WR’s Assistant at World Health Organization (WHO): (Deadline 19 November 2021)

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The country team is responsible for promoting technical cooperation, stimulating interest and coordinating assistance for health development based on global and regional strategies and WHO guidelines. It is also responsible for contributing to the collection, analysis and dissemination of health information. The Senior Management Office (SMO) of the WCO Team also provides cross cutting functions to other clusters. The country management support units were established in the organizational structure to provide support for Managers and staff to fully assume their responsibilities in the GSM environment and to ensure compliance with organizational policies, procedures, rules and regulations on all administrative and financial matters and transactions in the context of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

• Oversees and monitor the information flow of the SMO, screening, sorting, analyzing and identifying areas requiring action by various officials;
• Ensures effective and timely follow up on requests for information, briefings and other actions, emanating from the office of the WR, liaising with units/teams, as appropriate;
• Receives visitors and telephone calls with tact and discretion, and acts according to the nature and urgency of each, including redirecting as appropriate;
• Provides background information for appointments with official visitors and/or staff members;
• Maintains WR’s agenda and calendar by scheduling meetings and/or rescheduling owing to disruption by unforeseen events, redirects visitors and callers as necessary;
• Disseminates information on administrative procedures to GS staff m the team/department and assist staff in adhering to WHO administrative procedures;
• Drafts general or administrative correspondence on own initiative or on the basis of instructions; finalize correspondence/reports for signature/clearance; Verifies that outgoing correspondence is presented in accordance with WHO and checks language, grammar and accuracy prior to submitting for signature and clearance;
• Analyzes incoming correspondence and requests in the light of background material, instructions, policies and precedents, researching, obtaining and attaching background information in anticipation of the responsible officer’s needs, or redirecting them as appropriate; identify and highlight incoming documents and attach background information and identify areas requiring action by professional staff, drawing their attention to specific items;
• Using appropriate tracking tools, follows-up on and ensure that target dates and deadlines are met, and that correspondence and queries are responded to in a timely manner;
• In close collaboration with other support staff, create and/or maintain filing systems; continual review of filing system to ensure information is up to date and effectively and efficiently used;
• Obtains documents and information from in-house and external sources as required;
• Perform information searches (library, internet) as requested;
• Coordinates compilation of documents requested and provided by professional staff, to ensure they are logically compiled, formatted and assembled to facilitate the work of the SMO Team;
• Arranges and coordinates administrative preparation for meetings, seminars, workshops, including: preparing event plans in GSM, letters of invitation, cost estimates and travel requests; assisting with preparation of documents; dispatching of materials and liaising with participants and others involved;
• Schedules team/departmental meetings, according to schedules and need; taking minutes and following up on action points to ensure timely response to the requests of the WR and preparation of minutes;
• Obtains briefing and background materials for meetings, seminars, workshops, etc. to be attended by the team’s professional staff, checking their availability and ensuring they have the appropriate briefing files and documents;
• Using GSM, prepares travel requests for official SMO travels and assist in the TCs. Make flight and hotel reservations, prepare travel files and deal with other related matters as requested or on own initiative;
• Monitors leave and attendance records of staff under the Senior Management Office;
• Performs other related duties as required or instructed by the functional supervisors.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: Completion of secondary school or equivalent technical training or commercial education with specialization in Secretarial, Administration or Office Management practices.

Desirable: Diploma in Secretarial Studies or Office Administration or Business Administration, or Degree in related fields from a recognized University. Training in Secretarial Studies and Office Administration

Experience

Essential: 8 years of relevant working experience in a recognized public or private institution.

Desirable: Experience in administrative support with UN or other international or multi-national organizations. Experience working as an executive assistant in the UN.

Skills

Excellent knowledge of WHO practices and procedures and WHO policy organs; expertise in modern office management practices. The incumbent actualizes his/her knowledge in the use of modern office technology through internal courses, on the job or self-training. He / she can brief and explain procedures to other team members.

1. WHO Competencies
2. Communicating Credibly and Effectively
3. Foster integration and teamwork;
4. Produce results;
5. Move forward in a changing environment;
6. Manage resources effectively.

Use of Language Skills

Essential – Fluency in English or French

Desirable – Working knowledge of the other would be an advantage.