Technical Officer, (Emerging Technologies – Foresight), P4

Position description

The Research for Health Department sits within the Science Division. The overall mission of the Science Division is to harness the power of science and innovation to improve health in a systematic way, by ensuring the excellence, relevance, and efficiency of WHO’s core technical functions, including norms and standards, and research. Within this Division, the specific purpose of the Research for Health department is to accelerate the impact of ethical, evidence-based research for people’s health. Its mandate is structured around three key roles: l) to provide leadership on matters related to the impact of research on people’s health around the world; 2) to ensure that ethics is central to WHO’s recommendations to countries, to public health programmes and for clinical practice, with the aim of maximizing benefits while mitigating risks;3)to secure the overall efficiency and impact of the WHO research process. The Research for Health Department is made up of three units: (l) Emerging technologies, research prioritization & support, (2) Health ethics & governance, and (3) Evidence to policy and impact.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the guidance of the supervisor, the incumbent will have the following responsibilities:

• Conduct the programme management and coordinate the foresight workstream to identify emerging trends and technologies with relevance for global health and support the R&D optimization workstream, ensuring that activities in this area are carried out efficiently and effectively, adhering to WHO procedures including as they pertain to confidentiality of information where appropriate.
• Manage the monitoring and evaluation and reporting of the subject area of work of key performance indicators and reporting requirements and mechanisms to optimize the performance of deliverables.

Specific Duties:

• Coordinate the Emerging Technologies Foresight work plan: proposing and implementing key deliverables with a prioritization approach, contributing to positioning foresight within WHO SCI and beyond as a core central function.
• Plan, coordinate, and implement horizon scanning or similar approaches for the identification of trends and technologies with future relevance for global health.
• Identify key trends and emerging technologies for cross-organization coordination to provide guidance on research and development for accelerated, equitable access of the emerging technologies.
• Collaborate with colleagues in the EPS Unit working on the responsible use of life sciences and biorisk mitigation, to apply foresight approaches to anticipate and mitigate biorisks associated with emerging technologies.
• The Technical Officer will perform project management duties to ensure milestones are met and monitor and evaluate the implementation of the activities.
• The Technical Officer will record learnings from the implementation of the new process, and work to integrate in a sustainable and efficient way those learnings.
• Under the guidance of the Unit Head, the Technical Officer will coordinate interactions between the Research for Health department and the other relevant departments within the Organization, and the external partners.
• Represent the programme areas of work at various meetings.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential:

• An advanced level university degree (Masters level or above) in health sciences, public health or related field.

Experience

Essential:

• A minimum of seven years experience working in R&D-related programmes and/or emerging technologies related to global health.
• Experience in application of strategic foresight in R&D, biomedical sciences, or global health.

Desirable:

• Experience shaping R&D for the benefit of global health.
• Experience in the domain of biorisk mitigation and dual-use research.
• Experience in WHO.

Skills

• Strong scientific knowledge across a range of health technologies.
• Strong skills in writing and drafting policy and reports on Public Health activities.
• Strong skills in project management with a sound understanding of work planning and management of financial resources.
• Ability to engage and communicate effectively and diplomatically with external partners including.
• Donor institutions, Civil Society, and other stakeholders.

WHO Competencies

• Teamwork.
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences.
• Communication.
• Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond.
• Moving forward in a changing environment.

Use of Language Skills

• Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
• Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of French. Intermediate knowledge of other WHO language.

 

Application instructions

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