESA established Programme Cycle. Proven ability to deal with multiple tasks in a courteous and service oriented manner in a demanding working condition that often has short deadlines.

Skills:

• Ability towards analytical and creative thinking for rapid solutions.
• Good communicator with strong interpersonal and negotiations skills to deal with persons of various cultural and educational backgrounds.
• Strive to live up to high ethical and professional standards.
• A team player with service oriented attitudes.
• High IT affinity is essential with skills in PowerPoint, excel, data analysis and statistical soft-ware

Languages:

• Excellent knowledge of English (written/oral/comprehension) is essential. Working knowledge of another UN language, preferably Arabic.
• Advanced drafting skills in English.
• Experience, advance training, balance and combined knowledge in different subjects: HIV and AIDS, Public Health, Reproductive health, Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine