Deadline: 10 July 2024

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME
The mission of WHO's Health Emergencies 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. Emergency Operations within the Health Emergencies Programme is responsible for ensuring that emergency-affected populations have access to timely and effective health services. This includes ensuring a strong emergency management system (based on incident management), effective and inclusive coordination mechanisms, joint assessments and planning by partners, implementation of operations and services according to agreed standards, and strong logistics and operational support. The expansion and strengthening of operational partnerships is a key priority. EMO also leads on humanitarian policy and guidance, as well as representation to key interagency bodies.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The Programme Area Manager leads Emergency Operations, providing operational leadership to WHO's response to emergencies. He/she provides guidance, strategies, and standards for effective emergency operations in acute and protracted situations, for all aspects of emergencies at all levels, and ensures their implementation across the Programme. The incumbent will be deployed to emergencies when required.

Summary of Assigned Duties:

Spearhead, lead and direct all aspects of EMO work in emergency operations, in close collaboration with WHO senior management at HQ, Regional and Country Offices, through an organization-wide network for the development, implementation and oversight of policies, strategies, programmes of work, and annual work plans in emergency operations and their implementation and monitoring of results
Lead the formulation, revision and updating of all technical aspects of guidelines for emergency response, based on sound Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and their application across all levels of the department and WHO as appropriate, including ensuring operational and technical support in emergency operations in response to epidemic events, outbreaks and other public health emergencies with focus on confirming and grading decisions on emergencies in line with the WHO protocols and guidelines, in full coordination with IASC and a broad range of key partners and stakeholders through inter-agency and inter-cluster collaboration based on a culture of collaborative multi-disciplinary cross-cutting approaches to optimize the use of effective incident management, in line with IHR to further operational support for WHO response to epidemic events.
Provide strategic advice and expertise on Emergency Operations to the Regional Emergency Director on relations and partnerships with the UN, UN Agencies, Member States, NGOs and other key partners and stakeholders toward enabling and promoting collaborative working agreements and collaborative arrangements to establish a common understanding of health priorities in ongoing emergencies and to ensure the provision of comprehensive technical support, including the convening of time-limited task forces to address specific issues, as necessary forces to address specific issues, as necessary.
Harness and coordinate technical expertise from all areas in WHE, as well as departments and programmes across the three levels of WHO as appropriate to strengthen the implementation of all-hazards emergencies work through the provision of networks of experts and technical expertise mechanisms.
Play a key role in overseeing sound and effective leadership, motivation, guidance, management and performance evaluation of EMO staff, including proactively promoting effective team work and achievement of results and resolving problems, within the framework of WHO Staff Rules and Regulations, and WHE accepted procedures; and managing EMO global budget within the framework of WHO Staff and Financial Rules and Regulations.
Perform other related responsibilities as assigned, including deployment for emergency operations and backstopping for others as required.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Essential: Advanced university degree (Masters level) in medicine or in a health-related field, complemented by specialised training in public health or related field.
Desirable: Specialization in epidemiology, emergency and/or humanitarian response; training or studies in leadership or management.

Experience
Essential: Over 10 years of proven experience in public health in the field of emergency operations in response to epidemic events, outbreaks and other public health emergencies combined with leadership and managerial experience, with at least five years' experience in coordinating large scale public health projects in developing countries, with knowledge of inter-agency mechanisms in the area of international preparedness for and response to health emergencies.
Desirable: Experience in WHO and/or the UN System in the areas of outbreak response and/or humanitarian interventions; field experience in public health programmes or emergency response programmes in developing countries. Experience in the WHO European Region an asset.

Skills
Demonstrated leadership and managerial skills in international and multi-cultural settings combined with proven ability to successfully coordinate, manage and lead projects, and build partnerships with multiple partners in the context of health emergencies.

Sound strategic and tactical thinking with ability to formulate clear comprehensive policies, strategies and plans.

Superior organizational skills with ability to multi-task and produce results under pressure.

Excellent interpersonal with proven ability to communicate in a clear and effective way, with tact, diplomacy and courtesy.

Authoritative and comprehensive knowledge of the theory, principles, methods and techniques in international emergency risk management and humanitarian response, with a broad-based understanding of its growing complexity including knowledge of the workings of relevant international policy-setting bodies.

In-depth knowledge of political, social and health systems of countries in the WHO European Region. Knowledge on the core values of the World Health Organization and UN system.

Track record of delivering presentations for high level events and technical meetings.

WHO Competencies
Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Promoting innovation and organizational learning
Moving forward in a changing environment
Creating an empowering and motivating environment

Use of Language Skills
Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of 1 WHO or EURO lang.


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 92,731 (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 6298 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.