Health Systems Advisor, Participatory Governance & Policy Officer
Organizational Context
The WHO Guinea Bissau Country Office supports the government in health policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation. It sets norms and standards, manages knowledge, monitors health situations, and builds institutional capacity to achieve universal health coverage and provide quality health services. The Health Systems and Services Cluster specifically focuses on strengthening primary healthcare to promote UHC.
Job Purpose
This role supports the WHO Guinea Bissau Country Office's objective of promoting Universal Health Coverage (UHC) through strengthening primary healthcare. The position provides technical and coordination support to the Government of Guinea Bissau in developing and implementing evidence-based, sustainable, and equitable health policies, strategies, and plans. The incumbent will play a key role in enhancing national health goals, contributing to global and regional public health actions, and ensuring the attainment of UHC by providing essential technical assistance in policy formulation, norm-setting, knowledge management, health situation monitoring, and institutional capacity building.
Responsibilities
Key responsibilities include supporting health policy development and planning within a decentralized system, involving technical consultations and stakeholder coordination. This involves regular reviews, assessments, and evaluations of policies and plans, including monitoring frameworks for PHC, UHC, and SDGs. The role provides technical assistance for designing, implementing, and evaluating health service delivery and management, focusing on primary healthcare, referral systems, and quality improvement. It also involves supporting national action plans for antimicrobial resistance and essential medicines, engaging with non-state actors for UHC, and building capacity for results-based governance. Additionally, the role supports specific health programs like sexual and reproductive health, immunization, health information management, and digital health, while also coordinating technical cooperation programs and building partnerships.
Work Experience
Essential: Minimum of five years of relevant work experience in developing and implementing public health policies, strategies, and programs at the national level. Experience providing technical advice and services to national counterparts and partners in resource-limited settings is required. Experience in health systems recovery, service delivery in emergencies, extending healthcare to underserved populations, and overcoming access barriers is also necessary. Desirable: Prior experience in policy formulation at national and sub-national levels with international organizations like WHO or other UN agencies.
Skills
Demonstrated communication skills, ability to monitor and report on progress, proven skills in policy development, planning, monitoring, and evaluating health systems. Ability to provide sound technical advice and guidance to stakeholders on health sector reform. Capacity for innovation, integration, synthesis, and clear communication of complex concepts. Ability to raise the profile of WHO. WHO Competencies: Teamwork, Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences, Communication, Ensuring effective use of resources, Building and promoting partnerships.