Keywords: Locuri de munca & Internship

Tags: job management united nations refugees health hiv aids nutrition water sanitation

The Senior Regional Public Health Officer will ensure that UNHCR’s health, HIV AIDS, nutrition, water and sanitation programmes meet minimum international UNHCR and international standards.

The incumbent plays a crucial role in programme coordination, planning, monitoring including data analysis and evaluation, promoting capacity-building of UNHCR personnel and partners, and advocacy, information and communication on public health (including Water and Sanitation) and nutrition-related issues.

The incumbent liaises with UNHCR country offices, Public Health and HIV Section at Headquarters, Regional Bureau/Desk. S/he supports and provides guidance to the network of UNHCR health and nutrition focal points and officers as well as to Implementing and Operational Partners, National Governments, Ministries of Health, UN agencies, and refugee and other persons of concern to UNHCR’s communities.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT.

1. Ensure, in close co-ordination with other humanitarian actors, that health care, HIV AIDS, nutrition and Water and Sanitation services provided to refugees are based on Ministry of Health, UNHCR and/or internationally recognised and most up-to-date standards and policies.
- Ensure that national and/or internationally accepted and relevant standards and policies are applied and adapted in close coordination with the host country and relevant UN agencies and partners
- Establish and/or adapt UNHCR internal guidelines and procedures to streamline inputs and improve efficiency of programme activities through integrated public health response
- Promote applied research and programme evaluation to enable the identification of gaps in programme implementation and standards, and to further promote evidence-based activities and guidance.

2. Facilitate regional and country-level coordination of health, HIV AIDS, nutrition and WatSan actors. Effective coordination will identify gaps and overlaps in programming, address unmet needs, and orient existing activities to address priority public health issues.
- Support Health and Nutrition focal points to take lead role in coordinating health and nutrition activities and ensure that decisions are implemented as agreed upon
- Work with stakeholders, including UN agencies, implementing and operational partners, Ministries of Health and academic institutions in developing disease control plans associated with refugee and other persons of concern’s movements, including in repatriation programmes
- Work closely with HCR programme, field and protection staff and staff in WatSan and other technical sectors to identify priority health issues and key data requirements for programme planning and monitoring to ensure that minimum UNHCR and int’l standards are met according to the phase of emergency.
- Standardise approaches to disease control related to cross-border population movements between UNHCR country offices and between UNHCR and health partners and other UN bodies
- Promote inter-sectoral coordination outside and within UNHCR in all matters related to public health and nutrition programmes
- Represent UNHCR in regional and national fora concerning refugee (and other persons of concern to UNHCR) health and nutrition.
- Update and disseminate information materials on public health and nutrition based on standard practices and policies among partners
- Ensure that provisions contained in various Memoranda of Understanding between UNHCR and other organisations are applied as appropriate
- Ensure participation/input in periodic joint assessment missions including food, health, nutrition etc… with other UN agencies.

3. Undertake needs and resources assessments with Governments and partners in order to prioritise needs and activities in provision of services to refugees and other persons of concern to UNHCR.
- Support country-level health and nutrition focal points to define the level and scope of UNHCR involvement
- Support health and nutrition focal points to participate in review and analysis of relevant project proposals and budgetary submissions presented by UNHCR partners within context of UNHCR programme cycle
- Ensure that project proposals submitted to UNHCR for funding adhere to internationally accepted standards
- Maintain and update contingency plans for potential epidemics, refugee and returnee movements

4. Monitor and evaluate country-level health and nutrition programmes against standard UNHCR and international indicators to ensure that programmes are evidence-based and implemented in a comprehensive and cost-effective manner.
- Active involvement in all aspects of programme monitoring and evaluation with emphasis on checking levels of implementation and impact vis-à-vis resource inputs
- Monitor technical and financial aspects of health and nutrition programme with emphasis on:
i. Organisation and use of UNHCR’s Health Information System where the system is applicable
ii. Application of standard guidelines and protocols
iii. Comprehensiveness of health and nutrition programme.
iv. Programme priority areas and related Global Strategic Objectives (GSO).
- Apply various mechanisms and tools to ensure proper monitoring including:
i. Regular meetings, in accordance with UNHCR programming cycle
ii. Site visits
iii. Regular flow of information (reporting)
iv. Use of Health Sector Monitoring Forms
v. Conventional/non-conventional surveys and evaluation studies
vi. Meeting with health implementing partners
vii. Providing technical support and guidance to implementing/operational partners where required
viii. Data analysis and interpretation
ix. Support periodic nutrition surveys

5. Support capacity building initiatives so that refugees and other persons of concern to UNHCR, UNHCR and its partners acquire the needed knowledge, skills, and sense of responsibility and ownership of programmes.
- Support health and nutrition focal points and coordinators to develop training plan, organise and act as resource persons in workshops and training both in-service (formal) and on the job (coaching)
- Share with local and international partners on the ground relevant guidelines and information materials on refugee health including reproductive health, HIV/AIDS and nutrition materials
- Support health focal points and coordinators to promote establishment of Refugee Health and Nutrition Committees

6. Advocate, inform, and communicate amongst stakeholders to ensure that refugee health and nutrition issues are on the national and international agenda
- Ensure regular updates and share information within UNHCR as well as with relevant government, UN and implementing and operational partners’ counterparts and donor communities in the host country on their health and nutritional status and needs.
- Support and facilitate setting up of hygiene promotion response groups in each country operation that comprise of staff dealing with community services, public health, WatSan and education and monitor the progress periodically.

7. Perform other duties as required.

ESSENTIAL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED.

Advanced University degree in Health Care(e.g. medical or nursing), Public Health, Nutrition or a related field with knowledge of nutrition in humanitarian emergencies
Minimum 10 years of previous job experience relevant to the function;
Training and experience in nutrition, reproductive health, infectious diseases, tropical medicine, HIV and/or
community medicine is an advantage
Experience managing public health programmes with a considerable WatSan components
Fluency in English and French is essential.

With the aim to achieve a gender-balanced workforce, UNHCR strongly encourages qualified women to apply.

Deadline: 2009/11/18

Country or region: Egypt