Latest Vacancies at The World Health Organization (WHO)

Job ID: 1902833
Location: Abuja
Schedule: Full-time
Contract duration: 6 Months
Organization: AF_NGA Nigeria
Contractual Arrangement: Special Services Agreement (SSA)

Purpose of the Position

• The mission of WHO's Health Emergencies Programme (WHE/Nigeria) is to help Nigeria, and to coordinate international action, to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies.

Description of Duties

• Supervised by the WHE Laboratory technical officer, under the supervision of the WHO Country Representative and working closely with WHO country office clusters, WHO counterparts at the Africa Regional Office and HQ, the incumbent will act as the subject matter expert for laboratory within the health operations and expertise team.
• S/he will support the laboratory component of the incident management system, and provide technical support to the Federal Ministry of Health (MOH) and partners within the health sector.
• Provide technical support to the National Reference Laboratory to strengthen laboratory capacity for rapid detection and response to priority pathogens: measles/yellow fever, cerebrospinal meningitis, cholera, Lassa fever, monkeypox
• Develop guidelines and other laboratory tools for laboratory performance in line with IDSR and IHR guidelines and establish targets and measurable indicators for the monitoring and evaluation of laboratory services;
• Develop, plan and implement training workshops to improve sample collection, packaging and shipping at national and state levels
• Develop and monitor the national specimen transportation and referral  system for epidemic prone diseases; 
• To provide oversite of the public health network stock management and supply chain system for laboratory consumables;
• Work with WHO County office clusters to provide technical and operational support to ensure timely ordering of laboratory reagents and consumables and implementation of laboratory related workplans to strengthen laboratory capacity at public and state laboratories
• Ensure adherence to good laboratory practice and biosafety management at public and state laboratories
• Perform any other duties that may be assigned by his/her supervisor

Required Qualifications
Education:

• Essential: Advanced University degree (Master's level or above) in Life Science, Medicine or Medical Virology from an accredited/ recognized institute. Certified training or qualification in molecular biology, virology, bacteriology, infectious diseases, and/or epidemiology and laboratory techniques.
• Desirable: Master's level degree in public health or health related field.

Experience:

• Essential: At least five years of practical and operational application and management of laboratory services, laboratory diagnosis of communicable diseases at the national and international levels. Some related experience in outbreaks and/or health emergency response of international impact.

Desirable:

• Experience in establishing or improving laboratory infrastructure for microbiology and/or detection of infectious diseases.
• Experience in planning and implementing laboratory trainings at national and regional levels.
• Previous experience in UN organizations/agencies, health cluster partners, recognized humanitarian organizations, international institutions or nongovernmental organizations, particularly in developing countries.

Use of language skills

• Essential: Expert knowledge of English

Skills:

• Specific skills required: Demonstrated proficiency using software applications, including PowerPoint, MS word, spreadsheet and databases,EPI Info, SPSS etc

Competencies:

• Producing result
• Fostering integration and teamwork
• Ensuring the effective use of resources
• Communicating in a credible and efficient way
• Moving forward in a changing environment

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Ref No: 1902826
Location: Abuja
Grade: NO-C
Contractual Arrangement: Temporary appointment under Staff Rule 420.4
Contract duration: 12 months
Schedule: Full-time 

Objectives of the Programme

• The mission of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to help countries, and to coordinate international action, to prevent, prepare for, detect, rapidly respond to, and recover from outbreaks and emergencies.

Description of Duties
Summary of Assigned Duties (Describe what the incumbent has to do to achieve main objectives; include main achievements expected):The incumbent will carry out the following duties:

• Support the development, implementation and evaluation of the national strategies and workplans pertaining to the prevention and control of high threat diseases of pandemic & epidemic potential or infectious risks and the implementation of evidence-based strategies to manage infectious hazards, interventions in high-risks groups and recommend measures for special attention, ensuring compliance with organization-wide IHM strategies.
• In close collaboration with the risk assessment, health information management and other teams from the Regional office and HQ, monitor the early prevention, detection, verification, assessment and investigation of any risks of outbreaks and the dissemination of data related to the occurrence of outbreaks.
• Adapt IHM global policies, concepts, tools and strategies and manage their implementation at the country level, for the prevention and, where feasible, elimination of diseases/epidemic risks. Work with the Ministry of Health, NCDC and Partners, to improve approaches and methods of controlling epidemics in different epidemiological situations.
• Conduct the periodic reporting of infectious hazards activities, support the information systems and the monitoring facilitating integration with the national health information systems, as required.
• Contribute to the surveillance and risk analysis of infectious diseases; participate in the rapid response teams responsible for the rapid investigation of alerts, field risk assessments and early detection and response.
• Ensure that risk communication messages are technically sound and socio-culturally appropriate to induce, engage and empower stakeholders in the prevention, mitigation and control of infectious hazards.
• Make recommendations and give guidance on relevant courses of actions to be taken in affected as well as non-affected areas to prevent and/or control cause of excess morbidity and mortality.
• In close collaboration with other technical teams, provide technical assistance on vaccination, enhanced surveillance, infection control (including personal protection), enhanced sanitation and hygiene, increased provision of water and/or nutrients, prepositioning of drugs and medical supplies, vector control etc.
• Request the activation of technical experts' networks at global or regional level to characterize the pathogen and the disease in case of unknown infection.
• Perform any other related duties, as required by the functional supervisor.

Required Qualifications
Education:

• Essential: First University degree in medicine, public health or health related field from an accredited/recognized institute.
• Desirable: Specialized training in epidemiology or in infectious diseases.Advanced University Degree in public health or health related field from an accredited/recognized institute.

Experience:

• Essential: At least 5 years working experience in planning, developing and implementing the control and prevention of infectious diseases programme including outbreak prevention and control, infectious hazard management and/or dangerous pathogens.
• Desirable: Working experience in related areas with WHO, other UN agencies or other recognized international organizations

Skills:

• Demonstrated knowledge of infectious diseases, particularly in infectious disease epidemiology, prevention or control, clinical management and significant practical application of this knowledge in an international context.
• Proven ability to coordinate with the government, manage projects, build partnerships with multiple partners in the context of health emergencies.
• Ability to formulate clear comprehensive strategies and plans.
• Demonstrated organizational skills with ability to multi-task and produce results under pressure.

WHO Competencies:

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Moving forward in a changing environment
• Promoting innovation and organizational learning

Use of Language Skills

• Essential: Expert knowledge of English.

Remuneration
Remuneration comprises an annual base salary starting at NGN 19,538,402 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable) and 30 days of annual leave.