OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Division of Country Health Policies and Systems (CPS) assists countries in the Region with the design and implementation of appropriate health policies and systems to strengthen universal health coverage. It works to strengthen data-driven, evidence-informed, contextually tailored health policy development and implementation at national, regional and local levels, taking an inclusive approach across the life course. The Division advocates strengthening of public health leadership, focusing on implementing policies that are people centred, promote health, prevent illness, and address the social and economic determinants of health, while fostering leadership on equity, human rights and gender main streaming in health. It focuses on building capacity for health systems innovation to enable the sustainable delivery of high-quality primary health and community services that are effectively linked to hospitals, and mental health, public health and social care services. To do so, CPS supports country efforts to facilitate access so as to leave nobody behind, to improve financial protection, to strengthen the health workforce, to increase access to affordable medicines and technologies, and to promote the uptake and implementation of digital technology.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

With the overall aim to support progress towards Universal Health Coverage and promote good practices in health financing, as well policies to reduce people suffering from financial hardship, the incumbent will coordinate and prepare with counterparts (internal and external) specific input to national plans on health financing and works with institutions related to health financing.

Key duties:

1. To support the effective implementation of WHO activities related to strengthening the health financing and service deliveryfunctions of the health system, as programmed in the Biannual Collaborative Agreement (BCA), including support to activities on health sector coordinationand policy dialogue.

2. To organize or assist in receiving, giving functional shelter, channelling and supporting all types of WHO presence, visits and missions in the country, and monitor and follow-up there commendations to ensure change.

3. To support and contribute to identification of areas for collaboration with the country, capacity building needs, priority health areas to be addressed by the BCA and projects, and to provide relevant technical support in health financing and health system strengthening, in collaboration with colleagues as needed.

4. To collect information, analyse, prepare and contribute in a regular and timely manner to various types of materials, reports and situation analyses related to health financing, health system and coordination needs in the country.

5. To assist and contribute in certifying the correct, high technical quality, policy relevant and timely implementation of all tasks and activities, including technical assistance, support to policy dialogue and capacity building, carried out under the donor financed initiatives or in agreed partnerships with partners at country level.

6. To support the Ministry, National Health Service and other partners in developing, implementing and evaluating national strategies and policies on improving health system performance and health financing both at national and sub-national level.

7. To engage with other initiatives at country level, including those addressing vertical programs from the universal health coverage, health financing and HSS lenses.

8. To maintain regular contacts with institutions and associations concerned with health financing, health sector development, including non-governmental agencies and scientific bodies for exchange of information in evaluation of health system’s performance and coordination ofactivities.

9. Plan, coordinate and monitor, in close coordination with WHO technical programmes, studies financed through WHO onhealth system, health financing, service coverage, official development assistance (ODA) and aid efficiency etc. to support the monitoring and evaluation of reform agenda, and overall policy dialogue.

10. To support the project(s) implementation team and the other staff in the country office in their development and back them upwhen needed, to ensure a smooth and efficient implementation of BCA.

11. To perform other duties assigned by the supervisor.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: University degree (Bachelor’s level) in medicine, public health, social and political sciences, economics, health financing or public administration.
Desirable: Master’s degree or postgraduate training in any of the above fields.

Experience

Essential: At least two years of national work experience inthe field of health system strengthening including experience in health financing; e.g. working with the insurance fund, other health financing institutions, academic institutions or international and/or non-governmental organizations.
Desirable: Relevant work experience with(in) international institutions or organizations in the area of policy advice for health systems strengthening / health financing. Ability to deliver policy advice on health financing to strengthen nationalhealth system.

Skills

Demonstrated knowledge of health systems and health financing in the countries of the WHO European region. Ability to work within significant uncertainties in a rapidly changing environment. Ability to interact appropriately with high-levelstakeholders, including senior officials and ministers. Data management and data analysis skills. Proficiency in the use of data analysis and statistical software (R and Excel).Good computer skills (wordprocessing, spreadsheet, Power point presentations). Emotional intelligence; Ability to identify andmanage one’s own emotions, as well as helping others to do the same.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Moving forward in a changing environment
Knowing and managing yourself

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English. Expert knowledge of Russian. Expert knowledge of Ukrainian.

 REMUNERATION

Remuneration comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 37,537 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable) and 30 days of annual leave.

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 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.

• 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.

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

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• 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.

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

• This is a National Professional Officer position. Therefore, only applications from nationals of the country where the duty station is located will be accepted. Applicants who are not nationals of this country will not be considered.