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.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

1. 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.
2. Communicate and adapt existing global research guidelines and tools on management of health issues in emergencies and emergency risk management.
3. 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.
4. Support WHO and WKC in the event of a local/national health emergency.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. Summarize key lessons from the Kansai region, Japan and WHO globally for health emergency management in areas of preparedness, response, recovery and building resilience.
9. Integrate broad experience and knowledge available from other countries, with an emphasis on countries in the Asia-Pacific region.
10. 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).
11. Organize additional local public information activities and materials relevant to WKC and partner events, and assist WKC communication efforts for these events.
12. Deliver public presentations on health emergency and disaster risk management-related research to local schools and community organizations, government partners, academics, and other partners.
13. 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.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level.

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test may be used as a form of screening.

• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• For information on WHO’s operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

• The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its staff. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (

https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion

)are strongly encouraged to apply for WHO jobs.

• Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to

reasonableaccommodation@who.int

• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• WHO also offers wide range of benefits to staff, including parental leave and attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work-life balance and to allow all staff members to express and develop their talents fully.

• The statutory retirement age for staff appointments is 65 years. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete the term of appointment will normally be considered.

• This is a National Professional Officer position. Therefore, only applications from nationals of the country where the duty station is located will be accepted. Applicants who are not nationals of this country will not be considered.

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