National Professional Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. Established on April 7, 1948, WHO's mission is to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve vulnerable populations. It operates in 194 Member States across six regions, with a workforce of over 7,000 employees. The organization focuses on various health issues, including disease prevention, health promotion, and emergency response, and aims to achieve universal health coverage and improve health outcomes globally.

Job Overview:
The National Professional Officer position is designed to provide technical support to the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Ukraine. The incumbent will be responsible for strengthening capacities to design and implement Behavioral and Cultural Insights (BCI) studies, generating data-driven evidence for policymakers and public health leaders. This role involves coordinating national or sub-national studies, exploring innovative approaches related to BCI, and applying these insights to improve health outcomes. The officer will also support the development of a national BCI plan and strategy, establish a national BCI working group, and build awareness of BCI among key stakeholders. The position requires a strong understanding of public health systems and the ability to monitor and report on health interventions effectively.

Duties and Responsibilities:
1) Provide technical support to the Public Health Center of the MoH in strengthening capacities to design and implement BCI studies and generate data-driven evidence for policymakers and public health leaders. 2) Review existing data sources and synthesize evidence on factors that prevent or drive health behavior. 3) Coordinate national or sub-national studies on factors that drive health behaviors among the general population or marginalized groups using qualitative and quantitative methods. 4) Explore evolving and innovative approaches and tools related to behavioral and cultural insights. 5) Identify ways of applying BCI for health-related policies, services, and communication design using standard approaches. 6) Monitor BCI interventions through collecting feedback from those involved and affected and measure impact. 7) Collect evidence of effective interventions locally and from other countries in the region and support scale-up or adaptation to local cultural and geographic context. 8) Support the Public Health Center of the MoH to develop a national BCI plan and strategy for application and integration of BCI in public health interventions. 9) Support the MoH to establish a national BCI working group to coordinate BCI-related activities by stakeholders and health cluster partners. 10) Support the MoH in building awareness of BCI for public health among key stakeholders, governmental and non-government organizations, academia, media, and other stakeholders. 11) Support the MoH to report to WHO on monitoring indicators and progress measures of the regional action framework in line with the agreed reporting timelines. 12) Conduct other BCI-related tasks. 13) Support the WCO in Ukraine with survey implementations, data collection, and analysis. 14) Contribute to the development of a comprehensive data repository. 15) Perform any other related duties, as required by the functional supervisor.

Required Qualifications:
Essential qualifications include a university degree in behavioral science, social science, political science, system analysis and management, or a related field. Desirable qualifications include a postgraduate degree in Public Health. Candidates should possess a good understanding of survey design, data analysis, and report writing, preferably in the public health area, as well as sound knowledge of behavioral and cultural insights in health and the national public health system.

Educational Background:
Candidates must have a university degree in a relevant field such as behavioral science, social science, political science, system analysis and management, or a related field. A postgraduate degree in Public Health is desirable and would enhance a candidate's qualifications for the position.

Experience:
The position requires at least two years of relevant work experience in survey design and public health studies at the national level. Experience working for WHO or other international organizations is desirable, along with familiarity with data collection methodologies, research protocols, and the implementation of national health surveys.

Languages:
Essential languages include expert knowledge of English and Ukrainian. Desirable language skills include expert knowledge of Russian, which would be beneficial in the context of the role.

Additional Notes:
This is a National Professional Officer position, meaning that only applications from nationals of Ukraine will be accepted. The position offers an annual base salary starting at USD 38,776, subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance. The role includes 30 days of annual leave. The vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level. Candidates under serious consideration will be contacted, and a written test and/or an asynchronous video assessment may be used as a form of screening. WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment and encourages applications from women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States.