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Qualifications

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

This requisition is for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)

The Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health (EIH) is responsible for leading the Organization into a full fluid cycle that begins with the production and availability of quality basic and disaggregated data and the strengthening of information systems and digital transformation for health as fundamental pillars, the subsequent ethical use of data to produce health intelligence through analysis, modelling, forecasting, and data science to guide decisions and actions in health, knowledge generation and management to improve the access, use, and sharing of evidence in health, the prioritization of research agendas and resources to respond to Regional priorities, and culminating with knowledge translation to support evidence-based decisions and policy making in public health, including the implementation of research policy and bioethics programs and the management of the Pan American Journal of Public Health.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the technical guidance of the Director, Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health (EIH), the direct supervision of the Unit Chief, Information Systems and Digital Health (IS/EIH), and the administrative supervision of the PAHO/WHO Representative (PWR), the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

a)   Manage PAHO’s Information Systems, Health Intelligence, and Digital Health program at subregional level; provide technical cooperation and technical, policy, strategic and programmatic advice for the implementation of the Regional Roadmap for the Digital Transformation of the Health Sector, including the Information Systems for Health initiative for the Americas;

b)   Provide technical and policy advice and guidance in the areas of Information Systems and Digital Health, information technologies and data management; advise on project development and program activities required for the operationalization and accessibility of tools and platforms following the mandates and policies of the Organization;

c)    Provide technical advice in the implementation of the PAHO Health Information Platform (PLISA) project, in accordance with the technical standards established for information systems and data governance by the Organization;

d)   Collaborate in the process of implementing mechanisms that facilitate the development of comprehensive information systems platforms and information tools, including vital statistics, that allow the integration of data, information and knowledge from areas and programs across the Organization to facilitate access to data from health and development partners;

e)   Develop and implement innovative and more efficient ways for communication and disseminating data, information, and knowledge in and outside the Organization;

f)    Develop and/or update guidance documents, tools and capacity building materials to support the implementation of the projects, as needed;

g)   Provide technical, strategic and policy advice, in the areas of information systems, data management, data science, big data, behavioral sciences and infodemic management for the Organization and Member States, in collaboration with other technical entities;

h)   Provide technical advice and guidance for the implementation of Telehealth initiatives;

i)     Provide technical advice to PAHO’s entities to maintain their information up to date and conduct periodic analysis as appropriate;

j)    Advise and support governments and relevant institutions on the enhancement of national capacities in health data management and real-time analysis of health intelligence data;

k)   Serve as focal point for all internal and external requests related to subregional and country-specific data. As needed, ensure government agreement for the use and dissemination of such data;

l)     Collaborate with relevant authorities on the development and maintenance of a national system for comprehensive data collection and trend analysis of public health events;

m)  Act as the main liaison between government and PAHO/WHO (all levels) on country-specific data gathering, management and use, and dissemination of PAHO and WHO-generated data and data analysis;

n)   Coordinate with relevant national stakeholders on knowledge translation initiatives in support of the country’s needs;

o)   Participate in the formulation and negotiation of, and consultation on, project proposals funded by external agencies; collaborate in the implementation, monitoring and reporting of those projects; contribute to the preparation of the Representation´s Biennial Work Plan (BWP) and the execution of international cooperation, including the analysis of political, technical and socioeconomic realities;

p)   When called upon to directly supervise staff, establish clear work objectives, conduct timely and effective performance appraisals, provide coaching and feedback, and support staff development opportunities;

q)   Perform other related duties, as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Essential: A bachelor’s degree in medicine, public health, information systems, digital science, or related area and a master’s degree in information management, public health informatics, information sciences, information technology or a related field from a recognized university.

Desirable: A master’s degree in public health, health systems organization, epidemiology or a related area would be an asset.

In the event that 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 official degrees obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (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 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: Nine years of combined national and international progressively responsible experience in the management and operation of information systems, health analysis, and digital health projects, including networking with partners, production of scientific and technical tools, resource mobilization and the management of scientific and technical networks and strategic partners.

Desirable: At least five years of experience in resource mobilization and in the management of important grants 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.

Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences:  Relate well to diversity in others and capitalize on such diversity – Relates well to diversity in others and capitalizes on such diversity. Treats all people with dignity and respect. Relates well to people with different cultures, gender, orientations, backgrounds and/or positions; examines own behavior to avoid stereotypical responses; considers issues from the perspective of others and values their diversity.

Teamwork: Collaborate and cooperate with others – Works collaboratively with team members and counterparts to achieve and build rapport; helps others when asked; accepts joint responsibility for the team’s successes and shortcomings.

Communication: Write effectively/Share knowledge – Writes down ideas in a clear, structured, logical and credible way; drafts and supports the development of guidelines, policies and procedures. Shares relevant information openly and ensures that the shared information is understood; considers knowledge sharing as a constructive working method and demonstrates awareness of the Organization.

Producing Results: Work efficiently and independently/Deliver quality results – Monitors own and others’ work in a systematic and effective way, ensuring required resources and outputs. Aligns projects with Organization’s mission and objectives. Consistently solves own and team’s problems effectively as needed. Proactively engages in projects and initiatives, accepting demanding goals, in line with Organizational Strategies and Program of Work. Demonstrates accountability for work of team and sets an example, while explicitly articulating lessons learnt for own and team’s benefit.

Ensuring effective use of resources:   Strategize and set clear objectives/Monitor progress and use resources well – Sets specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely objectives for own team and/or the Organization; systematically analyses and anticipates priority projects for own team and allocates necessary resources to achieve them; identifies the cross-Organizational resources needed for large- scale projects in line with key Organizational objectives.  Anticipates foreseeable changes and adapts own and team’s projects in the face of unforeseen circumstances and/ or challenges; creates measures and criteria to monitor progress of overall projects against key Organizational objectives; creates cost-effective solutions for the Organization.

Building and promoting partnerships across the Organization and beyond:  Develop networks and partnerships and encourage collaboration – Builds and negotiates strategic partnerships and alliances with a wide range of key stakeholders to ensure Organizational results and success.  Creates innovative opportunities for promoting synergies inside and outside the Organization to improve Organizational success.

Technical Expertise:

–       Extensive progressive expertise at a senior level in information systems and digital health, technical information production, communication, and dissemination techniques.

–       Theoretical and practical expertise in all aspects related to information systems and digital health, and dissemination techniques and methods to include alternative ways to promote knowledge management.

–       Ability to analyze current information networks, systems and portals; capability to develop and plan innovative and appropriate solutions for improvement.

–       Seasoned expertise in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of epidemiological and event-based surveillance data.

–       Ability to develop indicators and metrics, collect and analyze data, and present findings to authorities and decision makers.

–       Expertise in transforming analyses into briefing documents and other technical and policy materials for senior leadership.

–       Technical expertise in evaluation of national vital statistics systems and the development and implementation of strategies to improve data quality and coverage. Demonstrated skills to develop public-health guidelines and other knowledge translation initiatives.

–       Strong inter-personal skills, diplomacy, and tact to effectively communicate with senior level health officials in public and private sector and civil society, multiple stakeholders and professionals from diverse cultural backgrounds.

–       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.

 –       Ability to lead and coordinate multidisciplinary teams, projects, and programs.

Languages:

For Spanish-speaking countries:

Very good knowledge of English or Spanish, with a working knowledge of the other language. A working knowledge of Spanish and/or French would be an asset.

For English-speaking countries:

Very good knowledge of English. A working knowledge of Spanish and/or French would be an asset.

IT Skills:

Demonstrated ability to effectively understand new and evolving IT and digital health solutions, as well as new Business Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence tools and models. Other IT skills and knowledge of IT applications such as Office 365, OneDrive, PowerPoint, SharePoint, and Word and virtual conference and collaborative tools such as Zoom, Skye for business, Team, Slido, etc, are considered essential.

REMUNERATION

Annual Salary: (Net of taxes)

USD $77,326.00  post adjustment

Post Adjustment: This percentage is to be considered as indicative since variations may occur each month either upwards or downwards due to currency exchange rate fluctuations or inflation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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

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 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 abusive conduct.

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 committed to workforce diversity. PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

PAHO/WHO offers an attractive compensation package including an annual net salary and post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station and exchange rates (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance).  Other benefits include: 30 days annual leave, dependency benefits, pension plan and health insurance scheme. Benefits for internationally recruited staff may include home leave, travel and removal expenses on appointment and separation, education grant for dependent children, assignment grant and rental subsidy.

Candidates appointed to an international post with PAHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

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. A written test and/or interview will be held for this post.  The post description is the official documentation for organization purposes.