Medical Officer (NCD) - WHO - Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Vacancy Notice No: WPRO/12/TASR48
Title: Medical Officer (NCD)
Grade: P4
Contract type: Temporary Appointment under Staff Rule 420.4
Duration of contract:  One year, with possibility of extension
Date: 21 November 2012
Application Deadline: 12 December 2012
Duty Station:  Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Organization unit: WP_KHM Cambodia (WP_KHM) / WP_KH4 Director, Building Healthy Communities & Populations (WP_KH4) Non-communicable Diseases and Health Promotion

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME : Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) include cardiovascular diseases, cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, diabetes, oral health, hearing and visual impairment, blindness, and genetic disorders. NCDs are currently responsible for 56% of all deaths in low and middle income countries, and WHO projects that the burden of disease from NCDs will increase rapidly in the near future. NCDs impose a significant economic burden, not just on patients but on households, communities, employers, health systems, and governments. The direct morbidity and mortality burden of NCDs on patients and their families is reflected in diminished productivity and lower returns to investments in human capital. When aggregated across the economy, these household costs have an important negative impact on the size and productivity of the labour force and on national income. Recognizing the specific challenges posed by NCDs, Cambodia's Second Health Strategic Plan, 2008-2015 (HSP2) cites three key objectives under the overall goal of its Programme 3 on Noncommunicable Diseases and Other Health Problems to reduce their burden in the country: (1) Reduce risk behaviours leading to NCDs through changes in knowledge, attitudes and practices; (2) Improve access to treatment and rehabilitation for NCD patients; and (3) Ensure that essential public health functions, such as environmental health measures, food safety, disaster management and preparedness, etc. are effectively and efficiently implemented. To achieve these objectives, HSP2 outlines a series of interventions and activities organized under HSP2's five main strategies, and derived from the National Strategic Plan for Noncommunicable Diseases 2007-2010, National Environmental Health Action Plan for Cambodia 2007-2010, Mental Health Strategic Plan 2008-2012, and the Cambodia National Strategic Action Plan for Tobacco Control 2006-2010. Implementation of these interventions and activities will be critical to the success of HSP2 objectives. The Medical Officer will also strengthen the capacity of WHO to provide technical support in this sector as referenced within the context of the Regional Committee Meeting resolution and the Political Declaration of the UN General Assembly High-Level Meeting on NCDs.
Description of duties: In support of the four functions of health service delivery, financing, human resource and systems strengthening of NCD, the Medical Officer, who also is expected to submit a brief quarterly reports of activities conducted and outputs produced, set NCD indicators, monitoring tools for NCD risk factors and health problems, and an updated national multisectoral NCD policy and strategic plan, will perform the following duties and functions: (1) Provides the necessary technical assistance in the development and improvement of national multisectoral NCD policy and strategies, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, training, epidemiological surveys and research; (2) Provides close supervision and periodic review of the NCD progress in the National Health Strategic Plan 2 and provide the necessary technical support, recommendations and steps for effective and efficient implementation of NCD activities in the annual operational plan (AOP); (3) Provides technical assistance in the development of appropriate and sustainable interventions to help achieve the national goals and targets for prevention and control of NCDs through primary health care; (4) Coordinates, engages and advocates for change in sectors and stakeholders beyond health (e.g. education, transportation, environment, industry); coordinates activities with overlapping focus areas (e.g. Tobacco-Free Initiative, Nutrition, Health Promotion); and integrates intervention strategies to achieve a number of health outcomes (e.g. childhood obesity and oral health, through interventions in schools); (5) Provides technical assistance on the development of the NCD registry and injury surveillance database; (6) Assists the Ministry of Health in operationalizing the Prioritized Action Plan based on the NCD mission of April/May 2011; and (7) Undertakes other duties as required.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education: University degree in medicine and/or health-related field with postgraduate degree in NCDs or public health is essential. Experience in planning and in capacity-building of government staff as well as skills in advocacy with government ministries, especially in resource-constrained settings is desirable. Training in community-based health programme development and management, especially with regard to NCDs is an advantage.
Skills: Broad knowledge and experience in NCDs. Skills in planning, training, monitoring, and evaluation of interventions, and in development of locally-adapted tools and instruments. Good communication skills. Ability to interact with health professionals at various levels. Facility with the use of word processing applications, presentation software, spreadsheets and databases. Familiarity with the use of the internet to publish relevant contents and with the fostering of an online community. Ability to work harmoniously as a member of a team and adapt to diverse educational and cultural backgrounds and maintain a high standard of personal conduct. Competencies: 1. Producing results 2. Communicating in a credible and effective way 3. Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond 4. Ensuring the effective use of resources 5. Moving forward in a changing environment
Experience: Seven years of experience in public health is essential. At least two years experience on integrated NCD prevention and control applied to developing country context, including experience at international level is required. Desirable qualifications include: (a) Experience in writing proposals and reports; (b) Programme experience in community-based health programme development and management; especially with regard to noncommunicable diseases; (c) Experience in NCD registries (e.g. cancer registry); (d) Experience in mass media campaigns.
Languages: Excellent knowledge of spoken and written English; working knowledge of French an advantage.
Additional Information: This vacancy notice is published in English only.
Annual salary: (Net of tax) USD67 483 at single rate USD72 467 with primary dependants	Post Adjustment: 25.4 % 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.
A written test and interviews may be used as a form of screening
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.
WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual. Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.