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Qualifications
Background
The Northern Division SRH, STI, HIV and BBV Surveillance Officer will work under the direct supervision of the medical officer in-charge of the Northern SRH Clinic and co-supervised by the Public Health Specialist in the Pacific health Security and Communicable Disease Unit (PSC) in the WHO Division of Pacific Support (DPS). The officer will report to and receive technical guidance from the National Epidemiology/Surveillance Officer Sexual and Reproductive Health and HIV Unit, Head Quarters, in the Ministry of Health and Medical Services.
The Lead of the SRH and HIV Unit will be the primary focal point for day-to-day operational reporting and technical guidance. The Public Health Specialist at WHO DPS will be the primary focal point for contract and operational administration and will also provide additional technical guidance as needed. The WHO PSC Coordinator will also provide technical guidance. The incumbent is expected to work independently but can escalate complex issues and cases to both supervisors.
Job Description
- Surveillance Planning & Routine Implementation: Support the implementation of divisional surveillance activities for SRH, HIV, and BBVs, focusing on routine data collection, collation, and quality assurance across health facilities and laboratories. This includes extracting data from national case reporting systems and sentinel sites, ensuring consistent use of approved case definitions, and contributing to improved data completeness, accuracy, and timeliness across the division.
Deliverables: Collated divisional surveillance datasets; routine data quality assessment reports; quarterly divisional surveillance summaries aligned with national reporting requirements.
ย - Standardisation of Surveillance Tools & Processes: Support the application and improvement of integrated surveillance tools, reporting templates, and standard operating procedures across divisional and facility levels. This includes reinforcing the use of harmonized case definitions, ensuring facilities use standard data collection tools, and providing feedback to the national programme on implementation challenges or areas for improvement.
Deliverables: Completed tool implementation checklists; compiled feedback reports on tool usability; updated divisional SOP adherence summaries.
ย - Data Entry, Management & Case Verification: Conduct routine data entry, cleaning, verification, and management of SRH/HIV/BBV surveillance data submitted from health facilities and laboratories within the division. This includes validating records, resolving discrepancies, supporting case follow-up for missing information, and ensuring alignment with national surveillance platforms.
Deliverables: Verified and cleaned divisional datasets; discrepancy logs with resolution actions; monthly data validation summaries.
ย - Strengthening LaboratoryโSurveillance Linkages: Facilitate regular coordination with public and private laboratories, and other testing facilities to ensure timely submission, reconciliation, and verification of test results for SRH, HIV, and BBVs. This includes ensuring both positive and negative results are captured, troubleshooting incomplete laboratory datasets, and supporting the integration of laboratory outputs into divisional surveillance reporting.
Deliverables: Monthly reconciled laboratoryโsurveillance datasets; facility/laboratory discrepancy reports; updated divisional test result summaries.
ย - Divisional Reporting & Analysis: Prepare routine divisional surveillance reports, summaries, and presentations to support programme monitoring, planning, and divisional health management decision-making. This includes basic trend analysis, identification of data gaps, and providing contributions to national-level reports.
Deliverables: Monthly and quarterly divisional surveillance reports; basic trend charts and tables; contributions to national HIV/SRH/BBV surveillance reports.
ย - Training & Capacity Building: Support the delivery of training, mentoring, and on-the-job coaching for facility and subdivisional surveillance focal points to strengthen data collection, reporting, and data quality assurance practices. This includes developing training materials, maintaining training records, and conducting follow-up visits to monitor progress.
Deliverables: Training session reports; pre/post assessment forms; updated divisional training database; follow-up and mentorship reports.
ย - Coordination & Data-Use Feedback: Participate in divisional and national coordination platforms to strengthen surveillanceโprogramme linkages, share findings, and support data-informed decision-making. This includes presenting divisional findings in meetings, supporting feedback loops with facilities, and coordinating with diagnostics, MERL, and programme teams.
Deliverables: Meeting participation reports; feedback notes to facilities; updated divisional action-tracking sheets.
ย - Documentation, Ethics & Confidentiality: Maintain comprehensive documentation of surveillance activities and ensure strict compliance with national data protection, confidentiality, and ethical standards. This includes properly storing datasets, documenting workflow processes, and escalating confidentiality or data-handling concerns when identified.
Deliverables: Updated surveillance activity logs; securely maintained divisional datasets; confidentiality compliance checklists.
ย - Support to Surveillance System Strengthening: Provide divisional-level feedback to support national refinement of surveillance tools, workflows, and data systems, including participation in pilot testing or review processes. This includes documenting implementation challenges and recommending practical improvements based on divisional experience.
Deliverables: Feedback briefs for national programme; pilot testing reports (if applicable); summaries on divisional implementation challenges and recommendations.ยEducational and experience requirements:
Education
Essential: Bachelor's degree or its equivalent in public health, epidemiology, health sciences, or related field.
Desirable: Postgraduate qualifications in related disciplines will be an advantage.Experience
Essential: At least 2 yearsโ experience in public health surveillance.
Desirable: Experience in public health programs, training or capacity building, and knowledge of Fijiโs health system and BBV/STI priorities.Technical skills and knowledge
- Strong organisational, communication, and data management skillsare required.
Competencies
Fostering Integration and Teamwork: Develops and promotes effective relationships with colleagues and team members. Deals constructively with conflicts.Producing Results: Produces and delivers quality results. Is action-oriented and committed to achieving outcomes.Knowing and managing yourself: Manages ambiguity and pressure in a self-reflective way. Uses criticism as a development opportunity. Seeks opportunities for continuous learning and professional growth.Communication: Expresses oneself clearly in conversation and interaction with others; actively listens. Produces effective written communications. Ensures that information is shared.Languages
Essential: Fluency in the English language.
Desirable: Fluency in the iTaukei language is an asset.