Team Leader (Communicable Diseases)
Organizational Context
The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office in Angola (AF_AGO) seeks a Team Leader for Communicable Diseases in Luanda. This role is crucial for coordinating technical support to the country in disease control efforts and ensuring human resource capacity building in planning, prevention, and monitoring of health programs.
Job Purpose
The Team Leader will facilitate the efficient management and coordination of expertise to provide technical advice on national strategies for communicable and non-communicable disease control. This includes developing integrated health system improvements, recommending action plans for disease prevention across the life course, and coordinating the adoption of relevant norms and guidelines. The role involves managing operational aspects of research, surveillance, and health surveys, implementing disease control projects with performance monitoring, and guiding the documentation of best practices. Additionally, the Team Leader will analyze disease data, monitor national disease burdens, enhance health information systems, serve as a public communication focal point, facilitate procurement of essential medicines, and advocate for multi-sectoral collaboration and resource mobilization.
Responsibilities
Key responsibilities include providing technical advice on national strategies for communicable and non-communicable disease control, developing integrated health system improvements, and recommending action plans for disease prevention. The role involves coordinating the adoption of norms, standards, and guidelines, managing operational aspects of research, surveillance, and health surveys, and facilitating the implementation of disease control projects. This includes setting priorities, monitoring performance, and evaluating work plans and budgets. The Team Leader will also document and disseminate best practices, analyze disease data to inform response strategies, monitor national disease burdens through health information systems, and enhance disease-specific information systems. Furthermore, the position requires serving as a public communication focal point, establishing community outreach activities, facilitating the procurement of medicines and technologies, and building partnerships for multi-sectoral collaboration and resource mobilization.
Work Experience
A minimum of five years of relevant work experience is required, focusing on communicable and non-communicable diseases, including disease investigation, surveillance, control, and developing strategies for capacity building and prevention programs. Experience providing technical services to national counterparts, ministries of health, and partners, particularly with WHO/UN agencies or humanitarian organizations, is desirable. International context experience is also preferred.
Skills
Essential skills include expertise in disease transmissions, specialized diagnostic methods, and treatment of communicable diseases (e.g., malaria, TB, HIV). Technical and programmatic knowledge of disease prevention and control, strategic planning, coordination, and implementation of health programs are crucial. Strong analytical and organizational skills, the ability to develop and promote multi-sectoral partnerships, mobilize resources, and provide clear guidance to stakeholders are also required. Proficiency in Portuguese is essential, with expert knowledge of English and intermediate knowledge of French being desirable.