Project Officer

Zambia experiences frequent outbreaks of communicable diseases due to cholera, measles, anthrax, typhoid fever, polio, rabies alongside other communicable public health hazards. The country still experiences notable transmission of SAR-CoV-2 and Influenza viruses. Effects of climatic change frequently manifest through cycles of droughts and floods which compound the public health situation in the country. In the 2023/2024 rain season, the country experienced one of its worst droughts in decades. Response needs exert immense pressure to the MOH, WHO and response partners, with significant fatigue among personnel. WHO is the health sector implementing entity for the Pandemic Fund which the country successfully won in 2023.

Description of Duties

• Provide overall administrative support to the Pandemic Fund project at WHO country office
• In consultation with the EPR cluster lead, plan, prepare for and ensure successful meetings to monitor, review and plan for project implementation
• Support drafting of project correspondences
• Support documentation and circulation of proceedings of project meetings
• Maintain records of government requests, all project related WCO documents and minutes of meetings.
• Monitor and track government requests and internal WHO processes to ensure timely activity implementation
• Monitor funds expenditure and work with the WCO technical personnel to speed up project implementation
• Monitor and track activity implementation and provide support to technical team to speed up implementation.
• Track reporting requirements and support technical teams to meet the reporting requirements
• Prepare WHO internal project reports to country office, regional office, headquarters, and the Pandemic Fund Secretariat.
• Monitor and report regularly to the emergency team, drawing their attention to needs, gaps and problems, and proposing remedial actions.
• In compliance with the WHO rules and regulations, based on a comprehensive forecast of the supply needs, plan an end to end, timely provision of quality and adequate supplies, equipment and consumables from the Pandemic fund and for the health emergency operations.
• Facilitate customs clearance, reception, transportation, storage and distribution of supplies to affected areas and populations.
• Liaise with the government and partner logistician both centrally and in the field regarding managing WHO warehouses and inventory and implement stock control mechanisms.
• Assist the WCO in preparing their procurement forecasts. Based on the procurement forecast plan, provide support in executing related procurement activities
• Administer procurement resources and ensures compliant and efficient use of standard operating procedures of procurement.
• Assist the WCO in preparing their procurement forecasts. Based on the procurement forecast plan, the officer will support executing related procurement activities and participate in meetings with government, partner organizations, suppliers or programme units.

Education Qualifications

• First university degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Management, program management, project management or related field.
• An advanced university degree in the above fields.

Experience

• A minimum of three years’ experience, working in program management, project management, or procurement services, and logistics services for a program.
• Previous experience working with the UN or international organizations

Language

• Excellent knowledge of the English.
• Working knowledge of local languages in Zambia.

Source: https://careers.who.int/careersection/ex/jobdetail.ftl?job=2501655