Technical Officer

Overview

Coordinate technical activities and support public health initiatives across divisions.

You have:

• Advanced university degree (master's level or higher) in public health, medicine, or a related health-science field.
• Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience in international public health, including engagement with WHO or comparable global health agencies.
• Proven ability to coordinate cross-functional team activities and engage with multiple stakeholders.
• Expert knowledge of English.
• Intermediate knowledge of French.
• Experience serving as technical or editorial lead on high-level documents.
• Excellent writing, editorial, and analytical skills.
• Proven experience in evidence retrieval, literature and scoping reviews and technical products development.

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 169,932 USD and 219,092 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 vision of the Division of Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care (PPC) is to advance health for all by anticipating change and integrating promotion, prevention and care across all health and disease areas to address today's greatest health burdens and tomorrow's challenges. The PPC Divisional Office (PDO) coordinates, guides and oversees the programmatic and administrative cohesion across departments, aiming to enable and empower the PPC workforce to do and be their best, and to adopt a culture of trust, teamwork and continuous learning.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the direct supervision of the Executive Officer, the incumbent will:

1. Facilitate the coordination of the division cross-cutting technical activities and foster collaboration on shared projects and initiatives.

2. Support the coordination of scientific collaboration: facilitate scientific partnerships across Divisions, coordinating joint production of technical guidance, tools, and publications.

3. Develop high quality technical briefs and scientific evidence summaries.

4. Coordinate the technical inputs for DO reports: solicit, compile, provide contribution and integrate technical inputs from Division teams into key technical reports, ensuring coherence and technical accuracy.

5. Coordinate and lead scoping and/or rapid reviews, synthesize evidence inform policy and technical guidance, as needed in support to special high-level initiatives.

6. Provide editorial support, technical and scientific review for briefing notes prepared for the ADG and Director-General on the division technical areas in preparation to high-level events and meetings.

7. Liaise with Regional & country offices: engage with regional and country levels to ensure relevance, uptake and alignment of technical outputs produced by divisions.

8. Other technical duties as assigned by first and second level supervisors to support divisional priorities and WHO's scientific agenda.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: Advanced university degree (master's level or higher) in public health, medicine, or a related health-science field. Desirable: PhD in health or public health discipline.

Experience

Essential: Minimum 7 years of progressively responsible experience in international public health, including engagement with WHO or comparable global health agencies. Desirable: Experience working in a “front-desk” office, coordinating global health activities across different levels and in leading public health projects.

Skills

• Proven ability to coordinate cross-functional team activities and engage with multiple stakeholders.
• Proven experience in evidence retrieval, literature and scoping reviews and technical products development.
• Ability for scientific review and judgment of technical substance.
• Excellent writing, editorial, and analytical skills.
• Experience serving as technical or editorial lead on high-level documents.
• Demonstrated management capabilities (e.g mentoring junior staff or interns).

WHO Competencies

Teamwork Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences Communication Producing results Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English. Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of French.

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 86,027 (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 6409 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 who have been separated as a result of the 2025 Prioritization and Realignment Process will be given special consideration.

• 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.

• 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.

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Potential interview questions