National Professional Officer (Vaccine Preventable Diseases), Kyiv, Ukraine

## National Professional Officer (Vaccine Preventable Diseases), Kyiv, Ukraine - Organization:WHO - World Health Organization - Office:WHO Ukraine Country Office National Professional Officer (Vaccine Preventable Diseases) Contractual Arrangement : Temporary appointment under Staff Rule 420.4 Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days) : 6 months Job Posting: Sep 15, 2026, 3:10:50 PM WHO's work in countries operationalizes the General Programme of Work (GPW14) and the European Programme of Work 2025-2029 (EPW2). GPW14 focuses on accelerating progress toward Health for All by strengthening systems for health, improving access to essential services, advancing preparedness and resilience, and reducing health inequalities. EPW2, endorsed at RC75 following extensive consultation with Member States, reaffirms WHO/Europe's role in bringing unique value to countries through five core functions: - International knowledge hub for health providing authoritative evidence, norms, policies and best practices from across the Region and globally to inform national public health decision-making. - Impartial coordinator for everyone's health convening national stakeholders and partners to align strategies and support coherent, multisectoral responses to shared health challenges. - Leader in tracking and managing cross-border health threats supporting surveillance, preparedness, and coordinated action on public health emergencies in line with the Preparedness 2.0 agenda. - Driver of health system transformation advising national authorities on evidence-informed reforms and policies that strengthen health systems and improve performance. - Voice for health equity helping countries identify who is being left behind and integrating equity considerations into health policies and strategies. In this context, WHO Country Offices enable the translation of global and regional commitments into national action. They support Member States by providing strategic advice, convening dialogue across sectors and partners, connecting national authorities with WHO's technical expertise, and facilitating the use of evidence and best practices to inform policy. DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES The purpose of this position is to assist the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Ukraine in strengthening the surveillance for vaccine preventable diseases (VPDs). This position will enable the WHO Regional Office for Europe (WHO/EURO) to be more responsive and to play a leading role in strengthening of the diseases preparedness and control. Under the overall guidance of the Head of WHO Office in Ukraine and direct supervision of the Health Programme Lead, with close collaboration with the Vaccine Preventable Diseases and Immunization (VPI) unit in WHO European Regional Office in Copenhagen, the incumbent will undertake the following specific responsibilities: - Support the implementation of monitoring and evaluation mechanism, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for vaccine-preventable disease surveillance, case investigation, reporting, and response. - Serve as a technical focal point for regular disease-specific risk assessments, preparedness, investigation, and response to VPD outbreaks (with a focus on measles, rubella, and poliomyelitis) at both the national and subnational levels. - Coordinate and support capacity-building and training initiatives on VPD surveillance, outbreak investigation, contact tracing, outbreak response, and reporting. - Provide technical advice to strengthen lab-based disease surveillance networks, determine priority pathogens for sequencing as part of the national strategy, and other related tasks. - Review the need for and support the establishment of an environmental surveillance system to complement the routine VPD surveillance system. - Assess the relevance of event-based, syndromic, and other non-conventional surveillance initiatives to improve early warning and alert systems. - Support national counterparts in conducting sero-prevalence surveys as part of elimination and eradication strategies, when applicable. - Contribute to the Epidemiological Bulletin and other analytic products, and prepare and present updates on the epidemiological status of VPDs at the national and international levels. - Liaise with national counterparts and partners (UN and bilateral) to harmonize the implementation of activities related to vaccine-preventable diseases in the provinces. Required Qualifications Essential:A first-level university degree (Bachelor's level) in medicine, epidemiology, health informatics, public health, or equivalent areas relevant to this position. Desirable:Master's degree or advanced training in any of the above Essential:At least two years of professional experience at the national level working in health systems/public health, health information, public infectious diseases surveillance, infectious diseases surveillance, VPD Surveillance, epidemiology Surveillance. Demonstrated experience working with/within public projects and working with multiple stakeholders, such as national policymakers, NGOs, and the private sector. Good knowledge of infectious diseases surveillance architecture and other relevant systems in Ukraine. Desirable:Demonstrated experience in working with infectious diseases surveillance. Demonstrated experience in planning and implementing health-related projects or programmes. Functional Knowledge and Skills 1.Demonstrated knowledge of infectious diseases surveillance systems and global and regional standards. 2.Familiarity with national immunization and public health systems. 3.Knowledge of the principles of health information, epidemiology, and biostatistics. 4.Demonstrated analytical, presentation, and report-writing skills. 5.Proven ability to work comfortably in an international, multi-disciplinary, fast-paced environment. 6.Demonstrated knowledge of the goals and procedures of international organizations (United Nations system, donors, major non-governmental organizations). 7.Ability to identify and manage one's own emotions, as well as helping others do the same. Respecting & promoting individual and cultural differences Building and promoting partnerships across the Organization and beyond Use of Language Skills Essential:Expert knowledge of English. Expert knowledge of Ukrainian. Desirable:Intermediate knowledge of any other UN language. Remuneration comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 47,491 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable) and 30 days of annual leave. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION - Staff members separated due to the 2025 Prioritization and Realignment Process will receive special consideration according to the applicable regulatory framework. - 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 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/. 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. - Any appoin