Adviser on Health Policy

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Purpose of the Post:

WHO country offices support national authorities to shape their health policy in line with WHO’s principles and values and advocate for an integrated approach to health development.
The Advisor on Health Policy will provide the head of the WHO country office and Ministry of Health with technical support and mobilize expertise for especially health financing, governance and service delivery, including primary care, health workforce and medicines, and will support WR in partner coordination, and refer to UHC Partnerships (including funding in initial stage) as well as the development and implementation of national health policies, strategies, and plans (NHPSP) to strengthen the country’s health system, moving towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

To provide policy advice and guidance to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine to strengthen its health system with the aim of moving towards universal health coverage, especially in the areas of transforming health financing arrangements and strengthening public health and primary health care services. Evidence informed technical advice should be integrated with stakeholders' views and preferences to improve the health of the Ukrainian population, reduce the financial burden associated with illness and ensure access to high quality health services. The incumbent manages, supervises and guides the health system team efforts in the WHO Country Office within and across the programs in order to attain greater effectiveness of country level work.

Objectives of the Programme and of the Division:

The WHO country office works with the National Authorities to achieve the highest standard of health as a fundamental human right, based on equity and on SDGs principle of leaving no one behind. WHO actions are ingrained in the WHO 14th General Programme of Work with its 3-prong objectives of promoting healthier populations, keeping the world safe through addressing health emergencies, and protecting the vulnerable through Universal Health Coverage. WHO's mandate revolves around six core functions: (i) providing Global Health leadership; (ii) shaping the health research agenda; (iii) setting norms and standards; (iv) articulating evidence-based policy options; (v) providing technical support to countries; and (vi) monitoring and assessing health trends. The WHO Country Office is an integral part of the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Its main role is to facilitate and coordinate all WHO activities at country level and to implement the European Programme of Work 2020–2025 –“United Action for Better Health in Europe” which sets out a vision of how the WHO Regional Office for Europe can better support countries in meeting citizens’ expectations about health.

WHO at the country level delivers this through practical, actionable and country-focused solutions to health challenges, keeping in perspective that achieving health and well-being is a whole-of-society endeavor. This is done through facilitating the implementation of the Biennial Collaborative Agreement with the country and its corresponding workplan. The WHO Country Office maintains good working relations and ensures information exchange between the country and WHO, policy and strategic guidance on Health issues to all national and international partners in the country, provision of direct technical expertise when needed and aims at more community engagement and participation, and to promote health equity.

Summary of Assigned Duties:

WHO country offices support national authorities to shape their health policy in line with WHO’s principles and values and advocate for an integrated approach to health development.
The Adviser on Health Policy will provide the head of the WHO country office and ministry of health with technical support and mobilize expertise for policy advisory services for the development and implementation of national health policies, strategies, and plans (NHPSP) to strengthen the country’s health system, moving towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

Key duties: 

The incumbent will perform all or part of the following, and other related responsibilities as required by the needs of the office.

• Work in coordination with all technical focal points at regional and headquarters levels, under the guidance of the head of the WHO country office.
• Provide and mobilize technical advice to the government and national stakeholders on the design, implementation, and evaluation of national health policies for health system strengthening to move towards universal health coverage (UHC), by:
o Strengthening the capacity of national stakeholders to organize and lead an effective health policy dialogue and reform the implementation process (including by developing strategic intelligence on key health system reform issues, focusing on priority areas of health financing, public health, primary care, health workforce and governance)
o the development of an aligned, service-delivery vision to strengthen public health and primary care services so as to better prevent and control communicable and noncommunicable diseases; and the transformation of health financing arrangements for universal health coverage, including improving governance and accountability
o the alignment of other critical system functions such as human resource and accessible policies for medicines and technologies, as well as strengthened governance arrangements;
o the improvement and implementation of a monitoring and evaluation framework for health systems strengthening, agreeable to all stakeholders, with communicable and noncommunicable diseases health targets, linked to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
o the provision of models and approaches in evidence- informed, health policy implementation and health systems’ strengthening to facilitate learning and capacity building in policy making at national level
o the identification of synergies and networking between the WHO country office and other UN organizations, non-state actors, and international donors towards the implementation of health systems transformation at the country-level.
• Establish and strengthen links and partnerships with public and private institutions, non- governmental agencies and scientific bodies, for the exchange of information, coordination of activities and implementation of sector wide approaches.
• Demonstrate the impact of reforms on health outcomes and UHC through facilitating impact evaluations in the areas of health financing, public health, and primary care.
• Given the context of the War /emergency in Ukraine and the fast-moving environment in which this job function is carried out, additional responsibilities may need to be given to this function.

Competencies:

1) Teamwork
2) Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
3) Communication

Functional Knowledge and Skills:

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: Advanced university degree (master’s level) in public health, health systems/services administration, health management or health related field or formal, equivalent qualifications in International/global health policy or in similar fields.

Desirable: Post-graduate training or specialization in health systems and/or health planning, management, or health economics.

Experience:

Essential: A minimum of seven years of work experience relevant to the position (such as in health-sector policy, strategy development, and planning), with some of it obtained in an international work environment. Specific experience required in health financing. A minimum of four years of experience is required in a governmental institution or international organization serving either (i) resource-limited countries or (ii) middle-income countries.

Desirable: Experience in health sector assessments analyses, evaluation, and reporting. A track record in consensus building and enlisting cooperation by diverse national stakeholders. Some of the above-listed experience to have been obtained at an international level.

Use of Language Skills:

Essential: Expert knowledge of English.

Information and technology (IT) and other skills

Proficiency in computers and office software packages, handling of web-based management systems, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and Cloud Management Enterprise System such as Workday.