OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Division of the Regional Director (RDD) provides the visionary leadership and, together with BOS, supports the Country Offices and all the other Divisions in the efficient delivery of the EPW through agile transformation and implementing WHO Value Charter.

RDD has the overall responsibility for the planning, execution and evaluation of WHO programmes at the regional and country levels and in strengthening the alignment and joint work across the three levels of the organization.

It is the safeguard of the WHO Values Charter. It also specifically includes the representative function of WHO with the institutions of the European Union, the EURO Ombudsman who reports directly and independently to the Regional Director, and the committee on staff health and wellbeing.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The purpose of this position is to provide, operational, and technical support to the Regional Director (RD), in particular in relation to the RD’s contacts with Member States and technical stakeholders in the region and the associated follow-up actions.

Key duties:

1. Research and prepare in consultation with relevant stakeholders the missions and other travel of the RD, raise to RD’s attention specific matters such as national, technical, or political issues or other relevant concerns that the RD may need to address during his engagements.
2. Ensure that the RD is fully prepared with the appropriate documents and information, for meetings, both at the Regional Office (RO) and during missions and other relevant travel, helping as needed in the preparation and coordination of presentation materials.
3. Act as a focal point with Division Directors and WHO Representatives as well as external experts and partners, as required, to obtain relevant technical information and communicate, as necessary, regarding RD engagements.
4. Liaise with appropriate offices to ensure timely submission to the RD in advance of applicable meetings.
5. Provide broad support to the Regional Director in his/her attendance at internal and external meetings, primarily but not solely, during duty travel. Such support includes but is not reduced to contact with meeting attendees/invitees at all levels, ensuring engagement with appropriate Member State personnel or other partners, ensuring effective logistics, safety issues, and adjusting schedules as needed.
6. Coordinate with the WR for meeting of RD with the CO personnel where applicable.
7. Document meetings held by RD while on duty travel, when appropriate through preparing summaries and/or technical briefs capturing highlights, conclusions, and decisions taken at the meeting.
8. Ideate and maintain monitoring tools to ensure that commitments made in RD meetings, whether in the RO or on duty travel, are easy to oversee, maintain the status of such commitments and bring them up for periodic review with the RD and/or ECO.
9. Propose and coordinate analytical methods/tools and metrics to support the monitoring and evaluation of strategic public health related initiatives.
10. Collaborate with other RDO team members to inform and further strengthen the overall conduct of RD’s travel and travel preparation. Liaise with Communications Unit regarding media files, particularly while on duty travel and/or related to country missions.
11. Provide informal translation (from English to Russian and Russian to English) of statements and materials received while on duty travel. Provide informal interpretation for the Regional Director (Russian to English) for bilateral meetings where a formal interpreter is not provided.
12. Other duties as may be required within the scope and level of the job.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: First University degree in Health Sciences, Medicine, or any other area of study relevant to public health.
Desirable: Additional qualification or further training in the above disciplines.

Experience

Essential: At least two years of relevant work experience in health or public health -related field at a national and/or international health agency or health institute. Experience in providing operational and technical support to health executives and/or higher-level decision makers in the area of health. Certification in First Aid.
Desirable: Relevant work experience with WHO, the UN or an international public health organization/institution.

Skills

• Very good conceptual knowledge of health and public health issues.
• Excellent planning and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated communication skills, particularly in multi-cultural settings.
• Strong writing skills and ability to synthetize information.
• Ability to research information, analyze it and present it clearly.
• Good understanding of the work and key objectives of the World Health Organization.
• Emotional awareness: ability to identify and harness one’s emotions and apply them to tasks; and the ability to manage emotions, which includes both regulating one’s own emotions when necessary and helping others to do the same. Flexibility and ability to adapt to changing priorities.
• Interpersonal skills, diplomacy, tact and discretion, sound judgment and initiative.
• Demonstrated ability to work within a multi-disciplinary and multi-national team(s).
• Demonstrated ability to be proactive, requiring very limited supervision, anticipating needs and following through on actions or commitments.

WHO Competencies

1. Teamwork
2. Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
3. Communication
4. Producing results
5. Knowing and managing yourself

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English. Expert knowledge of Russian.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of French, German.

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 50,377 (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 3484 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.

• For information on WHO’s operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• *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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Qualifications

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