Technical Officer, Data Manager

World Health Organization

Justification

The Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) Programme is part of and contributes to the work of the Universal Health Coverage/Communicable and Non-communicable diseases (UHC/UCN) cluster in the WHO African region. The strategic agenda of the cluster is to reduce disease burden in the WHO African Region, by guiding disease control agenda in Africa, and using analytics to inform strategic investments and tailored interventions for disease control. This approach is underpinned by the guiding principles of comprehensive whole of society, people-centered, integrated approaches to disease control. The comprehensive whole of society approaches to disease control involves: (a) coherent implementation of triple response – technical response: implementing diseases specific normative guidance, promoting intervention mixes and deploying medical commodities; health systems response: building capacities of district service delivery systems in disease mapping and stratification, interventions tailoring, and sector/subsector planning; and multi-sectoral response: addressing socio-economic and environmental determinants of diseases through mobilizing non-health sectors, communities and stakeholders; (b) disease control partnership of public and private sectors, health and non-health sectors; and (c) community involvement in targeted high risk communities, focused on managing determinants of diseases, health services demand creation and accountability by local health stewards. 

The people centered, integrated approaches to disease control involves: (a) integrated guidance on disease control for each health service delivery platform, a move away from stand-alone disease specific guidance; and (b) integrated and efficient disease control investments in strengthening the capacity of appropriate health services delivery platforms through deployment of appropriate technologies and analytics to guide stratification of disease risks across population groups to develop and deploy comprehensive packages of interventions appropriate to each targeted population group and health service delivery platform, as well as monitor population access, coverage and impact to leave no one behind.

The specific objectives of the UCN cluster to which the VPD programme contributes, are to: (i) provide leadership on disease control coordination, partnership and resource mobilization; (ii) contribute to the development of WHO disease control technical products, services and tools including adoption of new technologies and innovations; (iii) support generation and use of strategic information for action and decision making including optimizing investment; and (iv) provide or facilitate provision of technical support in deployment of WHO technical products and services and institutional capacity building, including support to national disease programmes and regulatory authorities.

Purpose of the Post

Within the context of the UHC Cluster and Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPD) Programme, Inter-country Support Team for West Africa (IST-WA), the purpose of Data manager, IST-WA, is to strengthen the capacity of Member States and support them in routine immunization and VPD surveillance through provision of overall guidance, technical expertise and technical assistance in all aspects data management. S/he also provides feedback on data quality, epidemiological trends, and immunization and surveillance performance from data analysis, triangulation, collation and maintenance in addition to supporting the production of immunization and VPD surveillance related materials, such as graphic visualization of data, for bulletins, publications, reports, conferences and meetings.

Summary of duties

Under the general supervision of the VPD IST West Africa, the incumbent provides support for data collection, quality control and management for the preparation and publication insightful reports and information, maintains and develops archiving system and databases, and supports the strengthening of country capacity to capture and analyze data.

The incumbent is assigned of the following: 

Leadership on disease control coordination, partnerships and resource mobilization through: 

• Contributing in the development, update and maintenance of electronic routine immunization and Surveillance databases and support the automation and generation of customized reports including weekly, monthly and quarterly bulletins and annual reports.

• Coordinating data collection and analysis to determine timeliness and completeness of countries data and provide suggestions for any new and/or innovative tools that improve data collection and warehousing activities. 

• Facilitating partnerships and networks for immunization data management and analytics in the subregion

Development of WHO disease control technical products, services, and tools through: 

• Collaborating closely with other Data Managers in the UCN Cluster on the development, monitoring, and revision of data management policies, SOPs and practices to improve, maintain and ensure data integrity and a cohesive approach, in line with WHO/AFRO policies

• Providing technical support in the area of data management, monitoring and evaluation tools for VPDs surveillance and outbreaks preparedness and response by providing feedback, reports and capacity building on data management and programme reviews in the region.

Generation of analytics-driven strategic information for disease control agenda setting and interventions tailoring through:

• Facilitating development and deployment of functional e-platforms including operational manuals, for subnational stratification of communicable and non-communicable diseases, and annual disease control agenda setting and investments' 

• guidance (publication of respective country annual disease outlook with district disease profiles);

• Facilitating development of common geo-registers and metadata and harmonization of current multiple data platforms as necessary;

• Facilitating provision of advanced analysis support to UCN Teams in the data processes and as relevant to other clusters in the Regional and Country offices;

• Strengthening the capacities of UCN Teams in the data-to-action processes;

• Assembling global ancillary data (climate biodiversity, genomics, socio economic etc.)

• Supporting disease and health programme teams to implement analysis for subnational tailoring of public health interventions in countries;

• Facilitating development of annual disease outlook reports that implement country deep dives aligned with the African Health Observatories and various WHO global reports;

• Facilitating community surveys, programme review 

Technical support and institutional capacity building for disease control support through: 

• Facilitating country capacity building for use of analytics to drive diseases control agenda setting and guide investments including use of triangulated data on disease occurrence (incidence and mortality), interventions coverage, health services access, and determinants information for disease stratification and tailoring of national policies and operational responses in member states;

• Facilitating country capacity strengthening for country surveillance systems;

• Facilitating data collection, quality control and management for publication of insightful reports and information; 

• Supporting automation and generation of customized reports weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual

• Facilitating capacity building for national data managers aimed at improving data quality including tools including DHIS2, ODK, Arc-GIS, Power BI ensuring proper collection, analysis, recording and feedback.

· Perform other related responsibilities as assigned, including replacing and backstopping for others as required.

Required profile 

Excellent organization, technical and analytical skills together with extensive knowledge of data analysis tools; Sound judgement and the ability to resolve issue related to data management problems in the proactive manner; Broad knowledge and understanding of theoretical and practical statistical techniques and knowledge of research methods and technical and techniques; Proven communication and interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to explain technical issues with tact and diplomacy; Track record of keeping abreast of available technology; Ability to write in a clear and concise manner.

• Essential

First university degree in informatics, health statistics or computer science, preferably with a specialization in database development and management

• Desirable:

Additional training in of public health data collection and IT practices.

• Essential

At least five (5) years of experience in data management, the analysis and management electronic information, statistics and/or information technology, identification of user requirements, system development and maintenance, ideally related to epidemiological data collection and management and/or knowledge of local public health practices with a minimum of 2 years inclusive at the international level in low and/or middle-income countries.

• Desirable

Experience or understanding of WHO/AFRO practices in data, IT and procedures, or other intergovernmental agencies or the UN system and knowledge of national and regional networks. Good understanding of heath related databases.

• Essential

Excellent Knowledge of English and intermediate knowledge of French.

• Desirable

Intermediate knowledge of other UN official languages. 

The above language requirements are interchangeable.

Other Skills 

Good level of Computer literacy and ability to analyze and mange electronic information: 

- GIS software: Arc-GIS / QGIS

- Database & Statistical analysis software: Epi Info, R, Stata, 

- Online tools: Power BI, DHIS2

- Other softwares: Offices package (MS Access, Excel) 

Additional Information

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

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

• If your candidature is retained for 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.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit:

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• 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 particularly encouraged.

• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice. 

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.

• WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.

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Branche: Community/Sozialer Dienst/Non-Profit

Funktion: Anderes

Stellenprozent: 80-100%

Anstellungsart: Staff (Permanent and Fixed Term)