Organization: WHO – World Health Organization
Location: Ankara
Grade: Administrative support – GS-6, General Service – No need for Higher Education – Locally recruited position
Occupational Groups:
Administrative support
Project and Programme Management
Closing Date: 2024-10-09
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME
The WHO country office works with the National Authorities to achieve the highest standard of health as a fundamental human right, based on equity and on SDGs principle of leaving no one behind. WHO actions are engrained in the WHO 13th General Programme of Work with its 3 prong objectives of promoting healthier populations, keeping the world safe through addressing health emergencies, and protecting the vulnerable through Universal Health Coverage. WHO’s mandate revolves around six core functions:
(i) providing Global Health leadership;
(ii) shaping the health research agenda;
(iii) setting norms and standards;
(iv) articulating evidence-based policy options;
(v) providing technical support to countries; and
(vi) monitoring and assessing health trends.
The WHO Country Office is an integral part of the WHO Regional Office for Europe. Its main role is to facilitate and coordinate all WHO activities at country level and to implement the European Programme of Work2020-2025 -“United Action for Better Health in Europe” which sets out a vision of how the WHO Regional Office for Europe can better support countries in meeting citizens’ expectations about health.
WHO at country level delivers this through practical, actionable, and country focused solutions to health challenges, keeping in perspective that achieving health and well-being is a whole-of-society endeavour. This is done through facilitating the implementation of the Biennial Collaborative Agreement with the country and its corresponding workplan. The WHO Country Office maintains good working relations and ensures information exchange between the country and WHO, policy and strategic guidance on Health issues to all national and international partners in the country, provision of direct technical expertise when needed and aims at more community engagement and participation, and to promote health equity.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
Within the Country Office and reporting to the Operations Officer, the incumbent provides a wide range of specialized support and coordination services for efficient planning, monitoring and analysis of project performance, in the day-to-day financial, human resources related and administrative operations, including updating of the planning budget and finance matters in GSM, ensuring compliance with project requirements, as well as a variety of general administrative actions related to the work of the project and the unit.
Within the delegated authority, the incumbent is assigned all or part of the following responsibilities.
Provide administrative support to the operational planning, development of the project and workplan and assist the team(s) as required along the life-circle of the project. This includes but is not limited to assistance with the maintenance of salary workplans and award management and support to funding allocation. Verify obligating documents, cross-checking relevant information available from GSM or other on-line systems, ensuring the availability of funds, updating files, and transferring funds as instructed or as delegated; clearance of obligating documents, checking them for completeness, and following-up on missing elements as required. Verify expenditures to comply with work plan, financial rules and regulations and award agreement, in compliance with the donor regulations.
Follow-up on the Unit’s HR-administrative issues; ensure proper management of the HR Plan/HR Action Plan within the workplan. Monitor the staffing level of the unit, keeping track of all contract extensions and renewals, checking and ensuring that funds are available for the proposed contracts and ensure that the renewal of contracts for staff are carried out in a timely fashion and the divisional HR plan updated accordingly.
Draft and circulate for approval the necessary paperwork for HRS to act on staff contractual and other matters.
Check, obligate and clear purchase requests for services and equipment, working in close collaboration with relevant colleagues to ensure that ordered services are appropriate.
Track/administer the team’s client-support/response system and flow of information, monitoring and ensuring the processing of requests and correspondence.
Provide administrative support to the organization of internal and external meetings, including the preparation of letters of invitation, documents, cost estimates and travel requests, the distribution of materials and liaison with participants and other stakeholders.
Manage the smooth running of the administrative functions, including maintaining an up-to-date status of the office space and acting as the office space focal point for the programme.
Compile and ensure the availability of documentation for team meetings, seminars, and workshops.
Establish and or maintain the team’s electronic filing system of technical documents and correspondence.
Prepare routine and ad hoc financial reports using GSM and other related sources of information. Review budget plans, monitor and analyse project financial performance and support with donor reporting as and when needed.
Review and process transactions in the enterprise resource planning system and follow up with concerned parties on the receipt of deliverables and finalization of payments.
Monitor aspects of the implementation of country activities (such as deadlines, funds for project/programme budget and financial expenditures) according to the approved country workplan, drawing the attention of the supervisor to problems, inconsistencies, and delays.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Educational Qualifications
Essential: Completion of secondary school or equivalent training.
Desirable: University degree in business administration, social sciences, or related field. Training in United Nations systems is an advantage.
Experience
Essential: At least 8 years of relevant experience in administration, finance, or office management. Demonstrated experience in EU projects. Experience in Oracle-based or other ERP systems.
Desirable: Relevant experience in WHO or another UN agency. Experience in monitoring of budgets and resource plans.
Skills
Proficiency in the use of standard office computer software, note taking and operation of computerized systems and databases.
Demonstrated knowledge of procedures and practices, rules and regulations in an administrative support area in a United Nations or WHO country office.
Ability to undertake research, and prepare reports, briefing materials, and maintain filing systems.
Basic financial accounting skills.
Ability to train, brief and explain administrative procedures to other staff members.
Ability to review, write/draft routine and non-routine correspondence and reports using proper grammar, punctuation, and style.
Ability to maintain effective client relationships and proactivity in servicing clients. Support staff (management and admin).
WHO Competencies
Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Producing results
Ensuring the effective use of resources
Use of Language Skills
Essential: Expert knowledge of English and Turkish.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of French, Russian, German.
REMUNERATION
WHO offers staff in the General Services category an attractive remuneration package, which for the above position includes an annual net base salary starting at USD 22,728 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable) and 30 days of annual leave.
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.
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 reasonableaccommodation@who.int
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.
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.
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 shws@who.int.
This post is subject to local recruitment and will be filled by persons recruited in the local commuting area of the duty station.
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