Senior Regional Public Health & HIV Officer VAcancy at UN High Commissioner for Refugees in Pretoria,S.Africa

Post:Senior Regional Public Health & HIV Officer
Organisation:    UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Country:    South Africa
Location:   Pretoria
Theme:    Health
    HIV/Aids

Job years of experience:    10+ years
Job type:    Job

Duties and Qualifications
Senior Regional Public Health & HIV Officer

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

This post is responsible for all countries in the Southern Africa region and any major emergency that arise in the region.
The Senior Regional Public Health & HIV Officer (SRPHHO), a member of the senior management team in his/her duty station and region, will coordinate and provide technical support to a regional network of country-level HIV and Public Health focal points as well as Protection and Programme Officers. The SRPHHO, plays a major role among the senior management team in the region, supporting all issues related to Public Health and HIV/AIDS, including Protection issues (e.g. promotion of health rights and access to local services, HIV-related discrimination, stigma, mandatory testing, HIV testing for resettlement), Programme issues (e.g. public health and HIV programme funds come from country as well as headquarter budgets), as well as community services, gender and age, education and sexual and gender based violence.
The SRPHHO is the HIV focal point for the 10 UNAIDS cosponsors with respect to HIV and Displaced Populations. The SRPHHO is responsible for coordinating and advocating for HIV and refugee issues with National AIDS Control Programmes, UN Joint Teams on AIDS, and major HIV donors, as well as member of the UN theme group in South Africa.
The SRPHHO is ultimately responsible for providing technical support, coordination, policy and planning, advocacy, monitoring and evaluation on public health and HIV/AIDS for persons of concern in the region.

FUNCTIONAL STATEMENT
Accountability

•     The Primary Health Care strategy is prioritized focusing on preventive and basic curative health, including mental health, reproductive health, HIV and nutritional components.
•     There is a viable standard Health Information System in place for data collection, analysis and interpretation to serve as evidence base for planning and interventions.
•     Nutritional survey and other assessments for food and nutrition are adequately conducted and implemented
•     Technical support missions are conducted on regular basis to countries in the region.
•     Immediate respond to refugee emergencies in the region.

Responsibility

•     Work in a multi-sectoral and co-ordinated approach in co-operation with governments, UN agencies, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other humanitarian partners.
•     Support UNHCR country staff in co-ordinating HIV activities in line with UNHCR's role as UNAIDS co-sponsor and ensure that decisions are implemented as agreed upon.
•     Work closely with UNHCR programme, field and protection staff to identify priority health issues and key data requirements for programme planning and monitoring to ensure that minimum UNHCR and international standards are being met.
•     Emphasise cross-border and sub-regional approach working within existing and emerging mechanisms.
•     Update and disseminate standard practices on public health, nutrition, HIV and reproductive health among partners.
•     Strengthen linkages and information sharing between host countries and those to which repatriation is occurring or may occur by identifying gaps and taking necessary measures concerning UNHCR operations.
•     Provide technical assistance to UNHCR country offices and implementing partners in development, integration and mainstreaming of appropriate and cost-effective public health, reproductive health and HIV prevention, treatment and care, and monitoring and evaluation programmes for refugees, those who have repatriated (returnees), and other persons of concern to UNHCR.
•     Emphasise prevention and treatment of diseases with heaviest burden and promotion of comprehensive reproductive health programmes
•     Provide technical assistance and support to urban programmes, as well as health insurance and health systems building in the region.
•     Respond to new emerging emergencies in West Africa and beyond.
•     Ensure implementation of UNHCR health information systems and support countries with analysis of public health data.
•     Support the nutritional survey and other nutritional surveys.
•     Actively contribute to all aspects of programme monitoring and evaluation with a main emphasis on checking levels of implementation and impact vis-à-vis resource inputs to measure cost-effectiveness and re-orient the programme as appropriate.
•     Ensure the capacity of UNHCR and its implementing partners to address public health, nutrition, reproductive health and HIV programming in a co-ordinated, multisectoral way by:
•     a) Supporting country-level focal points to develop a training plan organise and act as resource person in workshops and training both in-service (formal) and on the job (coaching).
•     b) Sharing with local and international partners on the ground relevant guidelines and information materials on refugee HIV, reproductive health, general health and nutrition.
•     c) Supporting country-level health focal points to promote the establishment of Refugee Committees to enable their active participation in the process of health planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
•     Work with others in UNHCR to advocate for access to refugees, returnees and other persons of concern to local public health, reproductive health (RH) and HIV/AIDS services and lobby for inclusion of refugees, returnees and other persons of concern as a specific group in government policies related to health, RH and HIV/AIDS.
•     Promote information sharing on all aspects related to HIV and persons of concern to UNHCR and the UNHCR role in the UNAIDS division of labour.
•     Ensure regular update and share information within UNHCR as well as with relevant government, UN and NGO counterparts and donor communities in the host country on the health status and needs of the refugees.
•     Perform other related duties as required.

Authority

•     Represent UNHCR in relevant regional and international fora concerning refugee health and nutrition.
•     Prioritise HIV/AIDS prevention and education activities, including provision of voluntary testing and counselling and prevention of mother-to-child transmission, as well as behavioural surveillance surveys and HIV sentinel surveillance.
•     Draw proposals and budgets related to public health, HIV, RH and nutrition.
•     Coordinate and advocate for HIV and refugee issues with National AIDS Control Programmes, UN Joint Teams on AIDS, and major HIV donors.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

•     A clinical background (nurse or MD) with postgraduate degree in Public Health or Social Science
•     Minimum 10 years of previous job experience relevant to the function and in national/multinational organizations.
•     Knowledge of public health, nutrition and HIV in humanitarian emergencies.
•     Very good communication and computer skills.
•     Excellent knowledge of English.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS & COMPETENCIES

    Experience working with progressively higher levels of responsibility with international organisations, (including NGO's and UN), in the field of health, HIV and nutrition.
    Practical working experience in refugee settings

Job ID: #586399
Closing date: 31 Jul 2013
How to Apply
http://reliefweb.int/job/586399/senior-regional-public-health-hiv-officer