Solution Architect (Technology)

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.The Health Emergency Intelligence and Surveillance Systems division (WSE) is responsible for building a system of collaborative intelligence enabling better decisions to avert and manage public health threats and risks. Its goal is to enable, strengthen and support countries, regional and global actors in averting and managing public health threats and risks through collaborative problem solving and decision-making for short-term action and long-term policies, informed by better data and analytics.The WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence is a new office of WHO, located in Berlin. It works with partners to enable the generation of public health relevant information to provide timely actionable insights and improve decision making to prepare for, avert and respond to public health threats. It also aims to reduce fragmentation and inefficiency by creating an ecosystem that promotes collaboration across multiple professional disciplines, sectors, and initiatives; and empower decision makers, public health professionals, and civil society to make informed public health decisions.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Within the framework of the delegated authority, the incumbent is assigned all or part of the following duties which are performed according to the needs of the unit and department:

• Analyze business context (trends, business strategy and value streams) and technology industry and market trends to define principles that guide the division’s related decisions and determine potential impact on its activities and initiatives.

• Collaborate across the division and with internal and external stakeholders to identify, understand and analyze business requirements and design public health intelligence solutions and development initiatives.

• Design and implement solution architecture, standards, policies, strategies, roadmaps, and governance.

• Influence and review design, coding and testing and promote their use across the division’s collaborations, including the reuse of code, components, and proven best practices as applicable.

• Advise on technology decisions, conduct risk assessment, develop mitigation strategies and promote best practices.

• Ensure that solutions are well-architected, scalable, maintainable and meet functional and non-functional requirements.

• Manage technology evaluation and selection and standard configurations.

• Ensure compliance, where applicable, with system and data security and quality requirements for solutions developed through the division.

• Document necessary data and technology architecture design and analysis work, including project postmortem documentation and metric collection.

• Provide technical advice, guidance and support to development teams.

• Keep up-to-date with new technologies and trends and recommend improvements.

• Perform other related responsibilities as assigned, including replacing and backstopping for others as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: Advanced university degree (Masters or higher) in Information Technology, Computer Science, Software Engineering or related field.
Desirable: Certifications in software architecture and cloud technologies (e.g. AWS Certified Solution Architect, Google Professional Cloud Architect, Red Hat Certified Architect, Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert, TOGAF). Certifications in project management (e.g. PMP, PgMP, PfMP, ACP, PRINCE2, Certified ScrumMaster).

Experience

Essential: A minimum of 7 years of relevant professional experience designing and implementing enterprise-level solutions in response to business needs. Demonstrated experience in software development and Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC). Demonstrated experience with the deployment and maintenance of cloud technologies. Demonstrated exposure in complex international contexts involving technical, cultural and political elements.
Desirable: Demonstrated experience in the public health domain.

Skills

• Strong technical knowledge in software development, systems engineering, or a related field.

• Strong understanding of software architecture principles, patterns, and practices.

• Deep understanding of software development lifecycles and methodologies.

• Proficiency in a variety of programming languages and frameworks, such as Java, Python, .NET, or JavaScript.

• Proficiency with cloud platforms, such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.

• Strong knowledge of DevOps principles and practices, including continuous integration and deployment.

• Strong understanding of solution architecture principles and practices.

• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders and communicate technical information to non-technical audiences.

• Knowledge of project management methodologies.

• Understanding of privacy, confidentiality and security practices related to software development.

• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills.

• Ability to work independently and in a team environment.

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 another WHO language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish).

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 77,326 (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 3145 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 toreasonableaccommodation@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 theWHO 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.
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• 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 atshws@who.int.
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