Technical Officer Health Emergency Risk Management

Overview
Support health emergency risk management research and collaboration

You have:

First level university degree (Bachelor level or above) in public health, medicine, health management, economics, health policy, health planning or related subject.
At least 5 years of relevant experience in public health or health emergencies (humanitarian or communicable diseases), emergency risk management, or related work.
Experience in conducting and managing research.
Experience in building multi-stakeholder partnerships.
Knowledge of Japanese academic and government institutions and networks.
Publication record in international academic journals.
Expert knowledge of English.
Expert knowledge of Japanese.
Contract
This is a NO-C contract. This kind of contract is known as National Professional Officers. It is normally only for nationals. It’s a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education. More about NO-C contracts.

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Details
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME
The WHO Centre for Health Development (WHO Kobe Centre-WKC) is a global research centre operating as a department under the WHO Headquarters. WKC conducts research that could translate to policies and actions to help countries achieve sustainable health policies. WKC produces and disseminates evidence through WHO and scientific publications, policy and evidence briefs, and other forms of communication and dissemination. WKC collaborates with researchers, academics, practitioners, and interacts widely across WHO offices in HQ and the regions. Whereas WKC is a global centre, it also has a local role to collaborate and share knowledge among stakeholders in the Kansai region of Japan.

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DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
Serve as a team member for research on health emergency and disaster risk management, including acting as a liaison with authorities from Hyogo Prefecture, Kobe City and the Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare, Japan.
Communicate and adapt existing global research guidelines and tools on management of health issues in emergencies and emergency risk management.
In coordination with local authorities, WHO HQ, regional offices, Japanese MHLW and other stakeholders, assist in translating key WHO documents into Japanese, and to disseminate to local/national Japanese authorities.
Support WHO and WKC in the event of a local/national health emergency.
Build collaborations, communicate the work of WKC, and routinely liaise with all relevant partners including Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture and national government authorities, universities, UN agencies in Kobe and nationally, and other key institutions including the Disaster Reduction Alliance and its member institutions, JICA Kansai, UNOCHA, UNISDR, IRP and others as relevant.
Liaise with UN agencies, Japanese government, local government officials and WHO, in specific follow up research and activities in line with the revised Hyogo Framework for Action and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.
Contribute to the design, management, conduct, and dissemination of specific research activities into best practices, policies, and programmes (emphasizing lessons from Kobe/Hyogo and Japan) on emergency and disaster health risk management strategies, including responses to vulnerable groups such as ageing populations; psycho-social issues confronting survivors of emergencies; human resources for emergency responses, and mental health during and after disasters, planning for communicable disease outbreaks.
Summarize key lessons from the Kansai region, Japan and WHO globally for health emergency management in areas of preparedness, response, recovery and building resilience.
Integrate broad experience and knowledge available from other countries, with an emphasis on countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
Participate in key events on health emergency and disaster risk management (including, for example, annual commemorations of disasters such as the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake, WKC Fora, events sponsored by key partners (including DRA and JICA).
Organize additional local public information activities and materials relevant to WKC and partner events, and assist WKC communication efforts for these events.
Deliver public presentations on health emergency and disaster risk management-related research to local schools and community organizations, government partners, academics, and other partners.
Perform other duties as assigned.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Essential: First level university degree (Bachelor level or above) in public health, medicine, health management, economics, health policy, health planning or related subject. Desirable:

Experience
Essential:

At least 5 years of relevant experience in public health or health emergencies (humanitarian or communicable diseases), emergency risk management, or related work.
Experience in conducting and managing research.
Experience in building multi-stakeholder partnerships.
Knowledge of Japanese academic and government institutions and networks.
Publication record in international academic journals.
Desirable:

Specialty work in health emergency-related research topics including mental health and psycho-social support, data collection, health workforce, vulnerable populations needs, ethical issues in research.
Knowledge of WHO and familiarity with the United Nations system.
Proven capacity working in a Japanese environment and experience working with Japanese government authorities.

Skills
Excellent communication and inter-personal skills.
Demonstrated proven writing skills by publication record.
Capacity to collaborate and coordinate across multiple agencies for a common purpose.
Ability to work autonomously and in multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environments.
Strong organizational skills.
Knowledge of health emergency and disaster risk management, including the continuum of preparedness, response and recovery.
Strong skills in research methods, technical writing, reviewing scientific proposals, and ethics in research conduct.
Capacity to synthetize complex problems and conceptualize.
Proven team player.

WHO Competencies
Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Moving forward in a changing environment
Producing results

Use of Language Skills
Essential: Expert knowledge of English. Expert knowledge of Japanese. Desirable:

REMUNERATION
Remuneration comprises an annual base salary starting at JPY 10,677,000 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable) and 30 days of annual leave.