Available position at the Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Surveillance specialist, Tuberculosis

SPC’s Public Health Division (PHD) supports the development of healthier Pacific Island communities through four broad objectives under the strategic plan 2010–2014:

1. Combat and reduce the overall impact and burden of diseases

2. Contribute to strengthening national health systems

3.Increase the capacity of Pacific Island countries and territories (PICTs) to address non-health sector determinants of health

4.Increase the efficiency and impact of interventions

PHD’s primary focus is to provide technical assistance and to implement programmes in support of countries’ priorities and plans. PHD has staff based in Noumea, Suva, Pohnpei, Honiara and Port Vila. Information on PHD and the division’s strategic plan is available at www.spc.int/php.

The activities of the Disease Surveillance, Research, Response and Control Unit, referred to as the Disease Unit, flow from the framework of the Pacific Public Health Surveillance Network (PPHSN) as well as best practices in the control of diseases and health issues (including HIV and sexually transmitted infections [STIs], tuberculosis [TB] and other communicable diseases, non-communicable diseases [NCDs], and key determinants of health).

The Disease Unit provides support to PICTs to address their priority diseases under a country-based approach with the aim of reducing the overall impact and burden of communicable, emerging and re-emerging diseases through effective prevention, control and management. It will lead the PHD contribution to SPC cross-cutting platforms in relation to disasters, climate change and environmental issues. The unit also develops and maintains the five core functions that have been identified as ways for SPC to enhance surveillance capacity and disease control within the region. Three teams make up the unit: (1) surveillance and operational research, (2) laboratory strengthening, and (3) disease control.

The Surveillance Specialist, TB is a member of the Surveillance and Operational Research Team and reports to the Team Leader. The job holder’s role includes (1) data management, improvement and analysis to support national TB programme implementation and donor reporting; (2) provision of TB technical assistance and capacity building to staff from national ministries of health; (3) provision of support to the TB Team to effectively monitor and evaluate progress against TB control targets; and (4) development and maintenance of effective and collaborative working relationships with partners involved in TB control in the region.

The position will contribute to the whole of health approach of PHD and will support its cross-sectoral work regarding TB and health systems strengthening. The position will work in the Disease Unit within the Surveillance and Operational Research Team and will work closely with members of the TB Team.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The position of Surveillance Specialist, TBencompasses the following major roles and responsibilities in support of PHD’s strategic plan objectives:

1.Data management

·Collect quarterly TB data from Pacific Island countries and territories, verify data according to pre-defined definitions and oversee entry of data into dedicated TB database.

·Verify and analyse TB data on a regular basis (i.e. six-monthly) for the purpose of reporting and dissemination to the national TB programmes/donors/agencies and other stakeholders.

2.Technical assistance and capacity building

· Provide high quality technical assistance to national TB programmes on data management, surveillance, data quality, data dissemination and using data for decision-making and policy change.

·Provide training to national TB programmes on TB recording and reporting and assist them to update TB recording and reporting tools.

3.Gender and human rights

·Ensure that all reports and policy documents developed by the Surveillance and Operational Research and TB Teams are disaggregated by gender and promote universal access to TB care and information.

·Participate in PHD/SPC activities aimed at addressing the social determinants of health/health systems strengthening and capacity building.

4.Knowledge management

·Contribute to any structure within PHD that relates to data management, undertaking tasks that contribute to the achievement of PHD’s goals and objectives as requested by the PHD management and the Team Leader, Surveillance and Operational Research (Epidemiologist).

5.Partnership and harmonisation

·Work collaboratively with other technical agencies/donors/other partners to harmonise approaches to TB data collection, analysis and reporting in the region.

6.Monitoring and evaluation

·Support improved monitoring and evaluation of national TB programmes by working closely with the TB Technical Officer and national TB programme staff (as required).

Closing date for applications: 20 October 2011

See : http://tbe.taleo.net/NA3/ats/careers/requisition.jsp;jsessionid=55409F1C...