Technical officer, emergency and humanitarian action (NPO)

Vacancy Notice No: WPRO/07/FT1105

Objectives of the programme

To design and implement programme activities that would prepare the health sector in dealing with emergencies and improve health condition of affected population during and after emergency situations with the goal of supporting the Department of Health in:
1) providing prompt assessment on health needs of populations affected by crises, identifying priority causes of ill-health and death; preparing damage estimates, emergency response and recovery/rehabilitation plans; providing prompt, credible health information and ensuring the continuity of essential health services;
2) coordinating and monitoring emergency health response/relief efforts under the aegis of the Interagency Standing Committee Health Cluster, wherein WHO is the lead agency;
3) ensuring that critical gaps in health response are rapidly identified and filled; and
4) revitalizing and building the capacity of the national health systems in dealing with preparedness, mitigation and response.

Description of duties:

Under the supervision of the WHO Representative in the Philippines, with technical guidance and close collaboration with the Emergency and Humanitarian Action (EHA) Regional Focal Point, the incumbent will perform the following functions:

A. Responsible in carrying out the overall tasks of planning, implementing, monitoring and reporting in-country activities on Emergency and Humanitarian Action:
- To provide technical support to the Department of Health in developing, coordinating and monitoring situation reports as well as providing support on vulnerability assessment, risk analysis and identifying gaps in capacity;
- To complement available health information by initiating and/or carrying out additional surveys and information collection activities;
- To develop communication system and update situation reports on health situation and WHO activities in the country;
- To provide support in the development and/or updating of national preparedness and disaster management programmes, and in the mobilization and effective use of resources in the health sector;
- To liaise and collaborate with the Department of Health, other United Nations agencies, nongovernmental organizations Red Cross movement and other relevant stakeholders in the organization of meetings, trainings, workshops, and activities such as joint assessments or evaluation missions;
- To support the Department of Health in organizing relevant training activities to strengthen health sector preparedness and act as a resource person for WHO/EHA training activities at country and intercountry levels;
- To manage and monitor the implementation of all EHA projects and submit timely reports;
- To develop and update technical information on health situation and WHO activities in the country for the information of the funding partners;
- In collaboration with partners at country level, to prepare project proposals for dissemination and discussion with donor agencies to obtain possible financial support;
- To brief all consultants, experts and partners collaborating with EHA activities in the country and act as "helpdesk" for any problems they might encounter while carrying out their missions;
- To facilitate the conduct of project reviews and joint monitoring missions; and
- To perform other related duties as may be required.

B. The incumbent will be the main focal point for WHO's response to acute crises that may occur in-country and will have the following tasks:
- Coordinate, support and take part in rapid health assessments, collect and manage health information to be used as basis in identifying public health concerns, threats and capacity gaps;
- Develop response strategy in collaboration with the Department of Health and/or partners and identify resources needed for WHO's intervention;
- Assist the WHO Representative in the implementation of the internal WHO emergency response plan for the office;
- Participate in interagency mechanism, including the Health Cluster and other UN activities (e.g. United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination team);
- Prepare situation reports (with regular frequency) and assist the WHO Representative in the dissemination of public health information, and support media and communication activities as needed;
- Initiate project proposals to finance WHO's response and participate in the preparation of a health sector response strategy through the UN Office of the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) -led appeal mechanisms;
- Facilitate customs clearance and distribution of supplies delivered by WHO and its implementing partners;
- Brief and assist incoming technical experts in their missions;
- Prepare regular reports on response activities;
- Support lessons learnt on events following rapid response to specific crises.

Education:

University degree in medicine and/or any health-related field or equivalent professional training. Postgraduate qualification in Public Health or Management; specialized training in emergency management is an advantage.

Skills:

Sound knowledge and relevant experience in the development and management of health projects related to emergency management and humanitarian action, including training, networking and coordination. Ability to work strategically with the Department of Health, nongovernmental organizations, and other partners. Ability to identify and solve problems in difficult circumstances, and leadership skills in a multidisciplinary and multinational environment. Excellent analytical and organizational skills, with proven ability to elaborate and implement effective strategies. Skills in basic computer applications. Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work under pressure. Ability to communicate effectively. Tact, discretion and ability to promote consensus. Ability to work harmoniously as a member of a team and maintain high standards of personal conduct.

Experience:

Three to six years' experience in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of health projects and humanitarian response in emergencies and disasters, including programme management, strategy development, capacity building, networking and coordination. Experience or sound knowledge of WHO mandate and goals in Emergency and Humanitarian Action or similar experience in other United Nations agencies, international institutions or nongovernmental organizations and experience in writing proposals and technical report-writing would be an asset.

Languages:

Excellent knowledge of spoken and written English and the local language.