World Health Organization (WHO) is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

POSITION : Epidemiologist/Health Information Management 
 
Objectives  

To build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.

Responsibilities

• Conduct real-time analysis of outbreak intelligence data, with other team members, for epidemic forecasting and detection, guide team members on data quality improvement, use of data for monitoring of trends, ALERT and ACTION thresholds (triggers), as well as methodologies for performing Data Quality Audit (DQA).
• Oversee data entry, data validation, analysis and reporting of assessments and surveys. Synergize data received from multiple sources including Health Information Systems, death registries, vertical reporting programmes, community Based Surveillance and IDSR.
• Coordinate the establishment and functionality of Rapid Response Teams (RRTs), Early Warning Systems (including event based and indicator based surveillance) for epidemic and pandemic-prone diseases for early detection and response to public health events, as well as, Public Health Management Committee (PHEMC) for potential hazards like Infectious diseases, Zoonotic events, Food safety events and chemical events as per the national guidance and standards. Contribute to the preparation of other WHO and Health Cluster communication products (situation reports, health cluster bulletins, donors alerts, and other ad-hoc reports)).
• Represent WHO in coordination meeting with partners involved in epidemiology & monitoring.
• Develop appropriate training plans for building the core surveillance, alert and response national capacities in accordance with the requirement for IHR 2005. Oversee the capacity building of Health Management Teams and Health facility staff.
• Perform any other incident-specific related duties, as required by the functional supervisor.
• During deployment, the duty station may change, and duties may be modified, based upon the technical needs of the Programme.
• Lead the development, consolidation and maintenance of a country-specific repository of information (at the highest geographic resolution possible) on core public health indicators (e.g. crude and under-five mortality rates, prevalence of malnutrition, vaccination coverage); updated population estimates (resident, displaced, refugees), standards indicators and values used by partners for monitoring needs and response; vulnerability mapping; nutrition, mortality and vaccination coverage survey reports; health needs assessment reports.
• Design, in cooperation with technical partners, surveillance guidelines, protocols, surveys and monitoring/surveillance systems for detection, verification and response to public health incidents at the national level; ensuring efficiency of data collection, correlation, analysis, interpretation, timely reporting and coordinate the work of a network of sub-regional monitors, as well as provide technical guidance to the Epidemiologists assigned, as required.

Qualification
Education:

• Essential: An advanced university degree (Master's level or above) in Epidemiology, Statistics, Database Management or Public Health from an accredited/recognized institute.
• Desirable: First university degree in health related field. Specialized training in Communicable Diseases.

Experience:

• Essential:
  • At least seven years related experience, at the national and international levels, in quantitative epidemiology and the implementation of public health surveillance, outbreak investigation and response in humanitarian settings. Previous experience in implementation of Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR).
• Desirable:
  • Prior humanitarian working experience at field level with WHO/UN, Health Cluster Partners, recognized Humanitarian Organization or with an international Non-Governmental Organization with expertise in disaster and outbreak response.

Skills:

• Demonstrated knowledge, competency and professional skills on the public health aspects of infectious disease control, epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response with particular attention to application of an all-hazard approach in the context of the International Health Regulations and the use of event based and indicator based surveillance, as well as descriptive epidemiology and principles of public health in communicable disease surveillance and response.
• Sound knowledge and skills in database management and statistical analysis, secondary data review, survey designing and implementation, monitoring and evaluation systems design or use, and public health information management.
• Proven ability to multi-task across various planning and implementation processes within a highly demanding environment

WHO Competencies:

• Essential: Expert knowledge of English or Expert knowledge of French.
• Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of Spanish.
• The above language requirements are interchangeable.
• Creating an empowering and motivating environment
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Ensuring the effective use of resources
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Use of Language Skills

Remuneration

• WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 70,647 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 1489 per month for the duty station indicated above.
• Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.