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Job Title:    Associate Public Health

Organisation: United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Duty Station:  Uganda

Vacancy Notice: Internal/ External Vacancy Notice 019/2020

Position Number: 10027127

Position Grade: NO-B

 

About US:

The Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees was established on December 14,
1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. UNHCR’s mandate under the Statute
of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is to lead
and co-ordinate action for international protection to refugees; seek permanent
solutions for the problems of refugees and safeguard refugee rights and
well-being. UNHCR has an additional mandate concerning issues of statelessness,
as it is given a designated role under Article 11 of the 1961 Convention on the
Reduction of Statelessness.

 

Job Summary:   The
Assistant Public Health Officer is a member of a multidisciplinary team and contributes
to UNHCR’s public health programmes to meet minimum UNHCR and global health
standards in order to minimise avoidable morbidity and mortality among
populations of concern and towards the achievement of the Sustainable
Development Goals (SDGs).  The incumbent
provides strong and timely technical guidance to UNHCR senior management and
partners including on the design and scope of UNHCR’s responses in health and
nutrition, catalyses the engagement of other actors, supports resource
mobilisation efforts including with the private sector and monitors the
response. S/he has close contacts with internal and external stakeholders such
as government counterparts, UN Agencies and embassies/donors. The Associate
Public Health Officer should also ensure consultation with communities seeking
the diverse views of men, women, girls and boys, adolescents, youth, older
persons, LGBTI persons, persons with disabilities , including people with
psychosocial and intellectual disabilities, in assessing needs, designing,
implementing and monitoring responses in line with UNHCR’s policy on age,
gender and diversity mainstreaming.

 

The Associate Public
Health Officer is normally supervised by a Senior Public Health Officer or in
the absence of such a position, by the Senior Operations/ Assistant
Representative (Operations). The incumbent has a functional line with the
Public Health Section in Geneva regarding authoritative guidance and support in
technical matters and is expected to maintain regular contact with the PHS and
the Regional Bureau.

 

Key Duties and Responsibilities:  

Coordination and
partnership

·       
In the
absence of more senior public health staff, co-ordinate public health,
reproductive health, nutrition and HIV activities within the Area of
Responsibility (AOR) in support of the government’s responses and in
conjunction with other UN agencies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and
other partners, including development actors to ensure delivery of public
health and nutrition services to beneficiaries (POC   and host community) meet UNHCR and /or
nationally recognised and most up-to-date standards and policies.

·       
With
support from the supervisor and Public Health Section in HQ, support the
Operation to define the level and scope of UNHCR’s involvement in public health
and nutrition responses in terms of overall and operational objectives during
emergency situations and beyond.

·       
Support
the Operation’s engagement in the public health related aspects of
contributions of major donors to refugee responses, including the World Bank;
taking part in assessments, design of projects, monitoring and evaluation.

·       
In line
with the Global Compact on Refugees work with governments and humanitarian and
development partners to ensure a complementary approach to meet the health
needs of POCs.

·       
Represent
UNHCR in health coordination and other meetings including inter-sectoral groups
such as Technical Working Groups for MHPSS and nutrition.

·       
Engage
in relevant partnership fora, including in line with UNHCR’s role as a UNAIDS
co-sponsor of the Joint Programme on AIDS and co-lead with WFP of the Division
of Labour area of HIV in Humanitarian Settings.

·       
Support
operational collaboration with WFP including the implementation of Joint
Assessment Missions and corresponding Joint Plans of Action in line with global
commitments on targeting of assistance to meet basic needs and data sharing to
support assistance distribution (in collaboration with programme and protection
colleagues),

·       
Support
robust and timely emergency responses to new refugee influxes or outbreaks or
other situations in line with the Public Health Emergency Toolkit and UNHCR’s
Emergency Handbook and the SPHERE Handbook.

Strategic planning
and development

·       
Contribute
to the implementation of UNHCR’s Strategic Plan for Public Health and
adaptation at country level.

·       
Work
with others in UNHCR to advocate for refugees’, returnees’ and other POC’s
access to local public health, reproductive health (RH) and HIV, MHPSS and
nutrition services (including food assistance where relevant) and lobby for
inclusion of refugees, returnees and other POC as a specific group in
government policies and plans related to health, RH and HIV as well as major
donor programmes such as the Global Fund for HIV, TB and Malaria.

·       
Make
recommendations on the overall strategy and focus of public health and
nutrition programmes within the AOR, including ensuring public health strategic
approaches are developed in a multi-sectoral and co-ordinated manner.

·       
Provide
up to date assessments and identification of needs for public health
strategies, recognise and support the contributions of governments and other
actors align with and support national health system as much as possible;

·       
Contribute
to public health strategies addressing known gaps in health and nutrition
programming based on  country-specific
needs assessments with due consideration to neonatal and maternal health care,
TB, HIV  and viral hepatitis, non-communicable
diseases including mental health; 
palliative care, health services for LGBTI individuals, health and
protection services for persons selling sex and programming for persons with
disabilities including access to assistive technologies and appropriate
associated services, adolescents and the elderly.

·       
Support
the development and monitoring of country specific medium to long term
inclusion plans in support of the Ministry of Health and other relevant
Ministries (e.g. Social Welfare) and in partnership with development and other
actors.

·       
Work
with stakeholders, including UN agencies, NGOs, Ministries of Health and
academic institutions in the development of public health response plans
associated with refugee movements (including in repatriation programmes).

·       
Maintain
and update contingency plans within the AOR for potential epidemics, refugee
and returnee movements.

Technical Integrity
and Risk Mitigation

·       
Update
and disseminate standard practices on public health, MHPSS, nutrition, HIV and
reproductive health among partners.

·       
Support
the prioritization of primary health care (including preventive, promotive,
curative, rehabilitative and palliative care)

·       
Monitor,
in close co-ordination with other humanitarian actors, that health care
services provided to POC are based on Ministry of Health, UNHCR and/or
internationally recognized and most up-to-date standards and policies.

·       
Adapt
UNHCR internal operating procedures to ensure they are in line with UNHCR
and/or international standards and improve efficiency of programme activities;
this includes – but is not limited to – referral health care, medicines and
medical supplies procurement and management, medical resettlement and
resettlement of persons with health needs, cash-based assistance for health
care coverage and referral between units and inter-sectoral collaboration.

·       
Monitor
and support compliance with, and integrity of, all public health standard
operating procedures in conjunction with Project Control and Programme staff
and in line with delegated authorities, including flagging to senior managers
when these are not in line with global guidance or not being followed.

Collaboration

·       
Support
linkages of public health to WASH programmes throughout all stages of the
programme cycle including in outbreak preparedness and response, emergency
responses to refugee influxes, WASH in health facilities, and menstrual hygiene
management.

·       
Support
inter-sector collaboration throughout all stages of programme cycle between
public health and nutrition with WASH, education, environment, shelter, and
protection in order to promote synergies and maximise impact.

·       
Participate
in the review and analysis of relevant project proposals and budgetary
submissions presented by UNHCR partners within the context of the UNHCR
programming cycle and highlight divergence from internationally accepted
standards.

·       
Seek the
diverse views of men, women, girls and boys, adolescents, youth, older persons,
persons with disabilities and LGBTI in assessing needs, designing, implementing
and monitoring responses in line with UNHCR’s policy on age, gender and
diversity mainstreaming.

·       
Support
the implementation of the UNHCR Health Information System and other relevant
data collection tools including the balanced scorecard, maternal and neonatal
death audits, Health Access and Utilisation Survey and other corporate tools
where relevant; support the analysis, interpretation and use of public health
data.

·       
Advocate
for the inclusion of refugees and other POC in national surveys such as
demographic and health surveys, multi-indicator cluster surveys, AIDS indicator
surveys including where possible a separate sample for refugees allowing for
comparisons and trend analysis over time.

·       
Support
national health systems to disaggregate data by refugee and nationals in key
areas based on country specific needs in line with the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development.

·       
Support
the monitoring of public 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.

·       
Support
the planning, implementation, analysis, dissemination and use of nutritional
surveys (Standardized Expanded Nutrition Surveys, SENS), health-related surveys
and post-distribution monitoring exercises (in collaboration with WFP).

·       
In line
with policies for Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) ensure POC have
access to feedback and accountability mechanisms relating to public health and
nutrition services including the collection and analysis of data on their
satisfaction with regards to public health and nutrition services.

·       
Prepare
regular sectoral reports and submit material for preparation of periodic
project monitoring reports as required by the office at country level.

·       
Provide
timely updates to enable adequate reporting and briefings to donors and
management.

Capacity Building

·       
Support
capacity strengthening of UNHCR and its implementing partners to address public
health, nutrition, reproductive health, HIV, MHPSS programming in a
co-ordinated, multi-sectoral way and disseminate relevant guidelines and
information materials.

·       
Undertake
and/or support capacity building needs assessments of UNHCR staff and partners
and develop approaches to address capacity gaps including identifying internal
and external training opportunities.

·       
Perform
other related duties as required.

 

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

·       
The
ideal candidate for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Associate
Public Health job placement should hold a University degree in Medicine
with qualifications in Public Health or related fields or clinical background Required.

·       
At least
three years of previous working experience in the field of public health,
preferably in refugee settings and/or emergency situations is required.

·       
Knowledge
of public health, reproductive health and nutrition in humanitarian situations.
Exposure to UNHCR mandate, its priorities and principles. Good communicator
with strong interpersonal and negotiations skills is required.

·       
Knowledge
of English language is required

·       
Analytical
Thinking

·       
Planning
and Organizing

·       
Stakeholder
Management

 

Desirable
Qualifications & Competencies

·       
Additional
qualifications in Nutrition and WASH and a thorough understanding of the
linkages with public health and food security.

·       
Ability
to coordinate a range of diverse actors and activities to achieve a common
objective in the area of Public Health is desirable

 

How to Apply:

All interested
Ugandan nationals who wish to join the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) in the aforementioned capacity are encouraged to click on the
link below and follow the application instructions after reviewing the job
details.

 

Click Here

 

Deadline: 9^th November 2020

 

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