OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Assistant Regional Directors Cluster at WHO’s African Region is structured to perform overarching technical tasks by collaborating with countries and diverse program areas across clusters like ULC, UCN, HPD, and EPR. The cluster emphasizes the preparation of WHO and Member States for evidence-based decisions, tapping into the latest research and innovations to boost the health scenario in the African Region. It orchestrates efforts related to strategic priorities such as integrated service delivery, diagnostic services, laboratory services, and antimicrobial resistance. Its aim is to incorporate these priorities seamlessly across all levels to advance UHC and One Health objectives. While each unit within the cluster has a distinct purpose and intervention zone, collectively they bolster coordination mechanisms across WHO and Member States. The cluster assists Member States in enhancing access to these pivotal services. The ARD units spearhead the formulation of guidance and action plans at the country level, encompassing research generation, data utilization, and activity evaluation. The cluster encourages the integration of these areas across both program and emergency-driven clusters within AFRO, focusing on leveraging innovation and research for capacity building in these priority zones. The key goal is to expedite health outcome improvements by optimizing coordination and managing information both internally and externally, all in line with WHO’s policies and regulations. The incumbent will work closely with the Strategic Development Team Lead to provide the necessary support programme monitoring support for the cluster, WHO AFRO, and WHO HQ. This position involves actively contributing to the strategic development of the cluster’s key initiatives and effectively managing the associated programs. Additionally, the incumbent will have the responsibility of monitoring project implementation across different teams within the cluster, ensuring alignment with the cluster’s strategic priorities. The incumbent will act in accordance with WHO policies, rules and regulations and within existing strategic frameworks in interactions with the relevant parts of the Organization as well as with external partners.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Support development of strategic initiatives from conception to successful completion under the guidance of the Cluster Director; Assist in the coordination of strategic programmes on a project management basis, to include development of budgets and projections; Monitor, analyze and validate the expenditure and budgets of ongoing projects to ensure expenditures are validated in line with the donor’s proposal and provide transparency to the Office of the Assistant Regional Director; Develop monthly reports on the utilization of funds in the cluster (breakdown by team, activity and donor), generating insights on the trends observed and highlighting the implication on the Budget Centre financials; Conduct analysis to highlight key risk areas from procurement request to project implementation to prevent misalignment of expenditures with donor requests; Work with the Cluster Director and Team Lead, to successfully define, structure and implement key transformational and continuous improvement initiatives across the Secretariat Facilitate the operational planning and reporting of the various unit’s activities, verify results-oriented formulations and brief technical leads on proper submissions that culminate in approved operational work plans, and their subsequent programmatic monitoring, evaluation, and reporting. Support the activities of the Coordination Workstreams for the Regional Office; Liaise and collaborate with the Planning, Budget and Monitoring (PBM) team to ensure that the cluster is contributing to the necessary outputs; Ensure that evaluation lessons and recommendations are followed up, as well as used for programme design and contribute to implementation and decision making. Execute any other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: Bachelor’s Degree in Monitoring and Evaluation, Public Health, Social Sciences, Development Studies, Information Systems, Population Health, Public Administration, or related field.
Desirable: Post graduate training in public health or social science discipline, business administration, international development advanced certificate in M&E, statistics or economics would be an added asset.

Experience

Essential: 5 years of relevant experience working on developing strategic initiatives and monitoring programmes and projects.
Desirable: Direct experience in design, monitoring, evaluation, performance management and reporting in development projects or programmes.

Skills

• Experience in developing of strategic initiatives from inception to execution.
• Proficiency in collecting, analyzing, and presenting information clearly to senior management for informed decision-making.
• Capability to communicate strategic insights effectively to senior leadership.
• Demonstrate good knowledge of principles, disciplines and techniques to implement of programme and financial monitoring.
• Good research and documentation skills especially for ‘best practices’ in organizational change.
• Proven ability to make recommendations related to work-processing approaches and procedures which would lead to more efficient systems design Proven interpersonal skills with ability to promote consensus, communicate progress and results, and resolve issues in a proactive manner, while ensuring effective work practices and ethics.

WHO Competencies

1. Teamwork
2. Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
3. Communication
4. Producing results
5. Creating an empowering and motivating environment

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English or French with good working knowledge of the other language.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of Portuguese will be an asset.

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 2768 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.

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• *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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