Specialist, Program Management & Information Technology

PAHO Country Offices are responsible for ensuring that the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) country program of technical cooperation and its country presence provides adequate support to the national health development process and, at the same time, enables countries to shape the subregional, regional, and global health agendas. The PAHO/WHO Country Office is the basic organizational unit for technical cooperation with the country, drawing on PAHO/WHO resources from all levels and all parts of the Organization.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the direct supervision of the Administrator and the general supervision of the PAHO/WHO Representative (PWR), the incumbent will be responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

Program Management

• Provide technical support and guidance to the Representative and Country Office team on strategic and operational planning, program management, budgeting, resource coordination and mobilization to enable the implementation of the PAHO/WHO technical cooperation program in the country, consistent with the Organization’s mandates, priorities and results-based management framework;
• Support the PWR in the coordination of the planning process, including the development and monitoring of implementation of the Biennial Work Plan (BWP) and the Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS); support the coordination and monitoring of the review, redefinition and re-alignment of the processes and resources of the Technical Cooperation Agreements in accordance with the PAHO/WHO Technical Cooperation Strategy;
• Collaborate in the analysis, development, approval, reporting and monitoring of voluntary contribution projects; provide technical support and guidance to the technical teams and national counterparts for the development, management, monitoring and reporting on project proposals for funding the approved BWP, including the monitoring and management control of the Technical Cooperation Agreements;
• Coordinate the implementation of the Entity’s Biennial Work Plan (BWP) and the Semester Work plans (PTS); ensure that the responsible project managers/coordinators provide required planning data and information to adequately assess and report on implementation of projects’ expected results, products/services, milestones achievement, etc.;
• Support the PWR in leading the coordination of the performance monitoring and assessment of the entity’s BWP and the PTS, including the preparation of reports; advise on setting realistic targets and milestones and ensuring up-to-date information to monitor progress on BWP and PTS implementation;
• Support the PWR in the preparation of briefing documents, briefing books and consolidation of intelligence information from countries; develop online tools to facilitate reporting and consolidation and establish dashboards available to all;
• Participate actively in the Program Management Network (PMN) led by PBE and in the Resources Mobilization Network (RMN) led by ERP; review and analyze progress on technical matters, including inter-programmatic and inter-sectoral activities in the context of the PMN and the RMN;
• Serve as Risk Management Focal Point and provide support to the Technical Advisors in completion of risk management analysis of BWP Programs and implementation of approved mitigation response plans;

Information Technology

• Manage the Representation’s information systems and telecommunications operations, in accordance with the Organization’s rules, regulations, policies, standards, procedures and practices;
• Provide Tier 1 IT support and ensure that the Office’s day-to-day infrastructure and telecommunications operations are effectively and efficiently managed to guarantee a consistent level of customer service;
• Administer the Local Area Network (LAN) administrative services, telephony, collaboration tools and internet services to include:  user management; establishment of personal and shared network storage for data and application files, setting-up desktops for automatic connection to the network; server, network, security and software management; organizing and configuring network resources; establishing and maintaining network printing and providing a systematic data backup and retrieval process; call accounting and moves, adds and changes for desktop and telephony systems; manage secure, isolated wireless network for visitor network;
• Support the implementation of the PAHO Management Information System (PMIS) and provide on-going support on an as-needed basis;
• Develop and implement IT service continuity plans contributing to Office business continuity plans, ensure risk identification and mitigation for all IT projects and services; ensure that all servers/network appliances connected to the network are located in a physically secure location and are under the appropriate internal controls, including the organization and storage of network documentation, systems, projects and resources;
• Ensure adherence to ITS best practice backup plans for all data and information that meet the minimum backup requirements as established by policy for Representations;
• Ensure that both hardware and software are properly configured for current and new network equipment such as network cables, switches, hubs, routers, wireless access points, servers, printers, desktop PCs etc.;
• Maintain and upgrade internal IT hardware and software systems for optimal office-related operations;
• Manage the licenses being used at the Office including compliance; ensure that all software being used on the Organization’s computers is supported by a current license held by ITS or locally by the Representation;
• Assume the Project Manager role for all Information Technology (IT) projects in the Representation; ensure that requirements and/or terms of reference for each project are clearly defined, agreed and delivered on, risks are identified and mitigated and vetted with WDC ITS;
• Provide proper access to the Organization’s resources according to the established access and security guidelines;
• Perform other related duties, as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

• Essential: A bachelor’s degree in computer science, or a health or social science related to the functions of the post, from a recognized university.
• Desirable: Training in public health, policy and planning, project management, health administration, public administration, management or any other field related to the functions of the post would be an asset.

Experience:

• Essential: Five years of national progressively responsible experience in the areas of policy and health planning, project management, and/or monitoring and evaluation, including experience in strategy formulation and strategic resource allocation.
• Desirable: Experience in technical project management in the social fields, preferably health project management requiring coordination among different institutions, national and international, including government authorities, would be an asset.

Languages:

• Very good knowledge of Spanish. A strong knowledge of English would be an asset.

Source: https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=2409473