Location: Roving with 80% travel
Reporting to: Senior Health Advisor
From: January 2016 to December 2016
Background
The cluster approach has been introduced as a part of “humanitarian reform” aimed at improving the effectiveness of humanitarian response by ensuring greater predictability and accountability, while at the same time strengthening partnerships between NGOs, international organizations, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and UN agencies. The other, complementary elements of the reform are: strengthening the humanitarian coordinator (HC) system; and improving humanitarian financing. The Health Cluster is indeed, a partnership that strives to demonstrate optimized cluster performance and health outcomes through timely, effective, complementary and coordinated action preparing for, responding to, and recovering from crises. The Health Cluster abides by the following Guiding Principles that serve as the foundation for achieving its Strategic Objectives i) Commitment and voluntary cooperation; ii) partnership; iii) community participation and accountability to affected populations; iv) support national authorities' coordination efforts, priorities and building capacities; v) Adherence to humanitarian principles. At country level, the Health Cluster provides a framework for effective partnerships among international and national humanitarian health actors, civil society and other stakeholders, and ensures that international health responses are appropriately aligned with national structures. Participating organizations in the health cluster work together in partnership to harmonize efforts and use available resources efficiently within the framework of agreed objectives, priorities and strategies, for the benefit of the affected population(s), this includes avoiding gaps and/or overlap in the international humanitarian health response and resources.
GOAL in support of the health cluster will now second an experienced health personnel to WHO for deployment as a sub-national health cluster coordinator. This role will be roving with a minimum of 2 deployments of 6-12 weeks each per year to countries that have been declared UN level 3 emergencies. When the position holder is not being deployed he/she will support WHO in implementing their global health cluster action plan in terms of preparation of health policy and guidelines etc.
PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISOR (P4)
Under the broad guidance of the Head of WHO County office and the supervision of the Health Cluster Coordinator, the incumbent works in close collaboration with others WHO staff members and Health Cluster partners. The incumbent will have the overall responsibility for providing technical expertise and support to ensure the delivery of evidence-based, timely, effective and efficient implementation of the humanitarian health response in close collaboration with affected Member States and all relevant stakeholders.
Summary of Assigned Duties
- Review and monitor the humanitarian health situation, analyze response gaps and make appropriate recommendations to fill the gaps and improve coordination both at national and sub-national levels.
- Support the design, planning, implementation and reporting of joint health cluster initial and ongoing needs assessments and surveys, as well as follow-on more in-depth health sector assessments, as needed.
- Assist the Health Cluster Coordinator in the development of the Humanitarian Health strategy in line with the results of the needs assessment exercise.
- Promote the integration of cross-cutting issues into the work of the Health Cluster, especially age, gender, HIV, disability and diversity
- In close collaboration with the WHO surveillance officer, mobilize health partners to contribute to the Early Warning and Response Network EWARN in their areas of intervention, and actively participate in the alerts investigations
- Liaise with the sub-national offices and coordination mechanisms to regularly collect, analyze and document health cluster information from the conflict affected areas.
- Povide regular updates and briefings to the Health Cluster partners, on the Health status of the affected people, the joint response activities, achievements, challenges and recommendations.
- Provide technical guidance on how to improve the quality and timeliness of health cluster information products such as the health cluster bulletins, EWARN reports,donor updates etc.
- Organize and conduct joint support missions to field operations
- Identify urgent training needs in relation to technical standards and protocols to ensure their adoption and uniform application by Health Cluster partners.
- Assist the Health Cluster Coordinator in coordinating initiatives to build the Health coordination and response capacity of the national and local government, partners and civil society.
- Conduct joint monitoring missions together with other Health Cluster partners to foster peer-exchange and ensure adequate monitoring of program performance
- Assist the Health Cluster Coordinator (HCC) in the day-to-day management of the Health Cluster.
- Act as back-up health cluster surge as required including representation at intercluster forums.
- Assist in the documentation of best practices, key lessons learnt and recommendations for improvement.
- Perform any other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
Competencies: Generic
*1. Ensuring the effective use of resources
*2. Producing results
*3. Fostering integration and teamwork
- Moving forward in a changing environment
- Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Education Qualifications
Essential
- Advanced university degree in medicine or public health.
Experience/Skills
Essential
- At least 7 years of relevant experience, including three years’ experience in managing and coordinating health programs in chronic and acute, sudden-onset emergencies.
- Ability to prioritize, organize, manage and adapt management style according to need.
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills and ability to convene stakeholders and facilitate a policy process among UN, NGOs, national health authorities and donors.
- In-depth knowledge of emergency relief policies and practices within the UN, other UN Specialized Agencies, donor agencies, national and international NGOs.
- Sound knowledge and experience about national disaster prevention and preparedness programs.
Desirable
- Experience in NGOs and UN organizations.
Language Skills
- Excellent written and spoken English.
- Another UN language an asset.
Other Skills (e.g. IT)
This Job Description only serves as a guide for the position available. GOAL reserves the right to change this document. This is an unaccompanied position. Interviews will be held in Dublin or London. Unfortunately GOAL cannot contribute to financial costs incurred when attending interview.
Note: GOAL is an equal opportunities employer
HOW TO APPLY:
