Advisor, Anthropological and Intersectional Approaches to Health

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OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

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

The Office for Equity, Gender and Cultural Diversity (EGC) of the Pan American Health Organization, collaborating closely with PAHO Technical Units and Country Offices, promotes, coordinates, and provides technical cooperation on health equity and addressing gender and ethnic inequalities in health. In particular, the EGC Office supports the mainstreaming of equity, gender, and cultural diversity and related actions, in the development, implementation, and monitoring of health policies, plans, and programs across the Organization and with Member States. EGC's work is part of the Organization's core efforts to promote Universal Health and cross-cutting themes within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals, PAHO's Strategic Plan, the Sustainable Health Agenda for the Americas, PAHO's Gender Equality Policy, and the Ethnicity and Health Policy, and other related PAHO Resolutions.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the general direction of the Deputy Director (DD) and the direct supervision of the Chief, Equity, Gender, and Cultural Diversity (EGC), the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

a) Provide technical advice and guidance to promote and strengthen anthropological and intersectional strategies and approaches in the context of technical cooperation with Member States, including all activities of the Project Providing Access to COVID-19 Vaccines for Populations in Situations of Vulnerability in the Americas;

b) Lead the implementation of activities related to the integration of gender, equity, and ethnicity considerations within the Project;

c) Provide technical guidance and collaborate in the generation, consolidation and analyses of regional data and evidence to inform equitable, gender and culturally sensitive COVID-19 national deployment, surveillance, and evaluation plans and strategies with regard to vaccination, taking into account diverse cultural and social contexts and with attention to migrants, and other groups facing exclusion and/or stigma and discrimination;

d) Develop tools and provide technical guidance to strengthen the use of anthropological methods and public health/anthropological intersectional perspectives in data collection, monitoring, and analysis of health inequalities and barriers to vaccine access at regional, subregional and national levels, as relevant to COVID-19 national deployment vaccination, surveillance and evaluation plans and strategies ;

e) Promote community participation at national levels and create and manage PAHO regional knowledge exchange spaces and inclusive regional fora encompassing a range of stakeholders, including civil society (e.g. women's movements, indigenous and Afro descendant networks and leaders, migrant NGOs, etc);

f) Promote national policies and engagement with relevant decision and policy-makers to ensure adequate knowledge spaces, e.g., fora, policy dialogues and technical roundtables to enable an appreciation of the criticality of an anthropological lens in addressing the challenges of equity, gender and equality at country level;

g) Design, generate and implement capacity development activities and materials for public health officials and PAHO personnel on anthropological and intersectional approaches to public health, with a particular focus on the integration of equity, gender, and ethnicity in COVID-19 vaccination strategies and plans;

h) Provide technical advice and develop guidance on vaccine roll out that account for the different cultural world views and social and cultural contexts, realities, and identities of diverse populations and individuals and their experiences of barriers to access to health services, including those related to gender, ethnic and other forms of discrimination;

i) Provide technical expertise, advice and guidance and implement capacity strengthening initiatives to ensure culturally appropriate and gender sensitive communications and engagement regarding the introduction of COVID-19 vaccines;

j) Report on activities and products according to the requirements of PAHO and the donor, including coordinating the inputs of others for consolidated regional level reports;

k) Promote the development of collaboration initiatives related to anthropological and intersectional approaches to health in policy, programs and plans between UN organizations and Inter-American systems, multilateral and bilateral institutions, as well as national and international NGOs;

l) Participate and represent the Organization and the EGC Office in policy related, academic, technical and other relevant external and internal fora and networking opportunities related to anthropological and intersectional approaches to health policy, programs and plans, including the dissemination of technical products;

m) Represent the Organization in policy related, academic, technical and other related external and internal fora and networking opportunities related to anthropological and intersectional approaches to health, including the dissemination of technical products and continued enhancing of professional knowledge;

n) Contribute to the development, review and updating of biennial programs and budgets (BWP), semiannual work plans and periodic evaluations of assigned projects;

o) When called upon to directly supervise staff, establish clear work objectives, conduct timely and effective performance appraisals, provide coaching efforts in areas of responsibility;

p) Perform other related duties, as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Essential: A bachelor's degree in a health or social science related to the functions of the post, and a master's degree in anthropology or in a relevant health or social science including anthropological studies, from a recognized university.

Desirable: PhD level studies in anthropology and/or in a health or social science with focus on intersectional inequalities 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. 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: http://www.whed.net/. PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation http://www.chea.org/search/default.asp 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: Nine years of combined national and international experience in the application of anthropological and/or intersectional approaches in relation to the public health environment and equality in health. Experience in the development and implementation of development projects or in technical cooperation related to public policy.

Desirable: Experience working with indigenous and/or afro-descendent communities, gender, and other identity-based inequalities and discrimination, preferably in an international organization, would be an asset. At least two years of experience working in the Americas would be an asset.

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.
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences: Relate well to diversity in others and capitalize on such diversity - Relates well to diversity in others and capitalizes 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.
• Teamwork: Collaborate and cooperate with others - Works collaboratively with team members and counterparts to achieve and build rapport; helps others when asked; accepts joint responsibility for the team's successes and shortcomings.
• Communication: Share knowledge - Shares relevant information openly and ensures that the shared information is understood; considers knowledge sharing as a constructive working method and demonstrates awareness of the Organization.
• Producing Results: Work efficiently and independently/Deliver quality results - Monitors own and others' work in a systematic and effective way, ensuring required resources and outputs. Aligns projects with Organization's mission and objectives. Consistently solves own and team's problems effectively as needed. Proactively engages in projects and initiatives, accepting demanding goals, in line with Organizational Strategies and Program of Work. Demonstrates accountability for work of team and sets an example, while explicitly articulating lessons learnt for own and team's benefit.
• Ensuring effective use of resources: Strategize and set clear objectives/Monitor progress and use resources well - Sets specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely objectives for own team and/or the Organization; systematically analyses and anticipates priority projects for own team and allocates necessary resources to achieve them; identifies the cross-Organizational resources needed for large- scale projects in line with key Organizational objectives. Anticipates foreseeable changes and adapts own and team's projects in the face of unforeseen circumstances and/ or challenges; creates measures and criteria to monitor progress of overall projects against key Organizational objectives; creates cost-effective solutions for the Organization.
• Building and promoting partnerships across the Organization and beyond: Develop networks and partnerships and encourage collaboration - Builds and negotiates strategic partnerships and alliances with a wide range of key stakeholders to ensure Organizational results and success. Creates innovative opportunities for promoting synergies inside and outside the Organization to improve Organizational success.

Technical Expertise:

• Theoretical knowledge and technical expertise at the highest level in application of anthropological and intersectional approaches to health as they relate to public health policy and programs and to health inequalities, particularly with respect to the cross-cutting themes of PAHO (equity, gender, ethnicity, and human rights).
• Proven expertise in promoting effective community participation.
• Experience in applying ethnographic and/or other qualitative research techniques in multi-method quantitative and qualitative analysis, including, for example, in conjunction with epidemiological statistics and / or as part of monitoring and evaluation frameworks.
• Proven ability to network, coordinate and work in a collaborative, team orientated way with colleagues and partners, in order to provide quality and timely technical support for the integration of gender and culturally sensitive anthropological and intersectional approaches within PAHO's work across all technical entities and country offices.
• Proven expertise in developing and implementing training modalities for capacity strengthening.
• Strong interpersonal and diplomacy skills and tact to deal with difficult situations and sensitive areas and to effectively communicate with senior level officials, multiple stakeholders and professionals from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds.
• Strong professional oral and writing skills, including the development of reports, oral presentations, and technical/persuasive documents for consideration at the highest levels of the Organization.

Languages:

Very good knowledge of English or Spanish with working knowledge of the other language. Knowledge of French and/or Portuguese or of an Indigenous language relevant to the Region of the Americas would be an asset.

IT Skills:

Demonstrated ability to effectively use a computer and utilize software programs such as Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Other IT skills and knowledge of other software programs such as SPSS, Microsoft SharePoint and Project and qualitative data analysis software would be an asset.

REMUNERATION

Monthly Salary: (Net of taxes)

USD$6,242.75 (Salary non-negotiable)

Post Adjustment:

USD$3,096.40 -This amount is to be considered as indicative since variations may occur each month either upwards or downwards due to currency exchange rate fluctuations or inflation.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar short-term positions at the same 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 committed to workforce diversity.
• PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are encouraged.
• All applicants are required to complete an on-line profile to be considered for this post.

The post description is the official documentation for organization purposes.