JPO Project Officer, WHO

Junior Professional Officer Program (JPO) Chiffre Nr. 2026-2-46

TERMS OF REFERENCE

PART I: INFORMATION ABOUT THE ASSIGNMENT

Title: JPO Project Officer

Organization: WHO, World Health Organization

Programme/Department: Divisional Office, Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care (PPC)

Country and Duty Station: HQ, Geneva, Switzerland

Duration: 2 years with possibility of extension for another year. The extension of appointment is subject to yearly review concerning priorities, availability of funds, and satisfactory performance

Please note that for participants of the JPO-Programme two years of work experience are mandatory! Relevant work experience can be counted. In order to assess the eligibility of the candidates, we review the relevant experience acquired after obtaining the first university degree (usually bachelor’s degree).

Objective of the WHO Programme/Department:

At WHO Headquarters, the Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care (PPC) Division covers a wide range of scientific and technical Departments and including: 

• Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases (MNT)
• Nutrition and Food Safety (NFS)
• HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (HTH)
• Health Determinants, Promotion, and Prevention (DPP)
• Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health (NMH)
• Environment, Climate Change, One Health and Migration (ECO)
• Sexual, Reproductive, Maternal, Child, Adolescent and Aging Health (LHR)
• Immunization, Vaccines, and Biologicals (IVB)
• Divisional Office (DO)
  
  

The vision of the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and Care (PPC) Division is to advance health equity by anticipating change and integrating prevention, promotion and care across all health and disease areas to address today's greatest health burdens, anticipate and prepare for tomorrow's challenges.

The mission of the Division is to contribute to improving the health and well-being of all people everywhere. This includes WHO`s work on communicable and noncommunicable diseases, health through the life course, sexual and reproductive health, health promotion, social and commercial determinants of health, nutrition and food safety, migration and health, and the impacts of the environment and climate change on health. 

This is achieved through an integrated approach working with all the Regional and Country Offices of WHO, with all Divisions in headquarters, Member States and external partners aimed at enabling all people to enjoy better health and well-being, in line with the Organization's 14th General Programme of Work (GPW14) and the Sustainable Development Goals. 

The Divisional Office provides strategic coordination, guides and oversees the programmatic and administrative cohesion of all the departments within the Division and in close partnership with the WHO Emergency Programme, Health Systems and Science Divisions in headquarters, regional offices and country offices ensuring optimum delivery of services and output in line with Governing Body resolutions, including the General Programme of Work and the Programme Budget, and within the available resources. The Divisional Office ensures achieving synergies between individual departments, programmes and their implementations to maximise the impact of our collective work, breaking down silos and reducing fragmentation and duplication. A key issue of the current reform agenda. The team in the Divisional Office enables and empowers the PPC workforce to do and be their best, and to adopt a culture of trust, teamwork.

(One WHO, One Team, One Mission) with continuous learning to optimize performance, speed, efficiency and effectiveness of the Division and WHO`s work. 

Assignment Summary:

The Divisional Office provides leadership, management and scientific cohesion to ensure clarity, quality and compliance with WHO standards, through priority setting, informed decision-making and coordination; challenge and support, and establishes PPC Division as a trusted, respected, generous partner within WHO, Member States (MS) and with all external partners.

The Project Officer (PO) will provide technical and programme management support to all the work of the Divisional Office including internal work within the Division and across WHO, and also with links to our external partners and stakeholders, including Member States (MS), with Governing Body work in WHO, other UN Agencies, GAVI, Global Fund, other external partners. The PO will be part of all meetings related to the partners engagement and will ensure that agenda and programmes reflect the PPC Division and WHO priorities and areas of focus. At the end of the assignment, we anticipate the individual will have had deep and unparalleled exposure to a broad range of WHO`s scientific and technical work, our partnership with MS, UN Agencies and external partners.

Duties, Responsibilities and Output expectations: 

The Project Officer (PO) will provide technical and programme management support to all the work of the Divisional Office including internal work within the Division and across WHO, and also with links to our external partners and stakeholders, including Member States (MS), with Governing Body work in WHO, other UN Agencies, GAVI, Global Fund, other external partners. The PO will be part of all meetings related to the partners engagement and will ensure that agenda and programmes reflect the PPC Division and WHO priorities and areas of focus. At the end of the assignment, we anticipate the individual will have had intimate and unparalleled exposure to a broad range of WHO`s scientific and technical work, our partnership with MS, UN Agencies and external partners. 

1. * Summary of Assigned Duties
   Under the direct supervision of the Executive Officer (EO) and the Assistant Director-General of the PPC Division, the Junior Professional Officer (JPO) will support projects involving key PPC Division partners and other UN agencies. In particular, the JPO will:
2. Support the organization of the PPC Division’s engagement in the Division, across WHO and with strategic partners, and facilitate strategic coordination to ensure alignment with the priorities of Departments.
3. Maintain an updated calendar of events requiring the Division’s participation; ensure optimal PPC representation; and prepare up-to-date information and briefing notes.
4. Support the PPC Division’s preparations for Governing Bodies meetings (e.g. Executive Board and WHA) and UNGA, including coordination of related activities with Divisional Office, Departments, regional offices, and country offices and maintain inventory of all WHA resolutions that are related to the technical areas under PPC.
5. Provide technical and coordination support for the Division’s participation in G7, G20, COP, and other high-level interagency mechanisms.
6. Conduct mapping exercises and maintain an updated inventory of all advisory groups, expert groups, and WHO Collaborating Centres coordinated through the PPC Division to contribute to the Division enhanced scientific collaborations.
7. For the first six months, the focus will be on working across the Division and WHO and with external partners in order to develop a broad of knowledge of the WHO and the UN system. During that time the PO, EO and ADG will develop an additional dedicated project that the Project will lead for the duration of the assignment alongside continuing with the broader responsibilities.
8. The Divisional Office will provide mentorship, support, sponsorship and guidance for the individual in a nurturing, positive environment.
   
   
   

Supervisor:

1st Level supervisor: Executive Officer, Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care.

2nd Level supervisor: ADG, Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care.

PART II: CANDIDATE PROFILE

Qualifications and Experience:

Education:
Master’s degree in public health, health or clinical research, political or social sciences.

Desirable: Communicable or Non communicable diseases, environment, nutrition/Food safety or health promotion study area.

Work experience:
Two years of professional experience in national or international public health or health policy.

Desirable: National or international work experience, in low- and middle-income countries. Experience at country level would be an asset. Work experience in public health or multi-stakeholders/multi-disciplines coordination would be an asset.

Skills and knowledge required for the assignment:

• Knowledge of national/international public health.
• Solid skills in substance analysis and good communication.
• Experience in conducting mapping exercises from available literature and desk reviews would be an advantage.
  
  

Languages and level required:

• Essential: Excellent knowledge of English (spoken and written).
• Desirable: Knowledge or another UN language would be an asset.
  
  

WHO competencies required for the assignment:

1. eamwork
2. Communication
3. Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
4. Producing results
5. Moving forward in a changing environment
   
   

Learning objectives of the JPO during this assignment

Upon completion of the assignment, the JPO will have / be able to …

Achieving the learning objectives

The progress towards achieving the objectives will be evaluated annually by the JPO together with the first and second level supervisors. Achievement will be against WHO's Performance Management and Development System (PMDS).

Bitte senden Sie Ihre JPO-Bewerbung direkt an das Büro Führungskräfte zu Internationalen Organisationen (BFIO) unter Angabe der Chiffre Nr. 2026-2-46 auf dem Bewerbungsbogen