Technical Officer (Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Immunization)
Organizational Context
The WHO Representative office for Samoa, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau supports WHO’s goal to promote, provide, and protect health. It assists governments in controlling, eliminating, and eradicating vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) through integrated, people-centred approaches. The focus is on reaching missed children, introducing new vaccines, and intensifying preventive vaccination campaigns to reduce morbidity and mortality.
Job Purpose
The Technical Officer's purpose is to significantly contribute to the control, elimination, and eradication of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) across Samoa, American Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue, and Tokelau. This involves providing crucial technical advice to governments and national stakeholders for developing and implementing effective immunization strategies, policies, and work plans, ensuring sustainable program financing and optimal outcomes. The role is instrumental in monitoring VPD burden through robust health information systems and research, including program reviews and seroprevalence studies, to evaluate new interventions. Furthermore, the officer will support the planning and execution of national and subnational vaccination campaigns, aligning with strategic immunization goals, and assist in implementing recommendations for Measles and Rubella Elimination in the Pacific. This ultimately aims to reduce morbidity and mortality, focusing on reaching vulnerable populations and scaling up new vaccines.
Responsibilities
The Technical Officer will operate under the supervision of the WHO country office head. Key responsibilities include providing technical advice to governments and national stakeholders on developing and implementing immunization strategies, policies, and work plans, including sustainable financing. The role involves monitoring the national burden of vaccine-preventable diseases through health information systems, research, program reviews, coverage surveys, and seroprevalence studies, and evaluating new interventions. The officer will support Ministries of Health in planning and organizing national and subnational vaccination campaigns, ensuring alignment with strategic immunization goals. Additionally, the incumbent will assist governments in implementing activities recommended by the Sub-regional Verification Committee for Measles and Rubella Elimination in the Pacific. Further duties include contributing to the development, monitoring, and evaluation of work plans and budgets, supporting resource mobilization, coordinating the adaptation of evidence-based norms and guidelines, and providing technical input for developing communication materials to promote life-course immunization awareness.
Work Experience
Essential: At least two years of experience supporting the development and/or implementation of public health, capacity building policies/strategies, and programs in Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Immunization at the national level. Professional experience providing technical services to Member States and partners in public health programs in resource-limited settings. Desirable: Experience in immunization service delivery, disease surveillance, and analyzing life-course data. Relevant work experience with WHO, UN agencies, health cluster partners, NGOs, or humanitarian organizations.
Skills
Program management (development, implementation, monitoring, evaluation of public health plans, immunization, VPD surveillance). Coordination of integrated, multi-sectoral public health interventions. Planning, training, monitoring, and evaluation of interventions, including tool development. Effective collaboration with government officials, NGOs, and international partners. Excellent oral and written communication for reports, presentations, and technical documents. Advocacy and communication of life-course messages. Teamwork and adaptability to diverse backgrounds. Essential: Excellent English language proficiency.