Health Emergency Officer

Organizational Context

The World Health Organization's Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) aims to assist countries and coordinate international efforts to prevent, prepare for, detect, respond to, and recover from health emergencies. This role operates within the WHO Representative's Office in Palestine, contributing to national health emergency preparedness and response capabilities.

Job Purpose

The Health Emergency Officer will provide technical assistance and coordination for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme at the country level. This involves enhancing national capabilities in preparedness and response to infectious diseases, outbreaks, and all-hazard health emergencies. The role supports emergency risk management, country preparedness, International Health Regulations (IHR) compliance, risk assessments, and infectious hazard management. It also involves collaborating with national authorities and stakeholders to develop strategies and response plans, assess capacities, mobilize resources, and strengthen emergency health care systems, ensuring effective knowledge capture and dissemination.

Responsibilities

Coordinate all aspects of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme at the country level, providing technical assistance to national authorities to enhance preparedness and response to outbreaks and health emergencies. Support emergency risk management, country preparedness, International Health Regulations, risk assessments, and infectious hazard management. Collaborate with ministries and stakeholders to conduct gap analyses, develop national strategies, and create multi-hazard health emergency preparedness and response plans. Prepare national risk profiles, assess health risks and vulnerable populations, and identify resource needs. Facilitate capacity building and training for strengthening core capacities under IHR. Support the establishment or strengthening of emergency health care systems. Coordinate knowledge capture and dissemination from interventions. Represent WHO in relevant inter-agency and external forums.

Work Experience

Essential: Minimum of five years of relevant work experience in public health, including planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of emergency preparedness and response activities in developing countries or at a regional level. Experience in strengthening country capacities for emergency response, including infectious disease outbreaks, and in partnership building for health policy and interventions is required. Desirable: Experience with WHO's mandate and UN programs, and international experience.

Skills

Expertise in principles and programs of epidemic and emergency preparedness and response. Knowledge of International Health Regulations (IHR). Skills in developing and coordinating health policy, strategic and operational interventions for emergency preparedness, response, and recovery. Ability to plan, monitor, and evaluate health systems. Excellent oral and written communication skills for reports and technical documents. WHO competencies: Teamwork, Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences, Communication, Building and promoting partnerships, Ensuring effective use of resources, Creating an empowering and motivating environment. Language: Expert knowledge of English. Beginners knowledge of Arabic is desirable.

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