Job Description
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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 Health Systems and Services (HSS) is responsible for promoting, coordinating, and implementing the Organization’s technical cooperation in health systems and services development to achieve Universal Access to Health and Universal Health Coverage (Universal Health), based on the Primary Health Care approach. HSS promotes evidence-based policies, strategies and plans to transform national health systems to improve equity and resilience, as health systems move towards the achievement of Universal Health, strengthening governance and stewardship, increasing and improving health financing and social protection, and supporting the development of integrated networks of health services based on a highly resolutive first level of care. HSS strengthens national capacity in the organization of people-centered health services, integrating the healthy life course approach, ensuring quality of care and patient safety, and the effective deployment and management of human resources.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
Under the general supervision of the Director, Health Systems and Services (HSS), and the direct supervision of the Unit Chief, Human Resources for Health (HSS/HR), the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following duties:
1. Design and execute technical cooperation strategies at the regional, sub-regional and country levels to strengthen capacities in the development, implementation and evaluation of human resources policies and plans with emphasis on nursing, midwifery and allied health personnel, including supporting the implementation of the Policy on the Health Workforce 2030: Strengthening human resources for health to achieve resilient health systems, and the adoption of adequate legal and regulatory frameworks;
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2. Promote and coordinate technical support for the development of nursing, midwifery and allied health personnel practices and continuing education, aligned with the strategic objectives of health systems based on Primary Health Care;
3. Promote and coordinate technical support for the development of projects, programs and plans in support of interprofessional education, training and collaborative practice involving nursing, midwifery and allied health personnel, promoting their insertion into interprofessional health teams, especially at the first level of care and in underserved areas;
4. Promote and coordinate technical support and innovative approaches and mechanisms to foster the expanded role of nurses within health systems, based on country specific health needs and requirements in health workforce, promoting necessary adaptations in legal and regulatory frameworks;
5. Promote and coordinate innovative approaches and strategies for the delivery of technical cooperation in the areas of nursing, midwifery and allied health personnel, including active involvement in the development of networks of Collaborating Centers, academic institutions, international financing institutions, professional associations and experts interested in the area of allied health personnel, nursing and midwifery;
6. Undertake studies of the nursing, midwifery and allied health workforce to ensure maintenance of an adequate personnel mix for the delivery of quality health care and strengthen the health care delivery capacity of the health systems and services;
7. Promote and coordinate alliances, initiatives and mechanisms to promote recruitment and retention of nurses, midwives and allied personnel in their countries of origin, supporting ethical international migration between countries of origin and destination;
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8. Collaborate with schools of nursing, midwifery and allied health sciences and other training institutions for the improvement of their programs and plans; foster the development of innovative methodologies for the training and continuing education using decentralized approaches and strengthening regulatory oversight to ensure quality of education for nurses, midwives and allied health personnel;
9. Support the development of multi-centric research projects to study changes in health care delivery systems and their impact in the practice, regulation and education of nursing, midwifery and allied health personnel; promote and support research actions in human resources development and education in the area of nursing, midwifery and allied health personnel;
10.Contribute to understanding the analysis of inequities associated with gender, age and ethnicity (and other factors) in nursing and midwifery, and its’ effects on the health workforce as well as on the delivery of care;
11.Promote the collection and analysis of quality data related to nursing and allied health personnel in national health workforce accounts development to support policy development and decision-making regarding health personnel development;
12.Strengthen digital literacy competencies and develop innovative approaches for enhancing information technology-facilitated education: knowledge management, pedagogic changes, distance and outreach, simulation and artificial intelligence, according to identified needs in the practice and education of nursing and allied health personnel;
13.Lead and coordinate, in close coordination with Country Offices and HSS focal points, the formulation, execution and evaluation of program and budget plan for the biennium; participate and develop common strategies with other professionals of the country offices on all aspects related to nursing, midwifery and allied health personnel;
14.Mobilize resources, financial, technical and human, in the strengthening of healthcare service delivery in Member States, through the development of projects and initiatives that promote improved access to health care services; liaise and coordinate with international financing institutions and agencies in the development and implementation of joint projects;
15.Participate in the preparation of the Project’s Biennial Work Plan (BWP), budget and technical evaluation reports;
16.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;
17.Perform other related duties, as assigned.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
Essential: A university degree in one of the health sciences with a master’s degree in public health or a related health science from a recognized institution.
Desirable: A doctoral degree (D.Ph. or PhD) in public health or a related health science from a recognized institution.
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 experience in the development of health, nursing, midwifery and allied health personnel with responsibility for service delivery, developing educational programs, policies, guidelines and plans to be implemented by health authorities, local governments and educational institutions.
Desirable: Working experience in the development of policies and programs to support and strengthen nursing and allied personnel at subregional or country level.
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 – 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 the 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:
· Technical expertise in the areas of human resources development, policies, planning and regulation, management of health human resources, analysis of labor markets and work conditions, with emphasis in nursing, midwifery and allied health personnel:
· Expertise in health systems and services, in particular in the practice of nursing, having held positions of responsibility and management.
· Expertise in strategic thinking, planning of human resources for health, information and information systems, political and stakeholder analysis, communication, negotiation methods, leadership development, health system performance.
· Leadership development; utilization of information and communication technologies and networking.
· Knowledge and skills in the formulation of technical cooperation interventions and in the development of criteria and instruments for evaluating program interventions.
· Expertise in health education, life-long learning, continuing education and professional development; quality improvement and accreditation of education programs and institutions
· 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.
Languages:
Very good knowledge of English or Spanish with a working knowledge of the other language. Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese would be an asset.
IT Skills:
Demonstrated ability to effectively use current technology and software, spreadsheets and presentations, as well as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and management information systems. Other IT skills and knowledge of software programs such as Microsoft Excel, Outlook, OneDrive, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, and Word are considered essential.
REMUNERATION
Annual Salary: (Net of taxes)
USD $77,326.00 post adjustment
Post Adjustment:70.2% of the above figure(s). 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.