COORDINATOR (HQ/13/PEC/FT537)
4 December 2013
The mission of WHO is the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.
Vacancy Notice No: HQ/13/PEC/FT537
Title: Coordinator
Grade: P5
Contract type: Fixed-Term Appointment
Duration of contract: One year
Date: 4 December 2013
Application Deadline: 8 January 2014
Duty Station: Geneva, Switzerland
Organization unit: HQ/PEC Polio, Emergencies and Country Collaboration (HQ/PEC), HQ/POL Polio Operations and Research (HQ/POL)
HQ/SSS Strategy & Surge Support Unit
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME :
The overall objectives of the Polio Eradication Initiative are to lead the global eradication efforts of national governments and the global polio eradication partnership to interrupt the transmission of poliovirus worldwide, certify eradication, eventually stop the use of oral poliovirus vaccine, and help establish the legacy of the polio eradication initiative. The immediate strategic objective is to implement WHO's polio emergency plans and coordinate those of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partnership in support of national emergency eradication efforts in polio-infected countries and areas.
Description of duties:
1. Manages the Strategy Support and Coordination Unit in Polio Operations and Research (POL), and oversees, guides and supports the work of team leaders and staff within the unit to ensure that the priority global functions of each team are performed efficiently and effectively.
2. Guides the development of team and individual work plans, monitors the work of unit teams, directly supervises team leads and is responsible for completion of their performance evaluations.
3. Supports the country operations information needs of POL and the other units in the Department and coordinates with the Programme Operations and Cluster Management (PCM) team on human and financial resource allocation.
4. Coordinates with the relevant regional office the key programme strategic and technical support functions to ensure quality of Supplementary Immunization Activities (SIAs), surveillance for poliovirus, and outbreak response.
5. Oversees coordination of SIA planning, international vaccine supply, deployment of human resource surge and technical expertise.
6. Coordinates with the relevant regional office, and partner agencies, inputs into strategic planning in priority countries, including supplementary vaccination plans, strategies to reach special populations, and support to increase routine immunization coverage in specific areas.
7. Coordinates the international component of the emergency response to polio outbreaks.
8. Identifies and appoints an outbreak response manager for each major event.
9. Ensures the development of the emergency outbreak response plan and mobilizes human resources, vaccines, and other logistics to ensure an immediate and robust outbreak response and applies and monitors the achievement of outbreak response performance standards.
10. Coordinates the development of technical guidelines for special immunization activities and programme operations in high risk areas and guides the development of strategic plans for mitigating risks of outbreaks due to wild or vaccine-derived poliovirus.
11. Ensures that human resource gaps are tracked in priority regions and countries and coordinates the emergency human resource surge and deployment of consultants, staff, as well as personnel from partner agencies in close collaboration with the PCM team. This includes providing oversight to the training, coordination and deployment of the STOP (Stop Transmission of Polio) teams ensuring their presence and effectiveness in priority areas in collaboration with CDC.
12. Ensures alignment of global SIA plans with available oral poliovirus vaccine (OPV) supply on at least a quarterly basis.
13. Takes immediate steps to address vaccine shortfall due to unanticipated demands.
14. Ensures clear understanding and robust analysis of vaccine demands and supply situation based on SIA plans and outcomes of ongoing risk analyses.
15. Oversees close coordination with UNICEF, monitors, analyzes, and reviews models of vaccine needs, and shares information on SIA plans and vaccine demand and supply situations with regions and partner agencies.
16. Ensures accuracy and reliability of vaccine forecasting information in collaboration with UNICEF and other partners, for internal planning and for discussions with manufacturers that guide production of sufficient vaccines needed by the programme.
17. Collaborates closely with the Security and Access Support Unit to align country plans with the security and access situation in priority areas.
18. Supports country teams and partners in developing operational strategies that enhance safe access of the programme staff in insecure areas.
19. Performs other duties as assigned.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
Essential
- Advanced degree in a health discipline.
Desirable
- Medical degree or Masters level degree in epidemiology or public health.
Skills:
- Extensive knowledge of public health and epidemiology, with broad practical knowledge of public health, infectious disease surveillance and control, and vaccine science, immunization and disease eradication policies and strategies and their application in developing and developed countries.
- Proven managerial competence, with capacity to work and communicate effectively with staff and in complex organizational cultures .
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with governments, partner agencies, and in field conditions.
- Proven ability to supervise and manage teams conducting key program activities for multiple internal and external stakeholders.
- Demonstrated ability in leadership of multi-disciplinary teams and servicing needs of different partners.
- Planning, organizational and management skills.
- Excellent writing and presentation skills.
Desirable
Familiarity with data management software.
Thorough familiarity with database and mapping programmes.
WHO Competencies:
1. Producing results
2. Communicating in a credible and effective way
3. Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
4. Promoting WHO's position in health leadership
5. Creating an empowering and motivating environment.
Experience:
Essential
- Ten years' experience in public health and infectious disease control programmes at the national and international levels, particularly in developing countries; at least 5 years of which were at the international level, with management responsibility of large-scale public health programmes.
- At least 4 years of this experience in disease eradication and policies and strategies for infectious disease control.
- Substantial experience in vaccines and immunisation programmes, particularly in developing country settings and disease surveillance.
- Mid- to senior-level experience in public health programmes with responsibilities for managing and supervising staff and making strategic decisions on deployment of human resources.
Desirable
- Substantial experience in the development, implementation and assessment of polio eradication
- strategies and policies at both the national and international levels.
- Experience in collaboration and negotiations with external agencies and knowledge of GPEI partners and WHO regions.
- Experience with international organizations and/or nongovernmental organizations.
- Proven quantitative research ability reflected in peer-reviewed publications would be an asset.
Languages:
Essential
- Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable
- Intermediate knowledge of French.
Additional Information:
Other similar positions at the same level may be filled from this Vacancy Notice. This vacancy is published in English only.
The following priority order will be observed in the screening of candidates: 1. WHO staff members (Continuing, Fixed-term and Temporary appointments), 2. External candidates.
Annual salary:
(Net of tax)
USD 80734 at single rate
USD 86904 with primary dependants
Post Adjustment:
103.3 % of the above figure(s). This percentage is to be considered as indicative since variations may occur each month either upwards or downwards due to currency exchange rate fluctuations or inflation.
A written test and interviews may be used as a form of screening
Online applications are strongly encouraged to enable WHO to store your profile in a permanent database. Please visit WHO's e-Recruitment website at: www.who.int/employment . The system provides instructions for online application procedures.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the vacancy announcement.
WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual. Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
