Public Health Officer

Benefits

Additional Information

Deadline for Applications June 14, 2026 Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based) E (most hardship) Family Type (not applicable for home-based) Non Family with Residential Location Staff Member / Affiliate Type UNOPS IICA2 Target Start Date 2026-07-01 Terms of Reference 1. General Background The Melkadida operation located in the extreme southeast of Ethiopia bordering Kenya and Somalia, has hosted Somali refugees since 2009. UNHCR, RRS and WFP, together with humanitarian partners, continue to deliver essential life saving assistance, protection, and basic services across the five refugee camps; Bokolmanyo, Melkadida, Kobe, Hilaweyn, and Buramino, which accommodate approximately 220,000 refugees as of May 2026. Over the years, UNHCR and its partners have supported access to primary healthcare, nutrition services, disease prevention, mental health and psychosocial support, as well as water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services. However, challenges remain in ensuring equitable access to quality public health services, disease surveillance, outbreak response, and the sustainability of health interventions for both refugee and host communities. In line with the 2019 Refugee Proclamation, the Makatet (Inclusion) Roadmap, and broader HDP nexus objectives, UNHCR Melkadida is advancing a deliberate transition from parallel humanitarian health service delivery towards full inclusion of refugees within Ethiopia's national and regional health systems, Central to this ambition is the progressive handover of five health facilities currently supported by UNHCR and humanitarian partners to Somali Regional State and woreda health authorities, while safeguarding service quality, access, and equity for both refugees and host communities. The Public Health Officer will play a critical role in supporting this transition by working closely with regional and local health bureaux to define and operationalize inclusion pathways, strengthen government planning and oversight capacity, align service delivery with national standards and financing mechanisms, and ensure a carefully sequenced, evidence based shift from humanitarian management to sustainable, government led primary and referral health care systems. The Public Health and Partnership Officer will support the planning, coordination, and implementation of the health inclusion and transition agenda in Melkadida. The role will work closely with regional and woreda health authorities, UN agencies, and partners to advance the progressive handover of health facilities, align services with national standards and systems, and ensure continuity and quality of care for refugees and host communities. In parallel, the Officer will lead the implementation and oversight of dedicated public health funding, ensuring that funded interventions strengthen service delivery, build government capacity, and directly support refugee inclusion and the transition to sustainable, government led health systems. 2. Purpose and Scope of Assignment The Public Health and Partnership Officer will contribute to the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of public health programmes, while strengthening partnerships and coordination mechanisms within the Melkadida operation. The specific duties include, but are not limited to, the following: Public Health Programming and health systems transition - Support the design, implementation, and monitoring of comprehensive public health programmes, including primary healthcare, reproductive health, nutrition, communicable disease control, and MHPSS services, with a view to advance gradual handover of health facilities to the government. - In consultation with the Head of the Development Unit, lead the design, implementation, and oversight of refugee health inclusion and transition pathways, aligned with national and regional health policies, standards, and financing mechanisms. - Coordinate and contribute to joint public health, health facility, and system readiness assessments with regional and woreda health authorities to inform the progressive handover of health services. - Support the progressive handover of UNHCR and partner supported health facilities to Somali Regional State and woreda health authorities, ensuring continuity of care and safeguarding service quality and access for refugees and host communities. Partnership Management, Coordination, and Government engagement - Support and strengthen strategic partnerships with Somali Regional State and woreda health authorities, UN agencies, NGOs, and development partners to advance health inclusion and transition objectives. - Coordinate and support health sector coordination platforms, including technical working groups and inter agency fora, with a focus on alignment behind jointly agreed transition priorities. - Contribute to the development, review, and monitoring of partnership agreements to ensure that partner activities directly support government led systems, capacity