Unit Head

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Health Financing and Economics (HFE) department supports the development of health system financing policies and strategies within the context of national health plans and strategies oriented to the goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

It provides technical support on the development of appropriate policies and strategies; develops methods, tools and standards to collect, evaluate and introduce relevant information and evidence into policy debate; builds capacity to use this evidence and engages in partnerships with multilateral and bilateral organizations to help develop financing strategies and policies that help countries move closer to universal health coverage (where all people obtain the health services they need without financial hardship linked to paying for services), achieve health security, and secure equitable health gains.

Within the HFE department, the mission of the Health Financing (HEF) unit is to foster the development of equitable, efficient and sustainable health financing systems with the goal of UHC, to be achieved through policy leadership, normative guidance, capacity building, development of tools, generation of information, and policy support to countries.

Specific content areas of health financing addressed by the Programme include enhancing links between public finance and health finance, improving the purchasing of health services so that the incentives facing service providers are aligned with UHC goals, financing of public health services and programmes, tracking health expenditures, and assessing and guiding progress with health financing reforms.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Generic duties:

• Coordinates and provides senior technical leadership in establishing new approaches, evidencebased policies and strategies, and capacity building initiatives for implementation across Regional and Country Office programmes in the health financing.
• Provides senior level health technical expertise and advice to the Director and Senior Management in the area of health financing in the context of the development and establishment of new health strategies and policies for implementation and/or the monitoring and evaluation of national and global policies.
• Ensures effective coordination and accountability of the programme are in delivering its objectives through efficient management of a diverse team of technical experts and financial resources and effective work plan coordination to optimize the programme's deliverables in line with the mandate of the Organization.
• Ensures the coordination and management of the monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the Unit's area of work, in line with key performance indicators and global reporting requirements and mechanisms to optimize performance of Unit deliverables.
• Serves as the scientific/technical reference among UN Agencies and the peer community on health financing.
• Builds technical partnerships with other UN, multilateral and bilateral agencies, research institutions and other stakeholders in health financing to position the technical area of work and implementation into respective policies.
• Represent the programme area of work in global fora and capacity building activities.
• Performs all other related duties as assigned.

Specific duties:

• Identify opportunities at country, regional and global levels for expanding and applying the evidence base in health financing, including specific content areas such as fiscal space, public financial management, the financing of public health services and programmes, strategic purchasing, and expenditure tracking.
• Guide the Unit's work to operationalize WHO's normative guidance on health financing at country level, including through efforts to strengthen national capacities and periodic assessments of country progress on health financing for UHC.
• Ensure coherence of WHO messages on health financing across all programmatic areas.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
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Education

Essential:

An advanced university degree (Master's level degree or above) in economics, health economics, public policy, or related field with evidence of a concentration on health financing or economics.

Desirable:

A PhD in one of the above-mentioned fields.

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Experience

Essential:

• A minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible professional experience in the management of work in health financing, including experience providing senior level advice and guidance to Senior Management/Decision makers at national and international levels, managing human and financial resources, and experience in the area of developing and establishing policies and strategies for health financing.
• Demonstrated experience at the international level.

Desirable:

• Track record of health financing and health systems publications and presentations, including those for international or national conferences related to health financing, and/or scientific review panels for major journals in the field.

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Skills

• Strong skills in the area of developing and establishing polices and strategies.
• Excellent skills and ability in managing diverse teams and financial resources.
• Strong understanding and skills in mobilizing resources.
• Ability to engage, build consensus and communicate effectively and diplomatically with Member States, partners and media.
• Commitment to collaborate effectively with other key partners in Health Financing.
• Globallyrespected level of technical expertise and knowledge in health financing.
• Proven leadership skills.
• Extensive knowledge and skills in health financing and health economics as reflected in publications history.
• Demonstrated knowledge of health systems concepts and frameworks, and their application.

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WHO Competencies

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Driving the Organization's Position in Health Leadership
• Producing results
• Creating an empowering and motivating environment

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Use of Language Skills

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable:

• Intermediate knowledge of French.
• Intermediate knowledge of other UN language.

REMUNERATION
WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars.

The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 106,023 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 7492 per month for the duty station indicated above.

Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• 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 and/or an asynchronous video assessment may be used as a form of screening.
• In the event 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. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications 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:
Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.
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The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States () are strongly encouraged to apply.

Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to

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