OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The mission of WHO’s UHC/Healthier Populations Division is to contribute to reducing health inequalities and reducing preventable disease and injury caused by environmental, social and economic determinants of health. This is achieved through a coordinated inter-sectoral approach aimed at enabling all people to enjoy better health and well-being, in line with the Organization’s 13th General Programme of Work (GPW13) and the Sustainable Development Goals. The role of the Department for Environment, Climate Change and Health (ECH) within the overall work of WHO is to promote a healthier environment, intensify primary prevention and to influence public policies in all sectors to address the root causes of environmental threats to health. ECH develops and promotes preventive policies and interventions based on an understanding and an in-depth scientific analysis of the evidence base for environmental determinants of human health.The Air Quality and Health (AQH) Unit provides technical support to WHO’s Member States in the development of normative guidance and tools and provision of authoritative advice on health issues related to air pollution and its sources. Monitoring and reporting on global trends and changes in health outcomes associated with actions taken to address air pollution at the local, national, regional and global levels is an additional key facet of this. In this context, AQH promotes interventions and initiatives for healthy sectoral policies (including energy, transport, housing and development), addressing key risks to health from air pollution, indoors and outdoors and contributing to achieving health co-benefits from climate change mitigation policies.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

1. Provide support to the air quality and health team with the finalization and dissemination of health sector capacity building training materials on airpollution and health, including identifying modalities for distribution and adaptation of the resources for regional and local level-use through engagements with WHO Regionaland Country offices.

2. To liaise with WHO offices, medical societies, and international experts todesign, to organize and support the WHO team in country and regional piloting of training materials, as well as incorporate their feedback in future iterations of the materials.

3. Identify gaps and opportunities in the current material, recommend new training tools to be developed in collaboration with different partners and key WHO nonstate actorsas appropriate, including expanding the target audiences (e.g.,community health workers).

4. Liaise with the WHO Academy for implementation of the material for on-siteand online deployment of the air pollution and health educational resources being developed.

5. Review existing clinical screening tools and risk scores for assessing the healtheffects of air pollution, with a special focus on Non-Communicable Diseases and explore the development of a set of guidance for clinicians.

6. Explore possibilities for new partnerships and collaborations to be established to promote the inclusion of air pollution and environmental health topics as part of the health workers core curriculum, including liaising with Ministries of Health and Education.

7. Support new and existing activities strengthening the inter-linkages between theWHO air pollution, climate change and Non-Communicable Diseases agendas.

8. Contribute to the adaptation and synthesis of key messages and information from the capacity building materials into a broader set of communications and advocacy materials, including as part of the Breathe-Life campaign and other outreach endeavours.

9. To provide technical inputst o WHO projects, reports and other documentsproduced by AQH on air pollution and health as required by the direct supervisor.

Main achievements include:

– Finalization of the health sector capacity building material on air pollution andhealth at the global level.

– Planning and organization of meetings with medical societies and other relevantpublic health stakeholders to mainstream and disseminate health sectortraining.

– Engagement with keypartners, including Ministries of Health and other relevantministries to promote the inclusion of air pollution and environmental healthtopics as part of the health workers core curriculum.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: University degree in medicine, nursing, public health or equivalent fields.
Desirable: An advanced degree (Master level of above) in public health epidemiology with a focus on air pollution and/or climate change.

Experience

Essential:

1. Minimum of five years of experience related to technical work on environmental health, of which at least three years exposure at the international level.

2. Experience in the field of design or revision of health workers curricula.

3. Clinical experience on environmental health.

4. Experience in project management and event organization.

5. Experience in developing advocacy campaigns on air pollution and climate change.

Desirable:

1. Teaching experience on environmental health related topics with multiple audiences is an asset.

2. Working experience for WHO or other UN agencies.

Skills

1. Excellent organizational and analytical skills with ability to multi-task and produce results under pressure.

2. Excellentc ommunication and inter-cultural skills.

3. Strong coordination skills and ability to analyse and synthesizeinformation from multiple sources to support understanding fromwide audiences.

4. Professional skills in the development of reports and informativedocuments.

5. Knowledge of environmental epidemiology, particularly airpollution.

6. Fluency in both English and French is required.

7. Fluency in a UN third language is an advantage.

8. Knowledge of the functioning of UN systems is an advantage.

WHO Competencies

1. Teamwork
2. Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
3. Communication
4. Producing results
5. Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English and Expert knowledge of French.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of Other UN language.

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 62,692 (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 4289 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.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test may be used as a form of screening.

• 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. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications 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/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

• For information on WHO’s operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link: http://www.who.int/employment/en/. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.

• For WHO General Service staff who do not meet the minimum educational qualifications, please see e-Manual III.4.1, para 220.