Technical Officer, Healthy Life Course

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Qualifications

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE

PAHO Country Offices are responsible for ensuring that the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) country program of technical cooperation and its country presence provides adequate support to the national health development process and, at the same time, enables countries to shape the subregional, regional, and global health agendas. The PAHO/WHO Country Office is the basic organizational unit for technical cooperation with the country/ies, drawing on PAHO/WHO resources from all levels and all parts of the Organization.

The incumbent participates as a member of a multidisciplinary team providing technical cooperation to the country, specifically in the program of work for the development and incorporation of a life cycle approach, including women and men’s health, newborn and child health, adolescent health and elderly health, with emphasis on promoting and protecting the health of individuals throughout the life course and considering the cultural diversity. 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 nongovernmental 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 the Biennial Work Plan (BWP) of the Organization; policy orientations; Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); 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 and other agencies to coordinate activities and resources.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the general supervision of the PAHO/WHO Representative, and the direct supervision of the Advisor, Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, the incumbent will be responsible, but not necessarily limited, to the following assigned duties:

a)       Provide technical support in the delivery of technical cooperation programs and collaborate in the planning, development and monitoring of plans, programs and projects related to family health, newborn and child health, adolescent health, women and men’s health, and elderly health; support the review and consolidation of work plans for the different States and Municipalities in the Country to improve the efficiency of implementation, performance assessment and reporting;

b)       Collaborate in the development of work plans and in the implementation of programs related to maternal and child mortality, health equity and gender mainstreaming;

c)       Support national authorities in implementing programs, from different sectors aimed at identifying solutions for issues related to gender discrimination, maternal, newborn and child mortality and programs to ensure safe motherhood and a healthy start for newborns and infants;

d)       Collaborate with the Advisor, and assist the Ministry of Health in the analysis of the principal health problems (linked to a life cycle approach, including, newborn and child health, adolescent health, women and men’s health, and elderly health) and to define effective control strategies within the framework of the Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS);

e)       Provide technical support in collaboration with the Advisor, 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 limiting, to preparing and maintaining all documents and progress/final reports for the projects/TC/TA;

f)        Contribute to the organization’s representation in technical and political scenarios , following indications from the area coordinator and/or the PWR, to ensure the proper negotiation, implementation and M&E of projects/TCs/TAs;

g)       Cooperate and collaborate in providing an integrated technical cooperation with other teams and projects of the CO, in line with the Country Cooperation Strategy;

h)       Contribute with the guidance of the Advisor, to the development, implementation, monitoring and reporting of the Representation’s Biennial Work Plan (BWP), and participate in resource mobilization, both financial and non-financial; including assisting national and subregional authorities in the preparation of project proposals and plans to bilateral and multilateral donors;

i)        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;

j)        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;

k)      Perform other related duties, as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Essential: A bachelor’s degree in a health-related science, public health or related to the functions of the post from a recognized university.

Desirable: A master’s degree in public health, public policy or a field related to the functions of the position from a recognized university would be an asset.

If your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position.  PAHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the WHED database, a list updated by the IAU / UNESCO.  The list can be accessed through the link:  http://www.whed.net/.  PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education accreditation http://www.chea.org/search/default.asp and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to support the validation process.

Experience:

Essential:   Five years of professional experience in technical cooperation in institutions concerned with public health management or evaluation of programs with a life cycle approach.

Desirable: Experience working in a multicultural context, with a gender approach, with local based evidence projects particularly related with social determinants and mainstreaming health settings.

SKILLS:

PAHO 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 family and community health, including technical cooperation projects in developing countries.

-         Knowledge of planning, monitoring, evaluation, and control of the technical cooperation programs.

-         Ability to plan, monitor and evaluate technical cooperation processes.

-         Knowledge and skills in the formulation of technical cooperation interventions and in the development of criteria for evaluating program interventions.

-         Knowledge and skills for the development, implementation and analysis of technical cooperation programs and activities, including budget programming and control.

-         Knowledge and skills for theoretical and practical familiarity of concepts and methods applicable to development and management of the intercultural aspects of healthy life course.

-         Ability to integrate inputs and support for decision-making process, demonstrating understanding of administrative and managerial aspects.

-         Ability to work independently and to manage multiple assignments simultaneously in a complex organizational environment.

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.

REMUNERATION

Annual Salary: (Net of taxes)

R$292,731.00

This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates to fill other similar short-term positions at the same grade level. PAHO/WHO offers an attractive compensation package including a monthly net salary (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance). Other benefits may include: 2.5 days annual leave per month, generous telework policy, parental leave, sick leave, pension plan, and health insurance scheme.  Applicants will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration. A written test and/or interview will be held for this position as a form of screening. The post description is the official documentation for organizational purposes. Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and e-Manual. For information on PAHO please visit: http://www.paho.org. PAHO/WHO is committed to workforce individual differences. PAHO/WHO is an ethical organization that maintains high standards of integrity and accountability. People joining PAHO are required to maintain these standards both in their professional work and personal activities.  PAHO/WHO also promotes 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. PAHO/WHO personnel interact frequently with people in the communities we serve. To protect these people, PAHO has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. People who commit serious wrongdoing will be terminated and may also face criminal prosecution. PAHO/WHO is a smoke-free environment. Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are encouraged. All applicants are required to complete an on-line profile to be considered for this post. Applicants must be nationals of Brazil or hold a permanent local work visa (permanent resident card).