Public Health Programme Specialist (HER Roster)

Host entity: WHO Vietnam

Volunteer type: National

Areas of expertise: Emergency preparedness, crisis response, Community development, Administration

Application deadline: 28/08/2026

Mission and objectives

The World Health Organization (WHO) was established on 7 April 1948 as the directing and coordinating authority in global public health within the United Nations system. Working at three levels in the Organization (global, regional and country), more than 7000 WHO staff worldwide collaborate with the governments of 194 Member States and other partners to achieve the WHO founding vision of the attainment of the highest possible level of health by all people.

The WHO Western Pacific Region is home to more than one quarter of the world’s population, stretching over more than one third of the distance around the globe. In all, more than 600 WHO staff work in 15 country offices and the Regional Office in Manila, Philippines, to support Member States in achieving better health outcomes for the Region’s nearly 1.9 billion people in 37 countries and areas.

WHO presence in Viet Nam
Viet Nam has been a WHO Member State since 17 May 1950. WHO was one of the first United Nations agencies to support the Vietnamese health sector directly since the end of the war and reunification of the country. WHO established a country office in Hanoi in 1977 and a sub-office in Ho Chi Minh City in 2003. More than 50 WHO staff in the country office have played a central role in supporting the people and the Government of Viet Nam to improve health. The mission of WHO in Viet Nam is to support the Government to achieve universal health coverage with all people having access to high-quality health services, within the context of the country’s needs and challenges in transitioning to middle-income status.

Priorities of the United Nations in Viet Nam

The Government of Viet Nam and the United Nations agencies, including WHO, adopted the Delivering as One principle and committed to the One United Nations initiative in Viet Nam in 2006. In July 2017, they jointly launched the One Strategic Plan 2017–2021, which identified focus areas and outcomes for the United Nations interventions in Viet Nam.

Assignment context

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) has established the Humanitarian Emergency Response (HER) Roster to support speedy recruitment of qualified and motivated UN Volunteers for potential emergency response assignments. Candidates will be pre-screened based on their qualifications, experience, and suitability for the specific thematic or functional areas described in this Description of Assignment (DoA). Shortlisted candidates may remain in the UNV HER Roster for up to 6 months and be contacted should an emergency arise. Inclusion in the UNV HER Roster does not guarantee recruitment as a UN Volunteer. Selection and recruitment timelines will depend on the emergency occurrence, availability of candidates, and final approval by the UN host entity in accordance with Conditions of Service for UN Volunteers.

This United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment is part of WHO Viet Nam's efforts to strengthen public health systems, disease prevention and control, and emergency preparedness and response. The Public Health Programme Advisor will support the Health Security and Emergencies Team in planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating public health programmes and interventions. The assignment will work closely with the Ministry of Health, public health institutions, development partners, healthcare facilities, and other stakeholders to support evidence-based decision-making, strengthen programme coordination, national capacity building, and improve public health outcomes and preparedness for health emergencies. Based on the tasks of the assignment, expected results include enhanced programme performance, stronger stakeholder collaboration, improved monitoring and reporting.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Epidemiologist , the Public Health Programme Advisor will support the planning, implementation, monitoring, and coordination of health and public health programmes. The Public Health Programme Advisor will undertake the following tasks:

• Support the implementation of public health programmes and activities in line with national health priorities and WHO/UN strategic objectives.
• Assist in collecting, analyzing, and reporting health data and information to support evidence-based decision-making.
• Contribute to disease prevention, health promotion, health emergency preparedness, and community engagement activities.
• Support monitoring and evaluation of programme activities, including tracking progress, documenting results, and identifying lessons learned.
• Assist in preparing technical reports, briefing notes, presentations, and other programme documents.
• Support coordination and communication with government counterparts, development partners, healthcare institutions, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Assist in organizing meetings, workshops, trainings, consultations, and public health events.
• Contribute to strengthening health systems through capacity-building, knowledge sharing, and dissemination of best practices.
• Support programme management functions, including work planning, activity tracking, and administrative coordination as required.
• Perform other related duties as assigned to support the effective delivery of health and public health programmes.

This assignment offers an opportunity to contribute to improving health outcomes and strengthening public health systems while gaining valuable experience in an international and multidisciplinary environment.

Skills and experience

Minimum requirements (must have)
• At least 7 years of relevant professional experience in public health, epidemiology, health systems, disease prevention and control, health promotion, health programme management, or a related field.
• Experience collecting, analyzing, and interpreting health-related data and preparing reports or technical documents.
• Experience supporting the planning, implementation, monitoring, or evaluation of health programmes and interventions.
• Experience collaborating with government authorities, healthcare institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, or community groups.
• Strong organizational, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary and multicultural environments.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams).
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Desirable assets
• Experience in disease prevention, health promotion, health emergency preparedness, community engagement, or health systems strengthening.
• Knowledge of national and international public health policies, frameworks, and guidelines.
• Experience in health emergency preparedness, response, and recovery activities.
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation, research, health information systems, or data visualization.
• Experience in organizing and coordinating events, such as meetings, workshops, trainings, and consultations
• Previous experience working with WHO, other UN agencies, international organizations, government health institutions, or NGOs.
• Knowledge of local languages and the health context of the duty station.

Please refer to the Context section for details on the UNV Humanitarian Emergency Response (HER) Roster. Shortlisted candidates may be included in the UNV HER Roster for up to six months and contacted should a suitable emergency response assignment arise. Inclusion in the roster does not guarantee recruitment.

Competencies and values

Core competencies:
• Professionalism and integrity.
• Communication and interpersonal skills.
• Planning and organizing.
• Teamwork and collaboration.
• Adaptability and flexibility.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Respect for diversity and inclusion.
• Commitment to volunteerism and public service.
• Accountability
• Creativity
• Self-management

Living conditions

Hanoi, Viet Nam offers a comfortable and secure living environment for international staff. The city is well connected through Noi Bai International Airport and provides reliable access to housing, healthcare, banking, telecommunications, and other essential services. The cost of living is moderate, with a wide range of accommodation and dining options available. Hanoi experiences hot, humid summers and cool winters. Rich in culture and history, the city offers an enriching living and working environment, where adaptability and cultural sensitivity contribute to a rewarding assignment experience.

Entitlements of National UN Volunteer, Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) for National UN Volunteer Expert (Short-term) in Hanoi, Viet Nam at VND 32,804,373, Insurance Coverage (Comprehensive health, life, and malicious acts insurance); For further information on the full entitlements, please refer to the following:
• You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator.
• The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.