Technical Officer, Mental Health

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the technical guidance of the Director, Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health (NMH) and the direct supervision of the

PAHO/WHO Representative (PWR), the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties:

1.Provide support, guidance, and specialized technical assistance in the field of mental health and substance use to national and provincial counterparts; support the PAHO/WHO Representative (PWR) in all issues related to assessment, planning, management and monitoring of the programs according to the available technical guidelines;

2.Provide planning, coordination, technical and managerial support to the national health programs as per PAHO/WHO collaborative actions with the MoH & ME and in line with the Global and Regional NCD action plans and guidelines, in the following Collaborative Program areas: Mental Health and Substance Abuse, and other assigned program areas;

3.Provide support and technical guidance on the Special Initiative for Mental Health at national and subnational level to ensure quality implementation and reporting of planned activities;

4.Contribute to the development of action plans and policies in the mental health sector, encompassing mental health promotion, prevention of mental illnesses, treatment and care across the lifespan, suicide prevention, deinstitutionalization, and stigma reduction;

5.Plan and execute technical cooperation initiatives at the national and provincial levels in mental health. This includes reinforcing the primary healthcare component, community-level interventions in collaboration with other sectors (such as education and social services), and the implementation of addiction prevention and control programs, in alignment with PAHO/WHO Action Plans;

6.Collaborate in gathering and analyzing pertinent data in the specialized field, with a particular focus on suicide-related information;

7.Provide technical support and guidance in disseminating regulations, information, and tools concerning mental health care and promotion to both the PAHO/WHO team and governmental and non-governmental stakeholders;

8.Oversee the implementation of mental health research. Produce evidence-based reports and documents that consolidate mental health status (including situation assessment, care, health promotion, and prevention) and their ramifications, alongside recommendations for enhancements and potential courses of action;

9.Maintain communication with counterparts from the Regional and Country Office's Mental Health Department, donors, and partners to coordinate and implement policies and strategies related to mental health;

10.Monitor work plans and budgets, encompassing resource mobilization, tracking of scheduled activities, and fulfillment of contractual commitments with partners and institutions;

11.Monitor PA requests, undertake midterm review, evaluate and identify programmatic gaps and needs within the indicated areas to identify further actions;

12.Conduct in-country missions and facilitate technical exchange and discussions between nationals and PAHO/WHO by ensuring the availability of information and summary documents;

13.Develop summary technical analytic profiles for the assigned national programs inclusive of information on the health situation, basic indicators, country policy and strategic response, stakeholders and identify program gaps and needs;

14.Perform other related duties, as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education :

Essential: A university degree in health (medicine or public health), or any other field related to the functions of the post, from a recognized institution.

Desirable: A master's degree in health (medicine or public health) with a specialization in mental health.

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:.PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, to support the validation process.

Experience :

Essential: Seven years of national professional experience in the field of health, promoting programs and monitoring and evaluation of Mental Health programs.

Desirable: Experience in prevention and control of Mental health. Experience in WHO Mental Health Initiative, deinstitutionalization and development of community mental health services would be an asset. Experience providing technical cooperation and implementation of mental health programs with provinces or countries.

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.

· Teamwork: Collaborate and cooperate with others/Deal effectively with conflict - Creates team spirit; promotes collaboration and open communication in the team; proactively supports others; welcomes team responsibilities and drives team results; promotes knowledge sharing in the team. Proactively identifies conflicts and facilitates their resolution in a respectful manner; tactfully resolves conflicts between or with others and takes action to reduce any possible tension; effectively builds a rapport with individuals and teams, establishing good personal and professional relationships, as well as minimizing risk of potential conflict.

· Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences: Relate well to diversity in others and capitalize 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.

· Communication: Express oneself clearly when speaking/Listen/Write effectively/Share knowledge - Foresees communication needs of audience and targets message accordingly. Facilitates open communication; encourages others to share their views openly and takes time to understand and consider their views. Writes down ideas in a clear, structured, logical and credible way; drafts and supports the development of guidelines, policies and procedures. 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/Take responsibility - Prioritizes work, monitors own progress against objectives and adapts plans as required; communicates adjustments as necessary. Acts proactively and stimulates action as needed; handles problems effectively and constructively. Produces high-quality results and workable solutions that meet clients’ needs. Works independently to produce new results and sets own time lines effectively and efficiently. Shows awareness of own role and clarifies roles of team members in relation to project’s expected results. Makes proposals for improving processes as required and takes responsibility for own work and/or actions, as necessary. Demonstrates positive attitude in working on new projects and initiatives. Demonstrates accountability for own success, as well as for errors; learns from experience.

· Moving forward in a changing environment: Propose change/Adapt to change - Actively supports Organizational change initiatives and demonstrates personal commitment to them, including when faced with new demands; proposes workable solutions to challenging situations. Engages in positive responses to a changing environment and promotes workable solutions to achieve own and team’s results. Welcomes, and actively seeks to apply, new ideas, approaches and working methods and technologies in order to improve own and/or team’s work processes and results; demonstrates commitment to Organizational change initiatives.

Technical Expertise:

·Strong technical knowledge of current and new concepts in mental health programs; ability to manage and evaluate mental health services; ability to promote public health regulations and interventions.

·Knowledge and skills for the development of strategies, programs and interventions for prevention and treatment of mental health disorders.

·Strong public health and strategic thinking background showing resourcefulness, initiative, leadership qualities and skills to deal with difficult situations and sensitive areas; demonstrated ability to identify, assess, analyze, synthesize and provide recommendations on key political and technical issues.

·Strong interpersonal skills, diplomacy and tact 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 Spanish with a working knowledge of English.

IT Skills:

Demonstrated ability to effectively use current technology and software, spreadsheets and presentations, as well as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and management information systems. Other IT skills and knowledge of software programs such as Microsoft Excel, Outlook, OneDrive, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, and Word are considered essential. Knowledge of statistical packages such as STATA would be an asset.