Technical Officer, Human Resources for Health

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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 the country/ies to shape the subregional, regional and global health agendas. The PAHO/WHO Country Office is the basic organizational unit for technical cooperation within 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 in the area of human resources for health. The incumbent will collaborate in the development of human resources policies and plans to ensure a competent, diversified, motivated, productive and well distributed workforce with regards to health system policies and health needs of population, based on the strategy of primary health care. 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; the Policy on the Health Workforce 2030: Strengthening Human Resources for Health to achieve resilient health systems;  policy orientations; 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 (PWR), and the direct supervision of the Advisor, Health Systems and Services (HSS), the incumbent will be responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties: 

a)       Collaborate with the Advisor, Health Systems and Services (HSS), to plan, develop, and monitor Human Resource for Health (HRH) projects, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and strengthening universal health systems;

b)      Provide technical support for project implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, under the guidance of the Advisor, HSS, including tracking progress and identifying areas for improvement;

c)       Offer technical advice and support on HRH policies, plans, and interventions, under the oversight of the Advisor, HSS, focusing on primary health care, health networks, and family and community health approaches;

d)      Support the development of learning policies and plans, and design training interventions, as guided by the Advisor, HSS, promoting alignment between pre-service education and health system needs;

e)       Promote partnerships with national counterparts, partner institutions, and other stakeholders, under the guidance of the Advisor, HSS, to support HRH development and implementation;

f)       Collaborate with other teams and projects within the organization to achieve maximum efficiency and effectiveness, ensuring seamless communication and alignment with organizational objectives;

g)      Monitor project implementation and evaluate progress, under the oversight of the Advisor, HSS, including tracking indicators and preparing assessment reports;

h)      Prepare and maintain project documents and progress reports, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with organizational requirements;

i)        Serve as a communication link between the organization and intersectoral teams, under the guidance of the Advisor, HSS, facilitating information exchange and collaboration;

j)        Contribute to the organization's representation in technical and political scenarios, as indicated by the Advisor, HSS, promoting PAHO's technical leadership in health;

k)      Support resource mobilization, including financial and non-financial resources, under the guidance of the Advisor, HSS, to support HRH development and project implementation;

l)        Promote horizontal, south-south, and/or triangular cooperation for health development and innovation, leveraging WHO Collaborating Centers and other partnerships;

m) Performs other related duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Essential: A bachelor’s degree in a health, social or management science, or in any other area related to the functions of the post from a recognized university.

Desirable: A master’s degree in health science or other areas of Health, Qualification of Leadership for Policy Management, Regulation or Human Resources Planning in Health would be an asset.

If 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.  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 national professional experience in human resources for health policies, management and regulation; experience in health professional education or health workforce management.

Desirable: Experience in the development of integrated human resources for health networks would be an asset.

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 human resources for health technical cooperation, health workforce planning, human resources policies, management and regulation, information and forecasting HR Systems, HR provision, education and capacity building in health, project management based on results.

–    Strong theoretical knowledge of public health and universal health systems, Primary Health Care and integrated networks of health services.

–    Knowledge of planning, monitoring, evaluation and control of 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.

–    Ability to integrate managerial 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 for consideration at the highest levels of the Organization.

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

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (Local Recruitment) This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates to fill other similar short-term positions at the same grade level. PAHO 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 is committed to workforce individual differences. PAHO 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 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 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 is a smoke-free environment. Applications from women and nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are encouraged. All applicants are required to complete an online profile to be considered for this post. Applicants must be nationals of Brazil or hold a permanent local work visa (permanent resident card).