The Ugandan Jobline

 

Job Title:    Assistant Public Health
Officer

Organisation: United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

Duty Station:  Uganda

Vacancy Notice: Internal/ External vacancy notice no. 023/2020

Position Number: 10034568

Position Grade: NO-A

 

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 contributes to the coordination,
planning, and monitoring of public health programmes and responses including
the collection and use of health and nutrition-related data, capacity building of
UNHCR personnel and partners, advocacy, information and communication on public
health-related issues.

 

The Assistant Public
Health Officer supports consultation with communities seeking the diverse views
of men, women, girl 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.

 

Public Health
programmes include primary health care, secondary health care, community
health, reproductive health (including HIV), nutrition, MHPSS and health
information systems. In addition to public health staff, major operations may
also have dedicated staff focusing on any of these components but public health
officers are expected to be very conversant with reproductive health
programming and ensure that minimum standards are met.

 

Direct supervision
is usually exercised by the Programme Officer who defines the objectives and
assignments to be performed and provides regular guidance to the incumbent.
S/he works closely with the other UNHCR colleagues from protection, programme,
resettlement, public information and external relations.

 

Key Duties and Responsibilities:  

Coordination and
Partnership

·       
Assist
in the co-ordination of 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, 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.

·       
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
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.

·       
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 and viral hepatitis, 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.

·       
Support
the 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.

·       
Support
the adaptation of 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.

·       
Assist
with the review and analysis of relevant project proposals and budgetary
submissions presented by UNHCR partners within the context of the UNHCR
programming cycle.

·       
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.

·       
Contribute
to 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.

·       
Assist
in 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.

·       
Draft
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)
Assistant Public Health Officer job should hold a University degree in Medicine
or Nursing with qualifications in Public Health or related fields or clinical
background is required.

·       
One year
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. Good communicator with
strong interpersonal and negotiations skills is required.

·       
Analytical
Thinking

·       
Planning
and Organizing

·       
Stakeholder
Management

·       
Knowledge
of English language is required.

 

Desirable
Qualifications & Competencies

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

·       
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: 17^th December 2020

 

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