Health Emergency Preparedness Officer, Mogadishu

General

Description of assignment title: Health Emergency preparedness officer

Assignment country: Somalia

Duty stations: Mogadiscio

Work location: On UN premises

Expected start date: 12/01/2026

Duration: 12 monthsLong-term benefits and allowances

Sustainable Development Goal: 3. Good health and well-being

Host entity: WHO

Modality: Onsite

Type: International

Volunteer category: Specialist UCoS from Apr2026

Work schedule: Full-time

Number of Assignments: 1

Details

Mission and objectives:

• The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with international public health. It was established on 7 April 1948, and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The WHO is a member of the United Nations Development Group.
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• Working with 194 Member States, across six regions, and from more than 150 offices, WHO staff are united in a shared commitment to achieve better health for everyone, everywhere. Together they strive to combat diseases – communicable diseases like influenza and HIV, and noncommunicable diseases like cancer and heart disease. They help mothers and children survive and thrive so they can look forward to a healthy old age. We ensure the safety of the air people breathe.

Context:

• The WHO Health Emergencies Programme (WHE) guides the organization’s work in preparing for, detecting, and responding to health emergencies globally. In Somalia, WHO plays a dual role: providing direct technical assistance to the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) and leading the Health Cluster to coordinate hundreds of health partners. Due to chronic vulnerabilities from climate-driven crises (floods, droughts) and epidemic outbreaks (Cholera, Measles, cVDPV, Diphtheria), the WHO Somalia Country Office requires a dedicated UNV Health Sector Emergency Preparedness Officer. This specialist will support the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), scale up sub-national Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs), and bridge the gap between early warning alerts and collective health actions.

Task description:

• • Support the Federal and State Ministries of Health and National Institute of Health in assessing and monitoring core national capacities for emergency preparedness in line with the International Health Regulations.
• • Monitor alerts coming through the Early Warning Alert and Response Network (EWARN) and support required actions.
• • Facilitate the all hazard planning and operationalization, in collaboration with the Somalia Disaster  Management Agency (SoDMA), National institute of Health (NIH) and the Ministries of Health Emergency directorates
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• • Lead rapid multi-sector public health risk assessments in newly accessible or climate-affected areas and to draft targeted response profiles.
• • Facilitate regular Tabletop Exercises (TTX) and functional simulation drills to test readiness for sudden-onset crises.
• • Manage and continuously update WHO’s contingency stocks, prepositioning plans, and distribution pipelines for emergency supplies
• • Support the integration of Emergency preparedness activities for health with other sectors particularly nutrition, food safety, water and sanitation.
• • Facilitate one health activities in Somalia

Eligibility criteria

Age:

• 18 – 80

Required experience:

• 3 years

Nationality:

• Candidate must be a national of a country other than the country of assignment.

Assignment requirements

Relevant experience:

• 3 years

Languages:

• English, Level: Fluent, Required
• Arabic, Level: Basic, Desirable

Required education level:

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Health, Disaster Management, Epidemiology, Global Health Policy, or a related field.
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• Desirable: Master’s degree in public health (MPH), Health Policy, or Health Systems Management.

Competencies and values:

• • Communicating in a credible and effective way
• • Producing results
• • Fostering integration and teamwork
• • Moving forward in a changing environment
• • Respecting and Promoting Individual and Cultural Differences

Skills and experience:

• • At least 3 years of professional experience in public health emergencies, disaster management, or international humanitarian response.
• • Desirable: Direct field experience with WHO or another UN agency in a complex emergency setting (Grade 2 or Grade 3 emergency environment). Proven familiarity with the WHO Incident Management System (IMS) is a distinct advantage.
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Area(s) of expertise:

• Emergency preparedness, crisis response, Public health, immunisation

Driving license:

• –

Other information