Technical Officer

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The mission of the Division of WHO Health Emergencies (WHE) is to build the capacity of Member States to assess, prevent and manage health emergency risks, and lead and coordinate the international health response to contain all hazard emergencies, as described under the IHR (2005) and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.

The WHE Division brings together and enhances WHO's operational, technical and normative capacities in health emergencies and risk analysis to address all health hazards across the risk management cycle in a predictable, capable, dependable, adaptable and accountable manner. The Programme is designed to operate within the broader humanitarian and emergency management architecture in support of people at risk of, or affected by, outbreaks and emergencies, consistent with ways that strengthen local and national capabilities.

The European Centre for Preparedness for Humanitarian and Health Emergencies (PHHE) aims at strengthening WHO/EURO Member States’ capacities in preparedness for humanitarian and health emergencies through innovative, collaborative and sustainable approaches to capacity building, including through the development and implementation of training opportunities inemergency and disaster risk reduction, the provision oftailored country support in sustainable capacity building, and the facilitation of access to capacity building resources in the Region.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Within the framework of the delegated authority, and under the guidance of PHHE Head of Office, the incumbent is assigned the following duties:

Support to the functioning of the Pan-European Network for Disease Control (NDC) as part of its Secretariat

·Contribute to the expansion of the NDC through the inclusion of additional members and facilitating their induction.

·Coordinate closely with the Steering Group (SG) to establish the NDC and ensure its full functionality including administrative support as needed.

·Provide support to the SG in overseeing the implementation of the NDC activities.

·Ensure the development and the implementation of the NDC activities budgets and workplans.

·Draft necessary reports and meeting minutes for the SG.

·Contribute to the preparation of SG and annual meetings of the Network, including documentation, distribution to the members and working groups, meeting scheduling and facilitation of agenda items as needed.

·Provide technical and administrative support to the co-leaders of the working groups.

Knowledge sharing and communication:

·Facilitate and improve the quality and availability of information on the NDC for distribution to members and stakeholders.

·Respond to information requests, forwarding them to authorized spokespeople as appropriate according to the subject matter of the inquiry.

·Facilitate the exchange of information among SG members, the NDC members and the NDC working groups.

·At the request of the SG, work closely with the WHO Communication Officers to develop and implement strategic communication and outreach plans and related documents.

·Prepare and distribute meeting minutes and an annual report of the NDC activities.

Strengthening of partnerships and collaboration to advance the NDC agenda, visibility and fundraising as appropriate:

·As appropriate, and on behalf of the SG, or by direction of the Chair or Vice Chair, represent the NDC at meetings.

·Contribute to fundraising efforts, grant applications, and resource mobilization.

Participate in initiatives of the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence related to the delivery of the Network’s objectives:

·Support activities within the WHO Global Task Force for Collaborative surveillance.

·Contribute to activities related to the National Public Health Agency initiative.

·Identify opportunities for synergy and collaboration in support to the delivery of NDC activities.

General

Perform any other duties assigned by the Head of the Office, PHHE.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: First University degree (bachelor’s level or above) in Health or Emergency Management
Desirable: Postgraduate degree in one of the above fields and/or a combination of training in emergency preparedness and experience in health emergency management

Experience

Essential: At least 5 years of relevant work experience, at national and international levels, in public health, project management in a health-related field, notably developing and implementing work plans, preparing technical reports; experience in humanitarian emergency response.

Desirable: Experience in response to natural emergencies. Experience with inter-agency collaboration or in WHO, UN, UN Agencies or other international organizations in the area of humanitarian and health emergencies. Experience with managing networks and partnerships in health emergencies.

Skills

1.Demonstrated knowledge in preparedness and response for humanitarian and health emergencies and emerging diseases in international context, in surveillance and/or infectious disease epidemiology, prevention or control.

2.Proven ability to create a positive, inclusive and supportive network environment, managing various stakeholders and creating a collaborative environment.

3.Ability to conduct research and analyze results, make conclusions and recommendations.

4.Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to influence, negotiate, advocate, motivate and resolve conflict.

5.Proven ability to interact in a multi-disciplinary and cross-cutting environment involving technical, cultural and political elements.

6.Sound analytical and organizational skills.

7.Excellent presentation and communication skills, both oral and written.

8.Proven ability to work and produce results under pressure in critical situations.

9.Tact, diplomacy, and courtesy.

10.Sound knowledge in project management.

11.Emotional intelligence: Ability to identify and manage one’s own emotions, as well as helping others to do the same.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Producing results
Ensuring the effective use of resources

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of French, German, Russian.

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 64,121 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station and currently amounts to USD 2,533 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test and/or an asynchronous video assessment may be used as a form of screening.

• In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

• The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

• The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its staff. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int

• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with WHO and an underlying premise of the international civil service. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

• WHO also offers wide range of benefits to staff, including parental leave and attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work-life balance and to allow all staff members to express and develop their talents fully.

• The statutory retirement age for staff appointments is 65 years. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete the term of appointment will normally be considered.

• Please note that WHO's contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• For WHO General Service staff who do not meet the minimum educational qualifications, please see e-Manual III.4.1, para 220.

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