Senior Technical Officer

**Grade**: P5

**Contractual Arrangement**: Fixed-term appointment

**Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days)**: 2 years

**Job Posting**: Sep 26, 2024, 9:55:18 AM

**Closing Date**: Oct 10, 2024, 4:59:00 PM

**Primary Location**: France-Lyon

**Organization**: HQ/CRS Country Readiness Strengthening

**Schedule**: Full-time

**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 objectives of the Country Readiness Strengthening Department include the development and strengthening of core national capacities necessary to mitigate and respond to emergency risks and vulnerabilities. The Department prioritizes support to the most vulnerable and low capacity countries. The Public Health Laboratory Strengthening (PHL) Unit develops global strategies, mechanisms, guidance documents, manuals, and learning programmes aiming at strengthening public health laboratory policies, governance and regulations, infrastructure, workforce, networking, quality, safety, and diagnostic capacity for epidemic-prone diseases. The unit provides leadership and coordination across partners and regional offices to propose interventions aiming at ensuring that public health laboratory systems are ready to operate in a safe, secure, timely and reliable manner for the detection of, and response to disease outbreaks and other emergencies.

**DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES**:
Within the framework of the delegated authority, the incumbent is assigned to the following responsibilities:

- Coordinate a team in charge of the delivery of WHO-led activities related to public health laboratory readiness, through

i. Development of tools, checklists, exercises, guidance and training materials to support the assessment and improvement of public health laboratory readiness for specific imminent or recurrent high risks and priority vulnerabilities

ii. Provide technical expertise for their further implementation at regional and country levels

iii. Participation in incident management system to address laboratory readiness and response components.
- Promote cross-cutting approaches and activities to facilitate full participation of relevant stakeholders within and outside WHO and of key external partners.
- Develop project proposals and team workplans, and monitor and report activities' technical and financial implementation.
- Supervise a team of staff through meetings, briefings, debriefings, development and review of staff individual objectives and performance.
- Organization and/or participation in meetings and conference at national, regional and global level to ensure WHO's leadership in public health laboratory and health emergency related events.
- Perform other related responsibilities, including replacing and/or backstopping.

**REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS**:
**Education**:
**Essential**: Advanced level university degree in medicine, pharmacy or related sciences.
**Desirable**:
**Experience**:
**Essential**: At least ten years of experience in clinical, public health or research microbiology laboratories of which 3 years at international level, including at least 1 year of experience in resource-limited countries.
**Desirable**: Experience of work in an international organization.

**Skills**:

- Excellent knowledge in clinical or public health microbiology.
- Knowledge of laboratory and diagnostics systems, especially in developing countries.
- Knowledge of WHO mandate, policies and processes.
- Planning and analytical skills, with the ability to foster consensus and team spirit.
- Interpersonal and diplomatic skills.
- Strong commitment to international health.

**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
- Creating an empowering and motivating environment

**Use of Language Skills**:
**Essential**: Expert knowledge of English.
**Desirable**: Expert knowledge of French. Intermediate knowledge of any other UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Spanish and/or Russian).

**REMUNERATION**:
**ADDITIONAL INFORMATION**:

- This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level
- A written test and/or an asynchronous video assessment may be used as a form of screening.
- 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.
- Staff members in other duty stations