Administrative Officer

Overview

Support effective management of the Office of the Regional Director.

You have:

• First University Degree in law, preferably with specialization in international law, public health law, or administrative law.
• At least 5 years of professional experience in legal advisory roles, ideally within government, or public health institutions.
• Expert knowledge of English.
• Intermediate knowledge of French.

Contract

This is a P-3 contract. This kind of contract is known as Professional and Director staff. It is normally internationally recruited only. It's a staff contract. It usually requires 5 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 108,540 USD and 142,124 USD.

Please keep in mind that the salary displayed here is an estimation by UN Talent based on the location and the type of contract. It may vary depending on the organization. The recruiter should be able to inform you about the exact salary range. In case the job description contains another salary information, please refer to this one.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Office of the Regional Director has the overall responsibility for planning, executing and evaluating WHO programmes at the regional and country level, and for strengthening the alignment and joint work across the three levels of the Organization.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the direct supervision of the Director, Office of the Regional Director, the incumbent supports the Regional Director in ensuring efficient and effective management of the Office of the Regional Director. Specifically, the incumbent will: Provide legal counsel to the Regional Director and senior leadership on matters related to WHO's operations in the African Region.Advise on the legal implications of strategic decisions, partnerships, and regional initiatives.Review official documentation, and provide interpretation of rules and regulations enhancing efficiency and risk mitigation.Assist in the legal preparation and conduct of the WHO Regional Committee and other high-level meetings. Draft and review resolutions, declarations, and procedural documents to ensure compliance with WHO's legal frameworkPropose strategies to mitigate legal exposure and ensure compliance with WHO standards.Support the execution of administrative decisions that require legal expertise.Assist the Regional Director in strengthening the capacity of his Office.Perform other related duties as required or instructed, including providing support to other areas of work.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: First University Degree in law, preferably with specialization in international law, public health law, or administrative law. Desirable: Advanced University degree in law would be an added asset.

Experience

Essential: At least 5 years of professional experience in legal advisory roles, ideally within government, or public health institutions. Desirable: Experience working in or with African countries or regional bodies.

Skills

1. Ability to multi-task and complete assignments with efficiency, adhering to deadlines and emergency/shifting priorities; 2. Supporting the development of regional legal strategies for public health; 3. Identifying legal risks and proposing mitigations mesures; 4. Excellent planning and organizational skills with a confirmed ability to switch priorities at short notice, as and when required;5. Ability to act independently and exercise mature judgment;6. Very good analytical and conceptual skills with ability to think beyond boundaries;

WHO Competencies

Teamwork Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences Communication Producing results Ensuring the effective use of resources Creating an empowering and motivating environment### Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English. Intermediate knowledge of French. Desirable: The above language requirements are interchangeable.

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 71,335 (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 2699 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

• Staff members separated due to the 2025 Prioritization and Realignment Process will receive special consideration according to the applicable regulatory framework.

• 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 eManual.

• The Director-General retains the discretion to not make any appointment to this vacancy, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description, including shortening the duration of the appointment.

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

• WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. 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.

• 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 may request reasonable accommodations (modifications or adjustments to the application or recruitment process) to support their participation in the application and recruitment process. Please send an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int with your full name, the vacancy number you are applying for, and specific details of the accommodation needed in your request.

• 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 a fixed-term position in the International Professional category (Grades P1-D2) are eligible for Geographical 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 [email protected].

• 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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Potential interview questions