Organizational Setting
The FAO Health Services provides preventive medical, counseling, and occupational health services to FAO employees and their dependents and advises on all health-related matters to the Organization. Within the Health Services, the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) unit provides a wide range of services in headquarters and field office promoting and contributing to a healthy work environment.
The position is located in the Health Services within the Logistics Services Division at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy.
Reporting Lines
The Medical Officer (Occupational Health Doctor) reports to the Chief, Health Services.
Technical Focus
In accordance with the United Nations (UN) established policies and procedures, overall planning and implementation of occupational safety and health services (CSLH), in close collaboration with the medical and travel clinic, counselling, health promotion and ergonomic units; provision of sound professional advice, promotion and maintenance of proper health care, including the prevention of health hazards.
Key Results
Full implementation of the FAO Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) plan to achieve proper coverage of employees and dependents with the needed services.
Key Functions
Clinical activities:
• Provides emergency medical care, confidential medical advice and counselling to staff during office hours.
• Coordinates and supports the nurses with clinical work including sick leave-related cases when necessary.
• Coordinates and manages medical evacuations and medical travels.
Occupational Safety and Health activities:
• Carries out occupational health assessments to determine fitness for duty related to the process of appointment, periodical, separation examination and transfer to field duty stations.
• Reviews and evaluates cases related to service-incurred accidents and illnesses.
• Reviews and manages recurring and prolonged sick-leave cases.
• Reviews and recommends course of action in requests for disability, special child allowance and special education grant, and coordinates Independent Medical Evaluation.
• Implements FAO CSLH plan in FAO headquarters and Decentralized Offices, addresses work environment and occupational health matters, liaises with local medical facilities in the field; designs and develops occupational health related guidelines.
• Designs OSH support plan for Decentralized Offices and high-risk countries in collaboration with other FAO Divisions and Regional/Country Offices.
• Uses and contributes to the continuous development of occupational health software (Cority); extracts and reviews medical data and provides statistics, flowcharts and reports from the software as required.
• Reviews and interprets medical data and surveys on cost and utilization pattern to evaluate the health of staff, suggests strategic initiatives and advises management on improvement and cost saving initiatives.
• Supports emergency preparedness planning and response to all identified hazards at headquarters and in the field offices.
Health Promotion activities:
• Participates in the implementation of appropriate training and health promotion programmes (e.g. health education, HIV/AIDS prevention, first aid and CPR) in field offices.
• Ensures the preparation of travel health advisory on-line posting and dissemination of information.
• Performs other duties as required.
CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING
Minimum Requirements
• Doctoral degree in medicine, including residency training in a medical specialty, preferably internal medicine or occupational health in addition to a valid medical license/registration to practice in home country.
• Five years of relevant clinical/medical experience including occupational health and safety.
• Working knowledge (proficient – level C) of English and limited knowledge (intermediate – level B) of another FAO official language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish).
Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Technical/Functional Skills
• Work experience in more than one location or area of work, particularly in field positions.
• Extent and relevance of experience in occupational safety and health medicine.
• Demonstrated ability to write clear and concise reports and documents in English.
• Extent and relevance of experience in development and implementation of policies, procedures and training activities, occupational safety and health activities preferably in the UN system, is considered a strong asset.