Technical Officer, Respiratory Diseases

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Salary - Monthly (non-negotiable):

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DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT
The incumbent participates as a member of a dynamic team providing technical cooperation to the country in the areas of surveillance, prevention and control of communicable diseases. The incumbent will provide technical support for the implementation of the national strategies for the prevention and control of diseases such as respiratory viruses. The successful achievement of the program objectives requires close coordination with the supervisors, as well as with national collaborating centers and other national agencies and non-governmental organizations. In performing his/her duties, the incumbent will follow the guidelines of the Organization’s General Program of Work; the Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS), the Strategic Plan and its Biennial Work Plan (BWP) of the Organization; policy orientations; Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); mandates of the Governing Bodies; manuals, strategies and other directives regarding technical cooperation. The incumbent will work in coordination and close collaboration with all relevant staff in the country office and national authorities.

SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES
Under the general supervision of the Deputy Representative, and the direct supervision of the Advisor, Public Health Emergencies (PHE), the incumbent will be responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties: 

a)    Provide pandemic planning and preparedness support, including technical guidance on pandemic planning for respiratory and other infectious threats, and supporting preparedness initiatives for epidemic and pandemic respiratory diseases, encompassing contingency plan development, simulation exercises;
b)    Develop and implement capacity-building exercises, strengthening preparedness, response, and recovery from epidemic and pandemic threats, including field epidemiology and operational research protocols;
c)    Support surveillance system strengthening, providing technical support to national authorities developing plans for strengthening surveillance for key infectious threats, and supporting the development and implementation of surveillance approaches within healthcare;
d)    Provide technical guidance and research support, advising on the creation and application of scientific evidence on management of respiratory and other infectious threats, and supporting the development of guidance and strengthening preparedness, monitoring, and response;  
e)    Support emergency response and implementation of disease prevention and control measures, including organization of clinical care, death investigations, and support for surveillance, and providing specialized technical support in the analysis and communication of data and information related to emerging disease risks; 
f)    Collaborate in project planning and implementation, including designing, planning, implementing, and monitoring projects related to infectious threats, and contributing to the Country Office’s  Biennial Work Plan (BWP) to ensure alignment with organizational priorities; 
g)    Contribute to the development, implementation, monitoring and reporting of the Representation’s Biennial Work Plan (BWP), and participate in resource mobilization efforts, both financial and non-financial; including preparing project proposals and plans for bilateral and multilateral donors, to support programmatic objectives; 
h)    Provide  technical support for the development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of Special Projects and Terms of Cooperation (TC) -and its corresponding Terms of Adjustment (TA)-with the Ministry of Health, other Ministries and federal agencies/institutions, States and Municipalities, and with implementing partners; including, but not limited, to preparing and maintaining all documents and progress/final reports for the projects/TC/TA;
i)    Represent the organization, following indications from the area coordinator and/or the PWR, to ensure the proper negotiation, implementation and M&E of projects/TCs/TAs;
j)    Cooperate and collaborate in providing an integrated technical cooperation with other teams and projects of the CO, in line with the Country Cooperation Strategy;
k)    Support staff development, establish clear work objectives, and provide coaching and feedback;
l)    Promote horizontal, south-south and/or triangular cooperation for health development and innovation for strategic advancement of the areas of responsibility, through exchange of resources, technology, experience and knowledge; including the promotion and use of WHO Collaborating Centers (WCC) and the identification of potential new WCC in Brazil;
m)    Provide technical support on knowledge management for areas of work assigned, using all the available means for the dissemination of relevant scientific and technical information, sharing of successful practices and results achieved within the scope of technical cooperation, while contributing to position PAHO’s technical leadership in health and preserve the institutional memory;
n)    Perform other related duties, as assigned;
 

KEY BEHAVIORAL COMPETENCIES

Overall attitude at work: Maintains integrity and takes a clear ethical approach and stance; demonstrates commitment to the Organization’s mandate and promotes the values of the Organization in daily work and behavior; is accountable for work carried out in line with own role and responsibilities; is respectful towards, and trusted by, colleagues and counterparts. 

Teamwork: Collaborate and cooperate with others. - Works collaboratively with team members and counterparts to achieve results; encourages cooperation and builds rapport; helps others when asked; accepts joint responsibility for the teams’ successes and shortcomings. Identifies conflicts in a timely manner and addresses them as necessary; understands issues from the perspective of others; does not interpret/ attribute conflicts to cultural, geographical or gender issues. 

Respecting and valuing individual differences: Treats everyone with dignity and respect, fostering positive relationships with everyone. Reflects on personal behavior to avoid stereotypes and considers situations from the perspective of others.

Communication: Express oneself clearly when speaking/Write effectively/Listen/Shares knowledge - Quality and quantity of communication targeted at audience.  Listens attentively and does not interrupt other speakers.  Adapts communication style and written content to ensure they are appropriately and accurately understood by the audience (e.g., power-point presentations, communication strategies, implementation plans).  Shares information openly with colleagues and transfers knowledge, as needed. 

Knowing and managing yourself: Manages stress/Invite feedback/Continuously learn - Remains productive even in an environment where information or direction is not available, and when facing challenges; recovers quickly from setbacks, where necessary. Manages stress positively; remains positive and productive even under pressure; does not transfer stress to others. Seeks feedback to improve knowledge and performance; shows self- awareness when seeking and receiving feedback; uses feedback to improve own performance.    Seeks informal and/or formal learning opportunities for personal and professional development; systematically learns new competencies and skills useful for job; takes advantage of learning opportunities to fill competencies and skill gaps.   

Producing Results: Deliver quality results/Take responsibility - Produces high-quality results and workable solutions that meet clients’ needs. Works independently to produce new results and sets own timelines effectively and efficiently.  Shows awareness of own role and clarifies roles of team members in relation to project’s expected results. Makes proposals for improving processes as required and takes responsibility for own work and/or actions, as necessary.   Demonstrates positive attitude in working on new projects and initiatives. Demonstrates accountability for own success, as well as for errors; learns from experience.    

Moving forward in a changing environment: Propose change/Adapt to change - Suggests and articulates effective and efficient proposals for change as needed when new circumstances arise.  Quickly and effectively adapts own work approach in response to new demands and changing priorities. Is open to new ideas, approaches and working methods; adjusts own approach to embrace change initiatives. 

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

• Technical expertise in the areas of disease prevention and control.
• Technical expertise in respiratory viruses and their prevention and control.
• Field epidemiology and studies (e.g. burden of disease, vaccine effectiveness etc.)
• MOSAIC implementation.
• Knowledge of planning, monitoring, evaluation and control of the technical cooperation actions programmed on national levels.
• Ability to plan, monitor and evaluate the technical cooperation processes.
• Knowledge and skills in the formulation of technical cooperation interventions and in the development of criteria for evaluating program interventions.
• Ability to develop, implement and analyze technical cooperation programs and activities, including budget programming and control.
• Ability to integrate technical and administrative inputs into recommendations for decision-making processes.
• Ability to work independently and to manage multiple assignments simultaneously in a complex organizational environment.
• Strong professional oral and writing skills, including the development of reports, oral presentations, and technical/persuasive documents.

EDUCATION (Qualifications)

Essential: A bachelor’s degree in health (nursing, medicine, etc.) or other sciences from a recognized institution.

Desirable: A master’s degree or PhD in medical sciences, epidemiology or public health or advanced field epidemiology training.

EXPERIENCE

Essential: Five years of national experience in respiratory disease prevention and control and respiratory studies.

Desirable: Implementation of the MOSAIC framework at national or subnational level.

LANGUAGES

Very good knowledge of Portuguese with a working knowledge of English or Spanish.

IT SKILLS

Demonstrated ability to effectively use current technology and software, spreadsheets and presentations, as well as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and management information systems. Other IT skills and knowledge of software programs such as Microsoft Excel, Outlook, OneDrive, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, and Word are considered essential.

DISCLAIMER 

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade and level. 

• All applicants are required to complete an on-line profile to be considered for this post. 

• Candidates will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration. 

• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the official degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. PAHO, considers official higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in one of the following databases: 

                - World Higher Education Database (WHED), list updated by the International Association of Universities

                   (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

                   The list can be assessed through the link: http://whed.net/

                - Council for Higher Education Accreditation chea.org

                 - College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics,

                  nces.gov to support the validation process. 

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and e-Manual. 

PAHO/WHO is committed to: 

• PAHO supports an environment of mutual respect and dignity for all applicants. All interested individuals who meet the requirements of this position are encouraged to apply.

• Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. To do so, email us at: pahorecruitment@paho.org

• Maintaining high standards of integrity and accountability. People joining PAHO are required to maintain these standards both in their professional work and personal activities.

• Promoting a work environment that is free from harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and other types of abusive behavior. PAHO conducts background checks and will not hire anyone who has a substantiated history of misconduct.  

• Providing a smoke-free environment. 

• Protecting the people in the communities we serve.  Therefore, we have zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. People who commit serious wrongdoing will be terminated and may also face criminal prosecution.