Senior Assistant (Governing Bodies)

Contract

This is a G-6 contract. This kind of contract is known as General Service and related categories. It is normally only for nationals. It usually requires 6 years of experience, depending on education. More about G-6 contracts.

.PURPOSE OF POSITION

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), is the cancer agency of the World Health Organization (WHO) and is based in Lyon, France.

The role of the Services to Science and Research branch (SSR) is to support the achievement of IARC’s scientific objectives through efficient and effective management of the Agency’s resources and provision of administrative services, ensuring accountable risk mitigation and implementing strategies to strengthen capacities and maximize IARC’s impact.

The purpose of the position is to have smooth running of Scientific and Governing Councils (SC and GC) meetings with excellent standards of agenda setting, documentation and related correspondence preparation, retention and distribution of official documents as well as through high quality support to constituency processes.

The incumbent will assist in the final preparation, retention, distribution of official documents and related correspondence for the Agency in general and for the Governing and Scientific Councils, and ensuring their availability, and attending both Councils to provide necessary related help. S/he will also provide assistance to the Director's office.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

1. Governing Council (GC) and Scientific Council (SC)

2. Prepares all correspondence regarding GC and SC matters in general;

3. Drafts agendas (GC and SC) and resolutions (GC);
4. Provides a draft template of the SC Report;
5. Checks draft documents for established format, style and completeness before finalization; uploads them on a dedicated digital site and informs in-house and external participants of their availability;
6. Manages Session preparation through Progress Review Meetings;
7. Organizes travel and accommodation arrangements for all participants;
8. Attends GC and SC and provides proactive support;
9. Ensures the necessary follow-up of GC decisions/resolutions and SC decisions/recommendations with the relevant Secretariat staff.
10. Arrange teleconferences between the Director and the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of the SC and GC.

11. Prepares draft agenda (approximately every two months) and provides a summary for dispatch to all participants and for official record.

12. Peer-Review Meetings (Review Panels)

13. Organizes a teleconference between the SC Chair, the Review Panel Chair (a selected SC member) and the Director for the selection of external experts;

14. Organizes travel and accommodation arrangements for all participants;
15. Provides templates to the branch(es) under review and checks documents for established format, style and completeness before finalization;
16. Uploads documents on a password-protected space on a dedicated digital site;
17. Manages meeting preparation, attends Review Panel meeting and provides support when required;

18. Finalizes "Consensus Statement" to be presented/approved by the SC.

19. Act as a focal point for contact details of SC members, GC Representatives and IARC Participating States as well as for general enquiries from SC and GC; Keeps distribution lists updated (SC members and GC Representatives).

20. Act as a focal point for general administrative matters relating to:

    • Status of collection of contributions: prepares all communications regarding quaterly status to Participating States as well as thank you letters on receipt of contributions;
    • IARC Statute: incorporates revisions when amendments have been approved by the GC and by the World Health Assembly.
    • IARC Handbook of Resolutions: manages the structure, adding new sections as and when required for new GC resolutions to obtain a user friendly guide with easily retrievable information either from the printed or the electronic version.
    5. Perform any other related duties as required.

COVID-19 MEASURES

Due to the evolving situation resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, and depending on work requirements, this position may be partly occupied remotely, from the home of the candidate selected in the region Lyon, according to the teleworking clause for force majeure currently in force as part of the IARC teleworking policy during this pandemic period.

WHO COMPETENCIES

• Producing results.
• Teamwork.
• Communication.
• Moving forward in a changing environment.
• Knowing and managing yourself.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION

Essential:

• Graduation from a secondary school or equivalent.
• Training in secretarial work and/or general administration with possession of a diploma (BTS or equivalent);
• Specialized training, acquired by practical application of the Organization methods, in records and documents administration.

Desirable: University degree in management, general administration, library and documents management or relevant field.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Essential: At least eight years' progressively responsible experience in general administration.

Desirable:

• Minimum of three years’ experience in IARC/WHO.
• UN experience or experience in a multicultural work environment.
• Prior experience in managing sensitive and high volume of documents.

USE OF LANGUAGE SKILLS

Excellent knowledge of either English or French language with working proficiency of the other.

SKILLS

Essential:

• Very good knowledge of WHO/IARC rules and procedures with proven ability to understand, monitor and ensure timeliness of activities related to documents final production.
• Good knowledge of the regulations and procedures relating to other general administrative matters contained in the WHO Manual and IARC Handbook and WHO Style Guide.
• Ability to perform editorial work of non-technical nature in both languages, English and French.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of data organization, dissemination and protection.
• A genuine interest in science and in preserving records for posterity.
• An understanding of scientific and research skills in order to help beneficiaries access materials.
• The ability to skim and understand an extensive and varied range of material/information.
• High level of attention to detail and accuracy.
• Flexibility to anticipate and respond to changing needs and agendas.

REMUNERATION

The fixed remuneration for the above position currently amounts to EUR 4,006 per month, and is expressed net of income tax but before deduction of the employee share contributions for mandatory participation in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF) and in the Organization’s private insurance plans covering health, accident, illness and disability.

Other benefits include different types of leave and allowances for dependent family members.

Employment status is that of an international civil servant.

Note: due to the legal status of WHO/IARC as an international organization, its staff do not contribute to and do not generate benefits in French mandatory schemes for health insurance (“assurance maladie”), pension (“assurance vieillesse/retraite or unemployment (“Pôle-Emploi”) throughout their period of employment with the Agency.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This post is subject to local recruitment and will be ideally filled by persons residing in the local commuting area of Lyon.
• We only accept applications submitted via our online recruitment tool (applications for this position should be filled out in English and include a cover letter in English). Application profiles should include the details of all work experiences to date (including paid internships).
• 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 presentation 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. IARC/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.
• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to IARC/WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.
• For information on IARC’S operations please visit: www.iarc.who.int
• IARC/WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• IARC/WHO's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.
• IARC/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women are encouraged.