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Advisor, Sustainable Development and Environmental Health Grade: P4

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME :
The Area of Sustainable Development and Environmental Health (SDE) represents a multidisciplinary team that, together with other technical areas and collaborating centers, leads innovative, inter-sectoral and strategic efforts to address the determinants of health, to reduce health risks and to promote healthy social and physical environments where people live, study, work and play as a substantial and essential element of Human Security for Sustainable Development and health equity.
Description of duties:
Under the direct supervision of the PAHO/WHO Representative, and the technical supervision of the Manager, Sustainable Development and Environmental Health (SDE), the incumbent will be responsible, but not necessarily limited, to the following assigned duties:
a) Provide technical cooperation to the Ministry of Health and the Unified Health System (UHS) in the analysis of the principal health problems, its social and environmental determinants, inequities and risk factors; identifying the conditions and lifestyles that favor the practice of health promotion at population level; propose, monitor, and evaluate technologies and strategies for their effective control;
b) Lead the introduction of the principles, methods, and epidemiological techniques in the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of programs for promotion, environmental health, and health protection;
c) Systematize, document and disseminate the successful experiences, preferentially those at the local level, implemented for the development and continuous improvement of the services of promotion and prevention of diseases with greater burden and environmental imbalance;
d) Participate actively in the development and/or strengthening of human resources development competencies for the health teams in charge of the implementation of the strategy of health promotion and protection and environmental health;
e) Provide technical advice on knowledge management, using all the available means for the dissemination of relevant scientific information;
f) Develop and/or strengthen the implementation of the healthy settings, through initiatives such as: Faces Voices and Places; Healthy Municipalities; Healthy Schools; Urban Health, Urban Health and other related initiatives;
g) Promote and conduct research on the promotion of healthy behavior and the social and environmental determinants of the health in the UHS, academic institutions, and the PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centers, related to the area of health promotion, environmental health and health protection;
h) Promote the management of extra-budgetary funds and voluntary contributions of Brazil and other countries through the preparation of proposals that involve the different levels of management of the national health system, and the bilateral and multilateral coordination with national and international agencies;
i) Support the PWR in the preparation of the biannual work plan and the terms of technical cooperation for the technical areas;
j) Promote inter-programmatic and decentralized work at the different levels of the Organization in order to achieve the maximum levels of efficiency and effectiveness;
k) Provide technical advice and collaborate in the planning, development and monitoring plans, programs and projects related to prevention of violence and road safety;
l) Coordinate and promote technical cooperation activities related to mental health and Substance abuse legislation, policy, plans and services leading to the restructuring of the mental health system; develop the capacity of the country to implement equitable and effective measures in support of the development of mental health and substance abuse program in the community and their integration in primary care;
m) Provide technical advice, follow-up and support to activities related to health determinants, including the achievements of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the conclusions of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health; facilitate implementation and monitoring of MDGs strategies at national and sub-national level;
n) Collaborate with SDE in other activities related to risk assessment, healthy settings, mental health, alcohol and substance abuse, tobacco control, violence, road safety, human security and other programs and projects under SDE responsibility;
o) Advice and collaborate in the establishment of programs related to the regulation and control of toxic substances and hazardous waste that present risks to health and the environment, including those produced in hospitals and other health care facilities;
p) Promote and advice national authorities in the evaluation and solution of environmental pollution problems due to urbanization, industrialization and agricultural activities with special attention to biological and chemical pollution, as well as in the formulation of plans and programs for their prevention and control;
q) Facilitate the implementation and monitoring at the national level, the Regional Strategies adopted by the Directing Council related to SDE;
r) Provide technical cooperation expertise in the strengthening of institutions and organizations involved in tobacco control, and supervise the planning, development and monitoring of plans, programs and projects related to effective tobacco control policies in general and the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control;
s) Collaborate in the preparation of the Representation's Biennial Work Plan (BWP) and the execution of international cooperation, including the analysis of political, technical and socioeconomic realities;
t) 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;
u) Perform other related duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education:
A university degree in a health science, and a master's degree in public health or related field, from a recognized university.
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.
-- Teamwork: Embraces and leads consensual decision-making, that is, leading the fulfillment of team decisions, even when they may not fully coincide with one's own opinions or proposals. Knows how to manage difficult team situations and promotes consensus building. Takes responsibility for the team's successes and failures.
-- Leadership: 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.
-- Devising the budget for interventions and cost optimization: Demonstrates initiative and managerial capacity in obtaining alternative sources of financing and in mobilizing extra-budgetary 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 and 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:
- Technical expertise in the areas of sustainable development and environmental health, including technical cooperation in projects in developing countries.
- Technical cooperation expertise in local and social development programs including those involving more than one country.
- Managerial expertise in public health management institutions.
- Theoretical and practical knowledge of the social and environmental aspects of the primary health care, health promotion and social participation.
- Knowledge and skills in the formulation of technical cooperation interventions and in the development of criteria for evaluating program interventions.
- Managerial skills for the development, implementation and analysis of technical cooperation programs and activities, including budget programming and control
- 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 a computer and utilize software programs such as Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook, and electronic sources in research activities. Other IT skills and knowledge of other software programs such as Visio, Microsoft SharePoint and Project would be an asset.
Experience:
Nine years of combined national and international experience in technical cooperation in institutions concerned with public health management or evaluation of environmental health and sustainable development programs.
Languages:
Very good knowledge of Portuguese or Spanish with a working knowledge of English. Knowledge of 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 67,395.00 at single rate
US $72,373. with primary dependants
Post Adjustment: 86.7 % 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.