Project Support Specialist

Vacancy Notice No: PAHO/14/FT266 Title: Project Support Specialist Grade: NO-A Contract type: Fixed-Term Appointment Duration of contract:  One year, first year probationary period. Post of limited duration.	Date: 2 June 2014 Application Deadline: 23 June 2014 (16 day(s) until closing deadline) Currently accepting applications Duty Station:  Asuncion, Paraguay   Organization unit: AM Americas (AM) PAHO/WHO Representative
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME : To ensure the Pan American Health Organization and World Health Organization - PAHO/WHO - country program of technical cooperation on strengthening the national health care system by expanding access to primary health care and its country presence provide adequate support to the national health development process and, at the same time, enable the country of assignment to shape the subregional, regional, and global health agendas. The PAHO/WHO Country Office is the basic organizational unit for technical cooperation with the country, drawing on PAHO/WHO resources of all levels and parts of the Organization.
Description of duties: Under the general supervision of the PAHO/WHO Representative, and the direct supervision of Advisor, Sustainable Development and Environmental Health, the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited, to the following assigned duties: DFATD Project: a) Provide technical support for the implementation of the inter-programmatic Project to be funded by the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD); coordinate the internal planning process with internal and national counterparts of the Project; elaborate the annual work plans and budgets; b) Provide technical and managerial support to all the components of the Project; conduct and participate in site visits, both for detailed planning of activities and tasks, and to monitor and supervise the implementation of the Project as a whole; c) Provide technical support for the design, negotiation and implementation of this project, including follow-up of the execution of resources, follow-up and evaluation of the performance, design and implementation of evaluation tools to support the adequate management and execution of the financial resources; ensure that the resources are executed according to the action plans and within the established dates, including preparing progress reports and financial reports, in compliance with agreements; d) Provide technical support and feedback mechanism on the execution of the project with national and local counterparts, for the preparation of executive reports for the local and national sanitary authority; e) Analyze the progress achieved in the implementation of the Project, achievement of the products and services, immediate results and impact; formulate recommendations for addressing any issues related to project implementation, as necessary. f) Review the execution of the annual work plans, including the budget, evaluate existing needs, prioritize annual activities, adjust the technical cooperation, as necessary; develop adequate planning tools and monitoring and evaluation instruments to facilitate programming and reporting on progress and conducting evaluations of the Project components; identify challenges and risks that could jeopardize the execution of the project, as well as developing actions to mitigate risks; g) Document the lessons learned from project implementation. h) Act as Project liaison with national authorities to attain results of the Project and contribute to securing resources that will favor sustainable results and activities. Program management: a) Support the PWR and Country Office technical staff in the design, negotiation and implementation of technical cooperation projects, including resource coordination, performance monitoring and assessment, and use of evaluation tools to support the sound management of regular and extra-budgetary funds; provide strategic support and inputs to develop new program initiatives to support the program of work; b) Ensure that projects managed by the Office are executed according to action plans and within established dates; ensure timely submission of financial and progress reports in accordance with donor agreements; c) Support the programmatic impact and ensure a high level of quality, accuracy of methods used to verify progress and the results; d) Review and analyze progress on technical matters, elaboration and implementation of inter-programmatic and inter-sectoral activities; e) Provide strategic support to develop and strengthen partnerships to synchronized and harmonized development initiatives with governments, development partners, private sectors and civil society organizations; f) Coordinate the implementation of the Office's Biennial Work Plan (BWP) and the Semester Work plans (PTS); ensure that the responsible project coordinators provide required planning data and information to adequately assess and report on implementation of expected results, projects, products/services, etc.; g) Support the PWR in leading the coordination of the performance monitoring and assessment of the Office's BWP and the PTS, including the preparation of reports; advising on setting realistic targets and milestones and ensuring up-to-date information to monitor progress on BWP and PTS implementation; h) Assist in the review and analysis of issues and trends relating to the Office's technical matters in which he/she can add value. Support the preparation of various written outputs, e.g., draft background papers, analysis, sections of reports and studies and other inputs to technical publications. Provide assistance to the preparation of technical documents for Governing Body meetings, etc; i) Perform other related duties, as assigned.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Essential: A bachelor's degree in a health or social science from a recognized university.
Skills:  Key Behavioral Competencies Intrainstitutional Action: Operates in a fair, consistent and equitable manner, and displays such behavior by example. Ensures that the mission and the values of the Organization as well as the setting in which projects will be carried out are the drivers in one's technical work. Understands the results required and performs to that standard. Behaves consistently in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the Organization. Analysis, Synthesis, and Forecasting: Takes or organizes individual and collective action after analyzing situations on the basis of the available evidence and knowledge. Continuously analyzes the evolution of situations in an area of work and makes suggestions to adjust or confirm the decisions necessary to implement required actions. Is capable of anticipating the implications of an analyzed situation between six months to one year ahead. Teamwork: Promotes team work and leads one's area to finish tasks and accept responsibility. Creates a positive environment within the area of work. Makes everyone feel like they are part of the team as well as welcomes and appreciates everyone's ideas and suggestions. Able to see the positive aspects of working as a team, shares the team's enthusiasm for achieving mutual goals. Accountability: Identifies, in conjunction with management, specific activities, processes jobs that require defined accountability, linking them to accountability strategies and objectives. Revises periodically progress made in the established work plan with his/her supervisor. Constantly reaches their objectives. Thinking, planning and the strategic management of technical cooperation interventions: Proposes priority ideas for executing interventions after anticipating their critical points, eventual risks and solutions. Evaluates proposals for interventions before making decisions to execute them. Lays the technical foundations for executing technical cooperation interventions following the Organization's strategy in order to generate the expected results. Evaluation of technical cooperation interventions: Proposes criteria for evaluating interventions at the process, management, and outcome level, in addition to plans for evaluating technical cooperation, in keeping with the PAHO's strategic direction. Resource Mobilization: Establishes partnerships and alliances with a variety of institutions and organizations as well as internal partnerships to obtain financial and non-financial resources. Is able to relate with all types of people and at all levels in order to obtain resources that are needed. Is able to present and disseminate information in a clear manner. Executes resources according to the agreements previously established with partnerships. Technical Expertise - Managerial skills for the development, implementation and analysis of technical cooperation programs and activities, including budget programming and control. - Theoretical and practical knowledge of international technical cooperation, with emphasis in the negotiation and management of international cooperation programs and projects; - Mature judgment, strong technical, analytical and conceptual skills; demonstrated ability to assess, analyze, synthesize and provide recommendation on key technical issue; - Ability to integrate managerial and technical inputs into recommendations for decision-making process; ability to manage multiple issues and tasks in a complex organizational environment; - Ability to create and advocate innovative approaches to facilitate and enhance project management capacity, as well as monitoring of these processes; - Excellent organizational and analytic skills combined with 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, SharePoint and Outlook. Other IT skills and knowledge of other software programs such as Visio and Project will be an asset.
Experience: Essential: Three years of professional experience in the fields of health planning, project management, monitoring and evaluation, including experience in strategy formulation and strategic resource allocation.
Languages: Very good knowledge of Spanish with a working knowledge of English
Additional Information: ALL APPLICANTS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE AN ON-LINE PERSONAL HISTORY FORM TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS POST. CANDIDATES MUST HOLD A PERMANENT LOCAL WORKING VISA (CITIZENSHIP OR PERMANENT RESIDENT CARD) OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED DUTY STATION'S COUNTRY. CANDIDATES WILL BE CONTACTED ONLY IF THEY ARE UNDER SERIOUS CONSIDERATION. A WRITTEN TEST AND/OR INTERVIEW WILL BE HELD FOR THIS POST. THE POST DESCRIPTION IS THE OFFICIAL DOCUMENTATION FOR ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSES. THIS VACANCY MAY BE USED TO FILL OTHER POSITIONS IN THE ORGANIZATION THAT MAY BECOME VACANT AT A LATER DATE, AND WHICH HAVE SIMILAR REQUIREMENTS AND DUTIES AS THE ONES STATED IN THIS NOTICE.
Annual salary: (Net of tax) PAR GU 145,878,000.00 at single rate
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