Advisor, Diagnosis, Surveillance, and Control of Zoonotic Diseases

Vacancy Notice No: PAHO/11/FT34 Title: Advisor, Diagnosis, Surveillance, and Control of Zoonotic Diseases Grade: P4 Contract type: Fixed-Term Appointment Duration of contract: Two years, first year probationary period.	Date: 25 January 2011 Application Deadline: 8 March 2011 (8 day(s) until closing deadline) Currently accepting applications Duty Station: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Organization unit: AM Americas (AM) Pan American Foot-and-Mouth Disease Center (PANAFTOSA)/Health Surveillance, Diesease Prevention & Control (HSD)
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME : The objective is to promote, coordinate, and implement technical cooperation activities to reduce health, social and economical burden of communicable and non communicable diseases, focusing in the surveillance, prevention and control, in ways that are technically sound and appropriate for the culture and society and strives to achieve sustainable impact through strengthened country capacity and effective inter-country collaboration; and to strengthen the coverage and quality of the health and vital statistics in the Region as the national capacity to monitor their health situation.
Description of duties: Under the general supervision of the Manager, Health Surveillance, Disease Prevention and Control (HSD), and the direct supervision of the Center Director, Pan American Foot-and-Mouth Disease Center (PANAFTOSA), the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties: a) Advise, plan, develop, implement, coordinate and monitor the Center's program of work on diagnostic, laboratory surveillance, prevention and control of zoonoses with emphasis on zoonotic viral diseases program, including delivering technical cooperation to strengthen Member Countries capacities for participating in the conduction of epidemiological surveys; investigation of disease outbreaks and interventions for disease prevention, control and eradication; b) Collaborate in the development and coordination of national laboratory capabilities, in collaboration with the directors of national laboratories; c) Monitor, develop and facilitate the transfer of new techniques in diagnosis of zoonoses with emphasis on zoonotic viral diseases to Member Countries; d) Promote interactions between laboratories through the creation of regional laboratory networks for the diagnosis and laboratory surveillance of zoonoses with emphasis in viral diseases; e) Develop and participate in training programs for laboratory technicians, medical students and health personnel from the Region; promote laboratory safety nationally and regionally; f) Provide technical advice and respond to the needs of the countries in the areas of diagnosis, laboratory surveillance, prevention and control; conduct research programs or special studies on zoonoses with emphasis on zoonotic viral diseases; g) Provide advice and technical assistance to national authorities, with emphasis in laboratory investigation and control of communicable diseases; h) Provide technical advice for the management of information systems to ensure availability of information on zoonoses and zoonotic viral diseases; collaborate in the development of national information systems for monitoring and reporting epidemiological surveillance of viral diseases; i) Analyze, systematize, and disseminate scientific and evidence-based technical information and knowledge on new advances in microbiology with emphasis in virology; j) Provide technical advice and assistance to the Center Director for the assessment and solution of priority disease problems; k) Identify and mobilize human, information and financial resources for the prevention and control of viral diseases of public health importance; l) Provide editorial support in the technical area of specialty for the publications of the Center; m) Provide a mentoring role in virology to graduate students and Center's staff; n) Collaborate in the preparation of the Biennial Work Plan (BWP) and the execution of international cooperation projects, including the analysis of political, technical and socioeconomic issues and performance assessment; o) When called upon to directly supervise staff, establish clear work objectives, conduct timely and effective performance appraisals, provide coaching and feedback, and support staff development opportunities; p) Perform other related duties, as assigned.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education: A university degree in any of the health sciences or related field, and a master's degree in microbiology with emphasis in virology or related field form a recognized institution.
Skills: -- Intra-institutional Action: Leads team efforts toward full understanding of the policies the organization must operate within as well as the Standard of Conduct for the International Civil Service. Leads employees and co-workers toward operating in a fair, consistent and equitable manner, and displays such behavior by example. Behaves consistently in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the Organization. -- Performance Management: Plans and takes concrete steps on one's own initiative to improve job performance and required competencies. Learns from one's mistakes, adjusts goals and courses of action to meet changing needs. Conducts evaluation meetings with subordinates at the times stipulated, using the Organization's instruments and others specific to the area. Consistently motivates the staff members to improve their abilities, gives them tasks and activities that represent a challenge to them. Leadership - (L04): Uses complex strategies to promote team morale and productivity. Obtains needed personnel, resources and information for the team. Makes sure the practical needs of the team are met. -- Information Management: Processes and analyzes the data objectively, presenting it clearly and equitably. Leads the effort to acquire relevant and selected information that facilitates the achievement of organizational results. Evaluates/leads the evaluation of information systems on the basis of its advantages/disadvantages for processing information relevant to the area of work. -- Devising the budget for interventions and cost optimization: Demonstrates initiative and managerial capacity in obtaining alternative sources of financing and in mobilizing extrabudgetary resources for interventions. Acquires adequate funding, based upon the resources allocated in intervention plans. -- Thinking, planning and the strategic management of technical cooperation interventions: Selects priority ideas for executing the interventions after anticipating their potential problems and solutions. Participates in the preparation of strategic plans, providing input about their impact, quality, critical points, and risks. -- Evaluation of technical cooperation interventions: Evaluates criteria for the interventions at the process, management, and outcome level, in addition to technical cooperation evaluation plans, in keeping with the PAHO's strategic direction. -- Resource Mobilization: Works in an objective manner to obtain an apportion resources (financial and non-financial) according to need. Supports and advises technical areas to enable best use of resources are aligned with the mission and vision of the Organization. Is able to work in a multicultural environment. Is flexible and has the ability to work well under pressure. Is able to give feedback to partners within and outside the organization about the use of the resources and the results acquired. Technical Expertise: - Theoretical and practical expertise at the highest level in all aspects related in microbiology with emphasis in virology with particular emphasis in animal health or zoonoses. - Knowledge and practical expertise in technical cooperation programs and activities related to surveillance, prevention and control and application of laboratory techniques for the diagnosis of viral diseases. - Professional expertise in preventive public health, epidemiological research and training on the use of microbiological with emphasis in virological methods in disease surveillance prevention and control. - Ability to analyze laboratory activities in diagnostic, biosafety and quality management and possess the capability to develop and plan innovative and appropriate solutions for their improvement. - Knowledge and skills in the formulation of technical cooperation interventions and in the development of criteria and instruments for evaluating program interventions. - Managerial skills for the development, implementation and analysis of technical cooperation programs and activities, including budget programming and control. - Mature judgment, strong technical, analytical, conceptual, and interpersonal and communication skills; demonstrated ability to identify, assess, analyze, synthesize and provide recommendation on key political, technical and administrative issues. - Strong professional oral and writing skills including the development of reports, oral presentations, and technical/persuasive documents for consideration at the highest levels of the Organization. IT Skills: Demonstrated ability to effectively use software programs such as Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Other IT skills and knowledge of other software programs such as Visio, Microsoft SharePoint and Project will be an asset.
Experience: Essential: Nine years of combined national and international experience in medical microbiology and public health with particular emphasis in laboratory virology techniques. Desirable: Experience participating in technical cooperation programs and activities in the area of diagnostic and surveillance of communicable diseases and application of laboratory techniques to diagnostic surveillance of communicable diseases would be an asset.
Languages: Very good knowledge of Spanish or English, with a working knowledge of the other language. Knowledge of Portuguese and French would be an asset.
Additional Information: A WRITTEN TEST AND/OR INTERVIEW MAY BE HELD FOR THIS POST. CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED ONLY IF THEY ARE UNDER SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. ALL APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE AN ON-LINE PERSONAL HISTORY FORM. THE POST DESCRIPTION IS THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION FOR ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSES.
Annual salary: (Net of tax) US $67,400. at single rate US $72,400. with primary dependants	Post Adjustment: 82.2 % of the above figure(s). This percentage is to be considered as indicative since variations may occur each month either upwards or downwards due to currency exchange rate fluctuations or inflation.
Online applications are strongly encouraged to enable WHO to store your profile in a permanent database. Please visit WHO's e-Recruitment website at: www.who.int/employment. The system provides instructions for online application procedures.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the vacancy announcement.