Public Health Officer - Disease Control

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. The organization operates in over 150 countries and has a workforce of more than 7,000 employees. WHO's overarching goal is to ensure that all people can attain the highest possible level of health, which includes preventing and controlling diseases, particularly communicable diseases, and addressing non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

Job Overview:
The Public Health Officer - Disease Control will work under the direct supervision of the Head of the WHO country office in Samoa. The primary function of this position is to facilitate the effective management and coordination of expertise to provide technical advice on developing sustainable, multi-sectoral, and integrated national strategies, policies, interventions, and plans aimed at improving health systems and capacity building in the areas of communicable disease control and NCD management. The officer will be responsible for recommending action plans for disease prevention and control interventions across the life course and continuum of care. This role also involves coordinating the adoption of norms, standards, guidelines, and tools to support the implementation of disease control projects, managing operational aspects of communicable disease-related research, surveillance, and health surveys, and facilitating the implementation of projects for disease control, including setting priorities and monitoring performance. The officer will analyze and evaluate data related to communicable diseases and outbreaks, monitor the national burden of diseases, and serve as a technical communication focal point on communicable diseases in the country. Additionally, the officer will provide technical guidance to improve access to safe and affordable medicines and advocate for partnerships to enhance multi-sectoral collaboration.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The incumbent will perform a variety of duties including:

• Work under the direct supervision of the Head of the WHO country office.
• Facilitate efficient management and coordination of expertise to provide technical advice on developing national strategies for communicable disease control and NCD management.
• Recommend action plans for disease prevention and control interventions.
• Coordinate the adoption of norms and guidelines for disease control projects.
• Manage operational aspects of communicable disease-related research and health surveys.
• Facilitate project implementation for disease control, including setting priorities and monitoring performance.
• Analyze data related to communicable diseases and outbreaks, providing recommendations for response measures.
• Monitor the national burden of communicable diseases through health information systems.
• Serve as a technical communication focal point for communicable diseases. 1
• Provide technical guidance to improve access to medicines and technologies. 1
• Advocate for partnerships to enhance collaboration and mobilize resources for disease prevention and control.

Required Qualifications:
Essential qualifications include a university degree (bachelor’s) in public health, epidemiology, medicine, or a related field. Desirable qualifications include training or specialization in communicable diseases and/or noncommunicable diseases. Candidates must have a minimum of five years of relevant work experience, including international exposure in communicable and noncommunicable diseases, NCD management, and disease investigation. Experience in developing and implementing national or regional strategies for disease prevention and control is also desirable. Candidates should demonstrate professional experience providing technical services to national health ministries and partners, as well as relevant work experience with WHO, UN agencies, or health cluster partners.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a university degree (bachelor’s) in public health, epidemiology, medicine, or a similar field. Additional training or specialization in communicable diseases and/or noncommunicable diseases is desirable.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of five years of relevant work experience, including international exposure in communicable and noncommunicable diseases, NCD management, and disease investigation, surveillance, and control. Experience in developing and implementing national or regional strategies for disease prevention and control is also desirable, along with demonstrated professional experience providing technical services to national counterparts and relevant work experience with WHO or UN agencies.

Languages:
Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English is essential for this position. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset but is not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The position offers a competitive remuneration package, including an annual base salary starting at USD 71,335, a variable post adjustment reflecting the cost of living, and additional benefits such as 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children. The 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. Candidates may be required to provide proof of vaccination as per WHO requirements before undertaking a WHO assignment. The successful candidate will be subject to WHO Staff Regulations and may be assigned to any duty station worldwide.