Technical Officer, Digital Health

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

This is a requisition for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)

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 the country/ies to shape the subregional, regional and global health agendas. The PAHO/WHO Country Office is the basic organizational unit for technical cooperation within the country/ies, drawing on PAHO/WHO resources from all levels and all parts of the Organization.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the technical guidance of the PAHO/WHO Representative and the direct supervision of the Advisor, Health Emergencies, the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

a) Provide technical support in the development and implementation of plans and strategies relating to digital transformation of the health system in alignment with Regional Initiatives on Digital health;

b) Support policies to position the health sector that achieve full understanding and consideration of its characteristics and that address the needs and challenges of both individuals and communities, as well as of service providers and health authorities;

c) Support the promotion and expansion of digital public goods within and outside of Brazil;

d) Support policies of digital inclusion, to enable appropriate access, digital skills, usability and navigability aspects in the development of technological solutions;

e) Provide Technical support and collaboration for the development and implementation of the country´s Information Systems for Health and Digital Transformation of the Health Sector;

f) Support the review of legal instruments related to the health sector to ensure protection of human rights;

g) Work in multisectoral and interdisciplinary networks to support the design and adoption of artificial intelligence solutions that promote equity, gender, and cultural diversity approaches with safe, reliable and open algorithms;

h) Support the adoption of regulatory instruments on the treatment and protection of sensitive health data, as well as international security guidelines and standards for patient-centered information systems;

i) Support the framing of public health architecture within the government’s digital agenda to articulate the different aspects of governance and optimize strategic planning and resource management;

j) Collaborate with all technical areas at the Country Office to promote the digital transformation of the health sector and make progress towards integrated information systems with appropriate capacities to monitor health results, service activities & resources (human, financial and technological);

k) Provide technical and policy support in the areas of Digital Health, information technologies and data management; advise on project development and program activities required for the operationalization and accessibility of tools and platforms following the mandates and policies of the Organization;

l) Provide technical support to enable coordination between the different technical areas of PAHO/WHO, ensuring the technical follow-up and effective coordination of the implementation of the Terms of Cooperation under the responsibility of the UT-EEI;

m) Identify opportunities to expand PAHO’s technical cooperation nationally and in the region via diverse modalities, harnessing national expertise and initiatives (e.g. PAHO/WHO collaborating centres);

n) Perform other related duties, as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Essential: A bachelor´s degree in sciences, information systems, digital science, or any other area related to the functions of the post from a recognized university.

Desirable: A master´s degree in health, health information systems or a related area would be an asset.

In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. PAHO, only considers official degrees obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).The list can be accessed through the link:http://www.whed.net/.PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation http://www.chea.org/ and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to support the validation process.

Experience:

Essential: Five years of national professional experience in the development and implementation of digital transformation strategies and plans, as well as the management and operation of complex information systems and digital health projects.

Desirable: A minimum of five years of experience with information systems utilized in Brazil´s Unified Health System (SUS).

SKILLS:

PAHO Competencies:

Overall attitude at work: Maintains integrity and takes a clear ethical approach and stance; demonstrates commitment to the Organization’s mandate and promotes the values of the Organization in daily work and behavior; is accountable for work carried out in line with own role and responsibilities; is respectful towards, and trusted by, colleagues and counterparts.

Teamwork: Collaborate and cooperate with others. – Works collaboratively with team members and counterparts to achieve results; encourages cooperation and builds rapport; helps others when asked; accepts joint responsibility for the teams’ successes and shortcomings. Identifies conflicts in a timely manner and addresses them as necessary; understands issues from the perspective of others; does not interpret/ attribute conflicts to cultural, geographical or gender issues.

Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences: Relate well to diversity in others and capitalize on such diversity – Treats all people with dignity and respect. Relates well to people with different cultures, gender, orientations, backgrounds and/or positions; examines own behavior to avoid stereotypical responses; considers issues from the perspective of others and values their diversity.

Communication: Express oneself clearly when speaking/Write effectively/Listen/Shares knowledge – Quality and quantity of communication targeted at audience. Listens attentively and does not interrupt other speakers. Adapts communication style and written content to ensure they are appropriately and accurately understood by the audience (e.g., power-point presentations, communication strategies, implementation plans). Shares information openly with colleagues and transfers knowledge, as needed.

Knowing and managing yourself: Manages stress/Invite feedback/Continuously learn – Remains productive even in an environment where information or direction is not available, and when facing challenges; recovers quickly from setbacks, where necessary. Manages stress positively; remains positive and productive even under pressure; does not transfer stress to others. Seeks feedback to improve knowledge and performance; shows self- awareness when seeking and receiving feedback; uses feedback to improve own performance. Seeks informal and/or formal learning opportunities for personal and professional development; systematically learns new competencies and skills useful for job; takes advantage of learning opportunities to fill competencies and skill gaps.

Producing Results: Deliver quality results/Take responsibility – Produces high-quality results and workable solutions that meet clients’ needs. Works independently to produce new results and sets own timelines effectively and efficiently. Shows awareness of own role and clarifies roles of team members in relation to project’s expected results. Makes proposals for improving processes as required and takes responsibility for own work and/or actions, as necessary. Demonstrates positive attitude in working on new projects and initiatives. Demonstrates accountability for own success, as well as for errors; learns from experience.

Moving forward in a changing environment: Propose change/Adapt to change – Suggests and articulates effective and efficient proposals for change as needed when new circumstances arise. Quickly and effectively adapts own work approach in response to new demands and changing priorities. Is open to new ideas, approaches and working methods; adjust own approach to embrace change initiatives.

Technical Expertise:

– Extensive progressive expertise in digital health strategies and planning and/or digital transformation.

– Experience in the design, implementation, evaluation of telehealth and/or telemedicine approaches.

– Experience with health information system development and architecture.

– Ability to analyze current information networks, systems, and portals; capability to develop and plan innovative and appropriate solutions for improvement.

– Expertise in transforming analysis into briefing documents and other technical and policy materials for senior leadership.

– Strong inter-personal skills, diplomacy, and tact to effectively communicate with senior level health officials in public and private sector and civil society, multiple stakeholders, and professionals from diverse cultural backgrounds.

– Strong professional oral and writing skills including the development of reports, oral presentation, and technical/persuasive documents for consideration at the highest levels of the Organization.

Languages:

Very good knowledge of Portuguese, with a working knowledge of English. Knowledge of Spanish and/or French would be an asset.

IT Skills:

Demonstrated ability to effectively understand new and evolving IT and digital health solutions, as well as new Business Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence tools and models. Other IT skills and knowledge of IT applications such as Power BI, Office 365, OneDrive, PowerPoint, SharePoint and Word and virtual conference and collaborative tools such as Zoom, Skype for business, Teams, Slido, etc., are considered essential.

REMUNERATION

Annual Salary: (Net of taxes)

BRA R$284,557.00

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (Local Recruitment)

This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level.

Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

A written test may be used as a form of screening.

Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and e-Manual.

For information on PAHO please visit: http://www.paho.org

PAHO/WHO is an ethical organization that maintains high standards of integrity and accountability. People joining PAHO are required to maintain these standards both in their professional work and personal activities.

PAHO/WHO also promotes a work environment that is free from harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and other types of abusive behavior. PAHO conducts background checks and will not hire anyone who has a substantiated history of abusive conduct.

PAHO/WHO personnel interact frequently with people in the communities we serve. To protect these people, PAHO has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. People who commit serious wrongdoing will be terminated and may also face criminal prosecution.

PAHO/WHO is committed to workforce diversity. PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

PAHO offers an attractive compensation package including an annual net salary (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance).Other benefits include: 30 days annual leave, dependency benefits, pension plan and health insurance scheme.

All applicants are required to complete an on-line profile to be considered for this post.

Candidates must hold a permanent local working visa (citizenship or permanent resident card) of Brazil.

Candidates will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration.A written test and/or interview will be held for this post.The post description is the official documentation for organizational purposes.