Do you have professional experience with national or international medical classifications (ICD, ICF or ICHI) from the WHO Family of International Classifications (WHO-FIC)?

As Head of NordClass you will be responsible for the center’s daily operations. The Head of the Center reports to the Center’s Board, which approves the Center’s annual business plan and budget. The Head of the Center represents The Nordic WHO-FIC Classification Center (NordClass) in official settings, such as the annual meetings at WHO-FIC and NOMESCO.

NordClass collaborates with classifications and statistical units/departments in the Nordic countries. NordClass also serves as a resource center for the Nordic and international classifications, in issues that involve the NordClass member countries.

International classifications and medical codes are reported to national patient registry systems, registries for causes of deaths, as well as other quality registries. These data are further used in research, quality assessment, and to monitor and plan national health services in the member countries’. The overall national responsibility for the classifications, and how they are applied, rests upon the individual countries’ health authorities.

NordClass was established in 1987 in Uppsala, Sweden. In 2009 the Center was moved to Oslo, Norway, where it is affiliated with The Norwegian Directorate of eHealth. The Center is jointly funded by the member countries: Iceland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway (Finland was a member until 2017).

The Center engages professional experts, who report to the Head of the Center when needed. The Head of the Center reports to the Board of the Center, whose members report to their own country’s health authorities.

The position as Head of NordClass is permanent and is currently placed in the Classifications Unit in the Department of Healthcare Classifications and Terminology at the Norwegian Directorate of eHealth. This is a 40 % part-time position that can be performed mainly virtually. Dependent of the candidate’s interest, the position can be increased to 100 %. If so, the candidate’s physical workplace shall be in at The Norwegian Directorate for e-health’s office in Oslo, and the candidate will perform additional tasks given by The Norwegian Directorate for e-health. Some traveling is to be expected. The hiring of the Head of NordClass is coordinated with the Norwegian Directorate of eHealth, upon request by the Board of the Center.

Responsibilities and key tasks
Your main tasks will be to take care of the daily business of NordClass, according to approved strategies and WHO terminology.

Your responsibilities can be divided into three categories – administrative, strategic and professional responsibilities.

The administrative work includes hiring employees, planning, prioritizing, securing stakeholders’ support and following up on affiliated experts’ tasks and billable hours. Work related to finances, such as salaries, hiring of employees and budget will be dealt with in collaboration with the Centers’ secretariat, which is located at the Norwegian Directorate of e-Health. The Centre Head is responsible for the centre’s economy and budget.

The Center’s strategic role includes being a point of contact between NordClass and WHO’s classifications experts (WHO-FIC) at Department of Health Statistics and Information Systems (HSI). The Head of the Nordic WHO-FIC Collaboration Center represents all the member countries and shall cover the broad specter of all member countries’ stakes in their collaboration with the WHO. This work includes preparing annual reports to the WHO and facilitating further collaboration with the WHO.

The professional responsibilities include serving as a professional medical classification resource in several of the committees at WHO-FIC. It also includes coordinating and advising on issues related to classifications, that the Nordic countries have in common. The Head of the Center will, on behalf of NordClass, respond to requests from external stakeholders, alternatively coordinate a response from one of the experts affiliated with NordClass. The Head of the Center is expected to be up to date on current developments related to medical classifications and terminologies in the Nordic countries and internationally.

Other duties may be assigned to the position.

Qualifications

As Head of NordClass you need to have good leadership skills. We are looking for a leader who has strong interpersonal skills, capacity to think outside of the box and to further develop the organization together with, and in accordance with, the member countries’ wishes and needs.

Necessary qualifications

• Master’s degree, or equivalent, in a relevant professional field, e.g. medicine or other health care related areas
• Must live in one of the Nordic member countries
• Minimum three years of work experience with medical classifications
• Knowledge of WHO-FIC
• Good communication skills in English and excellent in one of the Scandinavian languages – both written and verbal

Extensive relevant work experience may in some cases compensate for lack of formal education.

Desired competence

• Knowledge of Nordic government administration
• Experience and interest in standardization and digitalization
• Experience with medical coding, statistics or health care related research
• Experience with leadership and / or personnel management

Personal skills

To succeed as Head of NordClass you must have excellent leadership- and communication skills. You must also be consensus-seeking, a person of action, responsible, and hands-on. We are looking for a leader who can bring new ideas to the table and further develop the organization. You are a good listener who find solutions to complex issues.

We offer

• A position as Senior advisor (SKO 1364), with an annual salary equivalent to NOK 1 024 000 – 1 182 000 (pay grade 89 – 96), depending on the applicant’s qualifications
• Good arrangements for pension, loan and insurance through Statens pensjonskasse
• Good arrangements for seniors from 62 years
• Flexible work hours
• Modern offices at Skøyen, Oslo

At the Directorate of e-Health you will have colleagues who are proud of their job and execute their tasks with great commitment. We welcome you to our work community where interdisciplinary collaboration is highly valued and crucial to get our job done. We offer you a strong professional team and a dynamic, pleasant and ambitious work environment. You will work in a team together with highly competent and committed co-workers, where you will be able to influence tomorrow’s e-health solutions.

The Directorate of e-Health welcome all qualified applicants – regardless of age, gender and background. We are an inclusive workplace and are happy to accommodate adjustments if you have special needs.

Do you have any questions regarding this position?

Please contact the Chair of the Board Solvejg Bang: +45 3268 5334

About us

Established on January 1st, 2016, The Norwegian Directorate of eHealth (NDE) is a sub-ordinate institution of our Ministry of Health and Care Services. The former eHealth division of The Norwegian Directorate of Health provided the nucleus from which the new Directorate of eHealth has evolved.

The Norwegian Directorate of eHealth will implement the national policy on eHealth, establish the requisite standards, and administrate the use of eHealth methodology nation-wide.