Technical Officer

Contract

This is a P-4 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 7 years of experience, depending on education.

Salary

The salary for this job should be between 168,113 USD and 216,746 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.

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OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Department of Global Infectious Hazards Preparedness (GIH) advances global efforts to prevent and control existing and emerging infectious diseases by increasing access to evidence-based interventions; fostering impactful innovation; and leveraging technical, operational and strategic partnerships. In addition, GIH develops global mechanisms to facilitate coordination and collaboration between countries and multi-sectoral partners for catastrophic events of natural, accidental or deliberate origin. The department is committed to delivering GPW13 Outcome 2.2 Epidemics and pandemics prevented, through:

• Delivering risk assessment, technical guidance, interventions and control strategies for country impact.
• Promoting innovation and adoption of new technologies.
• Aligning and coordinating international action through trusted partnership.
• Ensuring vulnerable populations have access to life-saving interventions and supplies.

The High Impact Events Preparedness (IEP) unit provides leadership and coordination for cross-sector partnerships in the development of global preparedness mechanisms for epidemics and pandemics, thereby reducing their impact on affected populations and limiting their international spread. For example, a global supply chain & deployment mechanism to ensure equitable and timely access to life-saving interventions and biological materials during an outbreak; the establishment of the WHO information network for epidemics (EPI-WIN) and for Infodemic management during epidemics and pandemics, as well as the effectiveness and impact of public health and social measures (PHSM). The WHO BioHub System for Biological Materials with Epidemic or Pandemic Potential is new, voluntary system for Member States to share biological materials with epidemic or pandemic potential and thereby strengthen global health preparedness. The System will build on existing WHO networks of laboratories such as the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) that was instrumental in conducting surveillance and sharing samples of SARS-CoV-2 and its genetic sequences, which in turn led to the timely risk assessments and development of diagnostics.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Within the framework of the delegated authority, the incumbent is assigned all or part of the following responsibilities:

- Manage the development and advancement of the BioHub.

- Oversee the benefit-access mechanisms of the project.

- Coordinate several technical groups inhouse and external experts and ensures smooth communication and information sharing.

- Monitor member states engagements.

- Regular evaluate and report on progress.

- Manage the development of innovative tools and provide technical support to facilitate equitable and timely access by countries to pandemic influenza products and global deployment.

- Develop an operational framework (concept and document) to allow for timely and equitable allocation and deployment of pandemic influenza products.

- Organize global meetings with stakeholders, including industry to address gaps in planning, coordination, allocation and deployment of pandemic influenza products.

- Collect and analyse data and information for monitoring and evaluation, and disseminate information on the department website and other appropriate communication channels.

- Update national deployment guidance by engaging experts and holding consultations with stakeholders.

- Organize trainings and workshops to build country capacity for national deployment.

- Manage the development of technical guidance to member states on influenza vaccine procurement, production, stockpiling and deployment.

- Liaise with manufacturers to address issues of production processes, distribution, supply, deployment, quality and efficacy, to ensure quality vaccines are available and accessible to countries.

- Monitor and report the global production capacity for influenza vaccines, and the pipeline of pre-pandemic vaccines in development.

- Assist in the development of guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) and other related documents.

- Collaborate with other groups in WHE to ensure timely deployment of life saving interventions to countries.

- Actively manage communication to and engagement of all stakeholders, including convening meetings with advisers and partners.Take minutes and proactively take follow- up action on decisions and recommendations of these meetings.

- Proactively seek and use opportunities to support multi-disciplinary, cross cutting approaches to work and is required to facilitate participation in such approaches.

- Perform other related responsibilities, including replacing and/or backstopping as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential:

• Advanced level University degree in epidemiology, public health or in a related specialization.

Desirable:

• Any other advanced university degree in above fields.

Experience

Essential:

• At least 7 years' experience relevant to the position, including at least 3 years' experience in project management of public health programmes/projects.
• Working experience in stockpile governance or deployment of medicines or access-benefit sharing mechanisms, including experience in public health in developing countries.
• Proven experience in writing reports and organizing meetings, workshops and conferences.
• Previous experience with UN agencies.
• Demonstrated experience at the international level

Desirable:

• Work experience in WHO.
• Sound experience in project management including coordination of several projects across various partners/stakeholders.
• Experience in developing logic frameworks and project performance assessments.

Skills

--> Good knowledge of epidemiology of infectious diseases.

--> Direct experience working with pharmaceutical manufactures.

--> Good knowledge of the principle stakeholders and good understanding of the WHO procedures and practices.

--> Ability to collect and analyse data, including maintaining databases required for monitoring and evaluation.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences Communication Producing results Knowing and managing yourself

Use of Language Skills

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable:

• Intermediate knowledge of French.
• Intermediate knowledge of WHO languages.

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 74,913 (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 5450 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.

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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 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.

• 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.

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

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• WHO's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.

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

• WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link: http://www.who.int/employment/en/. 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.

• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.