General
Description of assignment title: Bundibugyo Virus Disease (BVD) Preparedness Officer
Assignment country: United Republic of Tanzania
Duty stations: Zanzibar
Work location: On UN premises
Expected start date: 08/01/2026
Duration: 6 months(with possibility of extension)Long-term benefits and allowances
Sustainable Development Goal: 3. Good health and well-being
Host entity: WHO
Modality: Onsite
Type: National
Volunteer category: Specialist UCoS from Apr2026
Work schedule: Full-time
Number of Assignments: 1
Details
Mission and objectives:
- Founded in 1948, WHO is the United Nations agency that connects nations, partners and people to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable - so everyone, everywhere can attain the highest level of health.
Context:
- The ongoing Bundibugyo Virus Disease (BVD) outbreak in neighbouring countries continues to pose a risk of importation into the United Republic of Tanzania. Zanzibar's international airport, seaports and high population mobility increase vulnerability to cross-border transmission. WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health Zanzibar to strengthen preparedness through surveillance, laboratory readiness, infection prevention and control (IPC), case management, logistics, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), Points of Entry (PoE), continuity of essential health services (CEHS), emergency coordination and rapid response.
- The UN Volunteer will provide technical and operational support for implementation of preparedness activities. The position is intended to strengthen the Ministry's operational readiness by supporting planning, field implementation, monitoring, documentation, reporting and capacity building. The incumbent will work under the supervision of the WHO EPR Team Lead and the WHO liaison Officer fir Zanzibar.
Task description:
- Under the direct supervision of the World Health Organization (WHO) Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Team Lead and the WHO Liaison Officer for Zanzibar, the UN Volunteer will:
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- Preparedness Planning and Implementation
- Support implementation of the BVD preparedness workplan.
- Assist in organizing preparedness activities at national and district levels.
- Support implementation of preparedness interventions across technical pillars.
- Follow up on implementation of agreed preparedness actions.
- Technical Support
- Assist implementation of surveillance, laboratory, infection prevention and control (IPC), case management, logistics, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE), Points of Entry, and continuity of essential health services preparedness activities.
- Support preparedness activities in high-risk districts and Points of Entry.
- Participate in preparedness field missions and supportive supervision visits.
- Support simulation exercises, drills, and preparedness reviews.
- Monitoring and Documentation
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- Maintain preparedness activity trackers.
- Compile information for preparedness dashboards.
- Monitor progress against preparedness plans.
- Document lessons learned and best practices.
- Information Management
- Prepare weekly preparedness updates.
- Draft mission reports and technical reports.
- Support preparation of Situation Reports.
- Assist in compilation of monthly preparedness reports.
- Capacity Building
- Support organization of training workshops and orientations.
- Assist preparation of training materials.
- Provide logistical and technical support during trainings and simulation exercises.
- Partner Support
- Support organization of technical meetings.
- Prepare meeting minutes and action matrices.
- Follow up on implementation of agreed action points.
- Other Duties
- Support preparedness activities for other public health emergencies as required.
- Perform other duties assigned by the WHO Representative or WHO Health Emergencies (WHE) Team Lead.
- Results / Expected Outputs
- By the end of the assignment, the UN Volunteer will have contributed to:
- Timely implementation of planned BVD preparedness activities in Zanzibar.
- Updated preparedness monitoring tools, dashboards, and action trackers.
- Weekly preparedness updates and monthly progress reports produced.
- Technical support provided to preparedness assessments, field supervision, and simulation exercises.
- Training workshops and preparedness meetings successfully supported.
- Timely preparation of mission reports, meeting reports, and Situation Reports.
- Improved documentation of preparedness activities and lessons learned.
- Strengthened preparedness capacities of Ministry of Health staff through technical support and on-the-job mentoring.
Eligibility criteria
Age: 18 - 80
Required experience: 3 years
Nationality: Candidate must be a national, legal resident or hold refugee status in the country of assignment.
Assignment requirements
Relevant experience:
- 3 years
Languages:
- English, Level: Fluent, Required
- Swahili, Level: Fluent, Desirable
Required education level:
- Bachelor's degree in Medicine, Public Health, Nursing, Epidemiology, Laboratory Sciences, Environmental Health or related health discipline.
Competencies and values:
- Planning and Organizing
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Accountability
- Client Orientation
- Learning and Knowledge Sharing
- Adaptability and Flexibility
- Integrity and Professionalism
- Respect for Diversity
- Results Orientation
- Technological Awareness
Skills and experience:
- Experience supporting disease surveillance, outbreak preparedness or emergency response.
- Experience working with Government health systems.
- Desirable:
- Experience with WHO or UN agencies.
- Experience supporting viral haemorrhagic fever preparedness (Ebola, Marburg or BVD).
- Knowledge of IDSR, IHR (2005) and Public Health Emergency Management
Area(s) of expertise:
- Emergency preparedness, crisis response, Public health, immunisation, Record processing, data logging
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