UN High Commissioner for RefugeesJob: Public Health Officer (Secondment)
Location: South Sudan
Public Health Officer (Secondment)
Job from UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Closing date: 10 Jan 2014
Key Information:
Location: UNHCR Sub-Office Bunj, Maban County, Upper Nile State, South Sudan Duration: 12 months (January – December 2014)
Background:
Conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) in Sudan’s Blue Nile state in September 2011 led to the influx of refugees into South Sudan starting in November 2011. Since then over 122,000 refugees have sought protection and assistance from the Government of South Sudan, where they have been settled in four camps – Doro, Yusuf Batil, Gendrassa and Kaya - in Maban County, Upper Nile state.
As the operation is gradually moving to the post emergency phase, health indicators are within UNHCR standards across all camps. Health and nutrition remain a high priority due to the outbreak of Hepatitis E, morbidity rates and fragile nutritional status.
Purpose:
In view of the large scale of the operations in Upper Nile State and in a context of transition from emergency to post-emergency phase, UNHCR Sub-Office Bunj would like to request the secondment of a Public Health Officer. This deployment would be essential to provide expert technical assistance and advice in the area of Public Health, Reproductive Health, HIV and Nutrition to UNHCR and its partners and to support UNHCR in the coordination of Health/Nutrition services in refugee camps and refugee affected areas in Upper Nile State. The Public Health Officer together with UNHCR’s partners will be in charge of proposing timely, cost efficient and practical recommendations to improve the quality of current services, launch reproductive health strategy and maintain health and nutrition indicators within acceptable standards.
Assignment Objectives
The Public Health Officer will work within the Programme Unit and in close collaboration with partners. The objective is to support UNHCR efforts during this post-emergency phase and to ensure that health and nutrition programmes in refugee camps meet minimum international and UNHCR standards and minimise avoidable mortality and morbidity among populations of concern.
S/he will be accountable for effective technical leadership, management guidance and programme support to facilitate the application and adaptation of UNHCR policies and strategies. As technical leader of the Health & Nutrition al group, leads, manages, develops and enables a competent team of professional and support staff to achieve the strategic goals and objectives of the Health & Nutrition programme.
Key outcomes from the secondment will include:
§ UNHCR health and nutrition programme implemented based on updated needs assessments and through implementing partners adequately trained and having received proper guidance. § Health and nutritional status of refugee and host communities is improved through access to curative and preventive health care § Coverage and quality of health interventions improved to meet UNHCR/international standards § Efficient drug management system from ordering to storage to dispensation and record keeping in place. § Efficient health care referral system with all relevant components (referral record keeping document in different levels, monitoring and evaluation tools). § Referral hospital is supported to respond to the increase number of consultations and a referral system effective and efficient § Intensified health promotion and capacity building. § Gaps and overlaps in Health programme prevented and unmet needs addressed, and the activities oriented to address priority Health/RH/Nutrition issues.
SCOPE OF WORKS
Strategy, Planning, and Programme Support
§ Support the implementation of UNHCR’s 2014 plan to improve the quality and coverage of health and nutrition services in refugee camps and ensure they meet UNHCR standards of assistance § Adapt internationally accepted standards, policies, and guidelines for public health/reproductive health/nutrition accordingly to the unique situation in Upper Nile State. § Facilitate adoption of harmonized methodology and coordinate activities of Health/Nutrition Partners, together with other UN agencies, governmental and non-governmental counterparts, to ensure delivery of health and nutrition services to beneficiaries that meet UNHCR standards of assistance § Lead the integration of health and nutrition strategies § Contribute to situation analysis, periodic updates, and all programme documents to formulate effective health and nutrition objectives, and project planning and development in the area of health/nutrition. § Advise Programme Unit on project submissions including budget to respond to identified needs and on strategic development of health/nutrition aspects of the programme. § Jointly with technical staff of implementing and operational partners, update detailed needs and resource assessments and revise designs of technical plans as necessary, taking into account practical aspects of implementation, and relevant technical specifications and guidelines.
Technical Assistance
§ Provide technical support to UNHCR’s Programme Unit and to operational and implementing partners at all stages of the programme including capacity building of partner staff and beneficiaries to implement UNHCR health and nutrition programmes including primary health care, reproductive and child health, referral system, epidemic preparedness and response, HIS, community based health programmes, health/hygiene promotion, drug and medical supplies management, mental health and community eye care § Provide technical guidance to UNHCR and partners, to ensure that programmes are run in accordance with UNHCR/international standard as well as national guidelines and to ensure resources are optimally utilized § Act as a focal point on public health, reproductive health and nutrition issues within UNHCR Sub Office. § Ensure that mechanisms to monitor the performance of UNHCR's partners on health/nutrition activities in the refugee camps/ host community are in place to improve program delivery and quality of health service for refugees § Review performance, monitor development and evaluate approaches adopted by partners in health/nutrition and related sectors and formulate appropriate designs and corrective measures as deemed necessary. § Collect, review and analyze on a regular basis health information data and ensure the maintenance of records for all locations (Health Information System and Epidemic Surveillance System). § Put measures in place to ensure that regular and accurate reports that analyse the challenges encountered in providing health care and nutrition services for beneficiaries are prepared and circulated and that periodic reports required by UNHCR at all levels are submitted in a timely manner. § Review the ongoing health promotion and make any necessary recommendation for improvement. § Report regularly on health/nutrition activity implementation by all partners, while maintaining accurate records of the relevant health/nutrition performance indicators. § Maintain emergency and outbreak preparedness, and in emergencies, coordinate emergency responses with effective coordination are provided.
Advocacy, Communication and Partnership /Coordination
§ Effective partnership and collaboration for advocacy, technical cooperation, programme coordination, information sharing and knowledge networking with MOH and stakeholder for inclusion of refugee in national policy and programme § Advocate, inform, and communicate amongst stakeholders to ensure that refugee public health issues are on the national agenda and that their health and nutritional needs are appropriately documented and disseminated § Foster effective partnership with UN agencies including WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS, UNFPA and WFP in respective sectors of health, nutrition, emergency preparedness and HIV/AIDS. § Participate at national coordination meetings, and participate in health working groups for policy formation when possible to ensure that refugee health programmes adhere to international and national standards. § Ensure proper communication, coordination and harmonization of tools with different partners involved in public health and nutrition activities in the refugee camp.
Capacity building:
§ Support capacity building initiatives so that refugees and partners acquire the needed knowledge, skills, and sense of responsibility and ownership of programmes § Advise, organize, conduct and participate in all public health and nutrition trainings and capacity building exercises conducted by UNHCR with the relevant counterparts, in order to ensure the highest level of service. § Build the capacity and competence of UNHCR staff, particularly newly recruited Assistant Nutrition/Public Health Officer
Other: Perform any other relevant tasks as assigned by the supervisor
Public Health Officer Profile
Essential minimum qualifications, professional experience and skills
Academic:
• Advanced university degree in public health, medical science or related field • Experience/training in nutrition.
Experience:
• 5 to 8 years of progressively responsible functions in public health/nutrition or a related field in developing countries dealing with large scale health and nutrition programmes • Professional work experience in a managerial position, or a technical expert position in health and nutrition • Proven ability to deal with multiple tasks in courteous and service-oriented manner in demanding working condition that often has short deadlines. • Ability to provide technical leadership and coordinate a range of diverse actors and activities to achieve a common objective in the area of health and nutrition is essential. • Demonstrated experience in organizing and conducting training activities and information campaigns in the areas of health and nutrition are important elements for this post. • Proven technical expertise in area of health and nutrition assessment including surveys, programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and coordination is required. • Knowledge and experience of working with partner agencies with a capacity to provide formal and informal training.
Skills:
• Ability towards analytical and creative thinking for rapid solutions. • Good communicator with strong interpersonal and negotiations skills to deal with persons of various cultural and educational backgrounds. • High ethical and professional standards. • Team player with service oriented attitudes. • Strong report writing and data analytical skills and ability & willingness to work under stressful conditions and remote areas • Proficiency in basic computer software such as MS Access, Excel, Powerpoint, Word, HIS database, ENA for SMART software, EPIINFO or EPI 6, SPSS.
Desirable: Applied knowledge in UNHCR programme management, project formulation, its programme cycles and reporting standards.
Languages:
• Excellent knowledge of English (written / oral / comprehension) is essential. • Working knowledge of another UN language (preferably Arabic).
How to apply:
Please send your curriculum vitae + covering letter at Email address: [email protected]
PLEASE REFER TO SUDAZONE WHILE APPLYING
Closing date: 10/01/2014
Email: [email protected]
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