Join UNHCR’s Global Public Health Team as a Health Information System Officer (Home-Based, IICA-2)

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is recruiting a Health Information System (HIS) Officer for a home-based assignment within its Public Health Unit, Sustainable Responses Service.

This is a strategic global role supporting health information management systems that serve forcibly displaced and stateless populations worldwide.

If you have expertise in public health, epidemiology, and health data systems—particularly DHIS2—and are passionate about strengthening health systems in humanitarian settings, this opportunity may be ideal for you.

Position Overview

• Title: Health Information System Officer
• Duty Station: Home-Based
• Level: IICA-2
• Contract Duration: 15 June 2026 – 31 December 2026
• Application Deadline: 6 March 2026

This position plays a critical role in ensuring UNHCR’s public health programmes meet global standards and contribute to minimizing preventable illness and death among displaced populations, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

About the Role

The HIS Officer is part of a multidisciplinary team responsible for managing, maintaining, and strengthening UNHCR’s global Health Information System (HIS). The role involves overseeing system enhancements, ensuring data quality, supporting country operations, and advancing the transition to the District Health Information System 2 (DHIS2) platform.

UNHCR’s HIS supports health service delivery across refugee settings and integrates data from multiple sources to inform national, regional, and global decision-making.

The Officer will also contribute to strengthening interoperability between UNHCR systems and national Ministries of Health systems.

Key Responsibilities

1. Health Information System Management

The HIS Officer will:

• Maintain and enhance UNHCR’s existing HIS platforms
• Support transition from legacy systems (iRHIS, MRD, BSC, HAUS+, SENS) to DHIS2
• Ensure system functionality, configuration, and backend data integrity
• Coordinate with UNHCR’s Information Technology Service (ITS) and Global Data Service (GDS)

The position also requires oversight of technical service providers such as CartONG to ensure timely configuration, data migration, and quality assurance.

2. Data Quality and Public Health Reporting

Ensuring high-quality public health data is central to the role. The Officer will:

• Conduct data quality checks and provide technical feedback to country operations
• Maintain UNHCR’s global public health database
• Contribute to Public Health Annual Reports and strategic health planning
• Support internal surveys such as the National Health System Inclusion Survey and Public Health Annual Survey

Accurate data enables evidence-based programming, outbreak preparedness, and improved refugee health outcomes globally.

3. Capacity Building and Technical Support

The HIS Officer will provide technical assistance to Regional Bureaux and Country Operations by:

• Supporting data collection, analysis, and reporting
• Delivering training on health information systems and data management
• Promoting multidisciplinary use of public health data across Protection, Programme, and Community Services teams

Strengthening local capacity ensures sustainable improvements in health monitoring and refugee inclusion within national health systems.

4. Interoperability and Global Coordination

A key priority is enhancing interoperability between UNHCR’s HIS and national systems, including DHIS2 platforms used by Ministries of Health. This supports refugee inclusion in national reporting systems and aligns with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Officer will also engage with UN agencies, NGOs, and government partners to harmonize monitoring tools and guidelines.

Qualifications and Experience

Required Education

• University degree in Medicine, Public Health, Epidemiology, Statistics, Nursing, or related field

Required Experience

• 6+ years of relevant experience (depending on academic level)
• Clinical and public health background
• Experience working in low- and middle-income countries, particularly with refugees
• Proven expertise in configuring and managing Health Information Systems, including DHIS2
• Experience compiling and analyzing large datasets
• Demonstrated research experience and technical report writing

Desirable Skills

• Data science expertise (Power BI, STATA, SPSS)
• Monitoring and evaluation experience
• Capacity building and training expertise
• Cloud-based system architecture and server management knowledge
• Knowledge of French (strong asset)

Strong analytical skills, logical thinking, and professional-level English are essential.

Why This Role Matters

Health data is fundamental to protecting displaced populations. In humanitarian crises, timely and accurate information supports:

• Outbreak detection and response
• Health service planning
• Resource allocation
• Policy development
• Monitoring of inclusion within national systems

By strengthening UNHCR’s global HIS and advancing the transition to DHIS2, the Health Information System Officer will directly contribute to reducing avoidable morbidity and mortality among refugees and stateless persons worldwide.

Monitoring and Deliverables

The role includes measurable outputs such as:

• Technical review of routine country HIS submissions
• Progress tracking of DHIS2 transition milestones
• Review of dashboards, forms, and backend configurations
• Data provision for strategic planning and reporting

The selection process may include a written examination.

How to Apply

Interested candidates must apply through UNHCR’s official recruitment platform before 6 March 2026.

This home-based opportunity offers a unique chance to contribute to global refugee health programming while working at the intersection of public health, information management, and humanitarian response.

Final Thoughts

For professionals experienced in public health data systems and humanitarian health programming, this role with UNHCR represents a high-impact opportunity to shape global health information systems serving displaced communities.

If you are committed to evidence-based health programming and strengthening digital health infrastructure in complex environments, this position is an excellent next step in your career.

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Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) is not the organization that is offering this position. For any inquiries, please contact the official organization directly. Please do not send your applications to GSO, as we are unable to process them. Due to the high volume of emails, we receive daily, we may not be able to respond to all inquiries. Thank you for your understanding.

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