Programme Assistant

The objectives of WHO’s emergency programme are to design and implement programmes that prepare the health sector to deal with emergencies and that improve health during and after crises. Within the emergency programme, the objectives of WHO’s emergency response team are to support Member States by:

• promptly assessing health needs of populations affected by crisis, identifying priority causes of ill-health and death; preparing damage estimates and emergency response and rehabilitation plans; providing prompt, credible health information and ensuring the continuity of essential health services;
• ensuring that critical gaps in the health response to outbreaks are rapidly identified and filled;
• revitalizing and building the capacity of national health systems and health partners to deal with preparedness, mitigation and response to outbreaks of communicable diseases.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

• The incumbent, as part of WHO Field Presence team, will perform a variety of secretarial, coordinating, monitoring and administrative services in support of the activities of the Emergency Programme implementation, as follows:
• Drafts correspondence and documents on request of/together with the Operations Officer, Emergency Health Coordinator and/or Other programme staff. Independently composes and finalizes correspondence of administrative nature. Revises unit correspondence, reports, and documents for proper form and (non-technical) content. Takes notes at meetings. Types reports and other documentation. Arranges duty travel.
• Provides information interpretation/translations (English/Turkish/English) for staff and guests when required.
• Scans, records, refers and follows up correspondence and documents, evaluates the urgency or critical nature of items, and brings them to the attention of the Emergency Health Coordinator. Informs and reminds responsible staff of follow-up dates and deadlines for response or specific actions, supplying supporting material as appropriate.
• Using GSM, monitors aspects of the implementation of country and inter country activities and availability of funds for project/programme budget levels and financial expenditures, according to the country work plan. Assembles draft background for planning, monitoring and evaluation (including mini-review) exercises.
• Makes administrative arrangements for country and inter country activities including preparation of Agreements for Preformance of Work (APW), Purchase orders (PO), Fee letters, Travel Authorizations (TAs) and other committal documents, recruitment of consultants and temporary advisers and arrangements of study tours and duty travel in accordance with the approved programme budget/collaborative programmes with the country.
• Assists in the organization of meetings (working groups, seminars/courses, workshops, and symposia, etc.), i.e.: makes administrative preparations, including local logistics; arranges hospitality as appropriate. Provides administrative and secretarial support during the meetings. Ensures all activities are well documented and prepares administrative reports.
• Establishes and maintains the unit’s filing system of technical documents and correspondence. Creates background files and compiles reference material as appropriate. Establishes and updates a proper computerized information system on on-going collaboration, counterparts and activities of other international organizations. Accesses and retrieves information from relevant databases and updates as required.
• Responds to and acts on telephone enquiries. Assesses the critical nature of technical enquiries and refers them to appropriate staff for reply. Coordinates appointments for Head of Offices, Programme managers and national and international partners/stakeholders and organizes programmes for visitors.
• Provides briefing and guidance to general service and professional staff on general office practices and procedures; assists/replaces colleagues in the team and performs other related duties as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Essential: Equivalent to graduation from secondary school or technical or commercial school.
• Desirable: Higher education from an accredited educational institution an asset.

Experience

• Essential: At least five years’ experience in the secretarial/administrative field.
• Desirable: Experience in WHO/UN an asset.

Skills

• Computer skills, language and communication skills need periodic updating through practice, in-house training or other.
• New job techniques are reviewed and discussed with supervisor and/or colleagues in the unit team, department and/or support services to ensure their proper and appropriate implementation in the incumbent’s own work environment.

Use of Language Skills

• Essential: Expert knowledge of English. Expert knowledge of Turkish.
• Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of Arabic.

Source: https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=2403676&tz=GMT%2B05%3A30&tzname=Asia%2FCalcutta