OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The mission of the Antimicrobial Resistance Division is to define, advance, promote and monitor comprehensive policies and strategies that prevent, reduce, and mitigate drug-resistant infections and the overall impact of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) globally based on the Global Action Plan on AMR and the 13th Global Programme of Work of WHO and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also provides global direction and strategic leadership for the global response to AMR in coordination with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and other United Nations (UN) and international agencies and facilitates the creation of common goal and vision through innovative partnerships, political engagement and promoting multisectoral engagement and synergy across the One Health spectrum in humans, animals, plants, food, feed and the environment.

Its main objective is to support the development, implementation, and monitoring of One Health National Action Plans for Member States and facilitate the mainstreaming of effective strategies and actions, including on the prevention and control of infection, antimicrobial stewardship, awareness creation and communication, research and development in their health and development agendas in partnership with FAO, WOAH, UNEP and other key partners.

The Department of Global Coordination and Partnership on AMR hosts the Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on AMR (QJS) and leads and coordinates the global One Health multisectoral response to AMR in cooperation with FAO, WOAH, UNEP the UN as well as other agencies, civil society, and the private sector, towards a world free from the suffering of drug-resistant infections.

The Department has the following functions in line with WHO’s General Programme of Work to protect antimicrobials important for human health and mitigate drug-resistant infections:

• Leads the global One Health multisectoral response to AMR across the human, animal, plant, food, feed and environment sectors, through multisectoral engagement and interventions, and strengthening advocacy and awareness; Facilitates global coordination and interagency engagement and partnership for creation and sustenance of shared global vision and goals.
• Shapes the research and development agenda through innovation, priority setting and supporting global initiatives that enable the generation, translation and dissemination of knowledge.
•  Facilitates, nurtures and scales up evidence-based interventions to enhance awareness, and understanding of AMR across the One Health spectrum. The Quadripartite organizations established a standing Quadripartite Joint Secretariat (QJS) to lead and coordinate the global response to antimicrobial resistance in close collaboration with the UN system and other organizations. The QJS consolidates cooperation between WHO, FAO, UNEP and WOAH drawing on their core mandate and comparative advantages to address the wide range of needs of the global response against antimicrobial resistance.
• The Antimicrobial Resistance Multi-Partner Trust Fund (AMR MPTF) is a critical initiative supporting the global response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Established in 2019 for an initial five-year period (2019-2024) and subsequently extended to 2030, the AMR MPTF enables stronger and sustained global leadership and advocacy to advance the global response to AMR, by raising the profile and urgency of addressing AMR, building, and maintaining political momentum and public support and scaling up the technical capacity of the Quadripartite to tackle AMR in human, animal, plant, and environment ecosystems. The Fund is essentially catalytic to support the provision of coordinated policy advice, technical assistance, and capacity-strengthening programs to combat AMR via the One Health approach in Low-middle Income Countries (LMICs). The fund’s main resource partners include the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Sweden, Germany, and the European Union, and has a Secretariat hosted by WHO.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

The Technical officer will specifically:

1. Provide administrative support to the Quadripartite organizations to facilitate fund disbursement from fund administrative agent, track and maintain up to date status of the overall grants portfolio;

2. Facilitate the preparation of MOUs and amendments through liaison with the Quadripartite organizations and the United Nations development Programme’s (UNDP) Multi-Trust Fund Office (MPTO) Administrative Agent including issues related to project/fund extensions and closures.

3. Facilitate the preparation of the AMR-MPTF consolidated Annual Report and ensure timely receipt of project reports as per legal agreements.

4. Ensure regular routine administrative correspondences with the Quadripartite stakeholders and country focal points regarding planned activities, ensuring prompt and efficient follow-up.

5. Provide programmatic support to country, regional and global project focal points ensuring prompt and efficient response to project-related administrative and financial queries as the case may be.

6. Provide relevant guidance and support on project closure processes and requirements including issues of unutilized funds and balances towards a complete and compliant project closure.

7. Maintain AMR-MPTF project records by ensuring appropriate storage and archiving of all relevant Fund files securely on SharePoint as well as hard copies for easy access and reference.

8. Support the organization of key AMR-MPTF meetings and events such as the Steering Committee meetings by ensuring the provision of necessary support to the development of the agenda, background documents, logistics and follow-up as required.

9. Perform any other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential:

First university degree in either international development, international relations, project management, public policy, public health, animal health, agriculture, environment, or other relevant social sciences is required.

Desirable:

An advanced university degree in either international development, international relations, project management, public policy, public health, animal health, agriculture, environment, or other relevant social sciences is required.

Training in project management.

Experience

Essential:

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience working in the area of administration implementing grant/project coordination in an international organization.

• Demonstrated experience working in a multi-stakeholder partnership setting.

• Proven experience writing donor reports.

Desirable:

• Experience working in the area of One Health or antimicrobial resistance.

• Demonstrated exposure working at the international level.

• Experience working within UN organizations setting.

• Experience working in financing for development and experience in innovative financing, joint programming and partnerships will be an asset.

• Experience in resource mobilization would be an advantage.

Skills

• Excellent administrative, financial and project management skills.

• Ability to forge strong relationships with partners, and a demonstrated ability of working harmoniously within a diverse context of multi-stakeholder initiatives.

• Thinks innovatively, agile, pragmatic problem solver, and open to continuous learning.

• Excellent writing and communication skills.

• Sound skills in utilizing Enterprise Resource Planning Oracle systems or similar packages.

• Strong computer skills in office applications including excel, PowerPoint, and word.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Producing results
Moving forward in a changing environment

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of French.

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 64,121 (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 5092 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 [email protected]

• 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 [email protected].

• 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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