Programme Assistant (One Health)

Background/Purpose:

Pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response require a multidisciplinary, multisectoral approach to effectively address emerging and re-emerging health threats. Pakistan faces significant public health challenges, including zoonotic disease outbreaks, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), vector-borne and food-borne diseases and environmental health hazards, which pose significant risks to human, animal, and ecosystem health. These threats are further compounded by rapid urbanization, climate change, and increased human-animal interactions, necessitating a coordinated One Health approach.

The Pandemic Fund Grant is designed to reinforce Pakistan’s national capacities in line with the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005), the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA), and the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS). The incumbent will play an important role in supporting the coordination and compliance functions necessary to operationalize the One Health approach at national and provincial levels.

Tasks to be performed:

Under the direct supervision of the WHO Technical Officer (IHR) and overall guidance of the WHE Team Lead, the incumbent will carry out the following tasks:

1. Provide comprehensive administrative and secretarial support to ensure the timely implementation of activities under the Pandemic Fund Grant, including drafting technical reports, documents, and correspondence and ensuring correctness of language as well as format, and in accordance with WHO Style Guide, .
2. Receive, screen and process incoming correspondence and requests related to the grant, prioritize urgent matters, and ensure appropriate follow-up with relevant individuals and stakeholders on the implementation of administrate actions.
3. Support documentation for administrative requirements, procurement of goods and services linked to Pandemic Fund activities. Keep track of deliverables and follow up on service completion and payments.
4. Provide logistical support for field visits, duty travel, and deployment of consultants, and missions involved in Pandemic Fund activities. Coordinate and facilitate travel bookings, hotel reservations, and security clearances, for processing travel authorizations by WCO/WHE.
5. To provide support in organizing trainings, workshops, and coordination meetings under the Pandemic Fund by preparing documents, handling logistics, and providing on-site administrative support.
6. Coordinate with the relevant units in WHO Country Office (WCO) to process programme-related administrative requests, obtain required approvals and ensure timely payments and deliverables.
7. Initiate transactions in WHO ERP related to the PF grant, including purchase orders, and operational expenses, ensuring accuracy and alignment with approved budgets.
8. Support in reconciling financial data for Pandemic Fund activities.
9. Provide backup and collaborative support to colleagues as needed and perform other administrative and financial duties relevant to the successful delivery of the Pandemic Fund Grant.
10. Filing and maintain related documents both hard copies and electronically.

Recruitment Profile

Education:

• Essential: Completion of secondary education supplemented by administrative and/or financial/accounting training.
• Desirable: University degree in business administration, finance, accounting, economics, mathematics, social sciences or related field is an asset

Experience:

• At least five years progressive administrative experience; including experience in financial/accounting work.

Competencies required:

1. Technical Competence
2. Overall Attitude at Work
3. Teamwork
4. Respecting and Promoting Individual and Cultural Differences
5. Communication

Functional Knowledge and Skills:

• Proficiency in MS Office tools such as MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint.
• Proven drafting skills.
• Good analytical skills.
• Basic knowledge of accounting/financial principles
• Sound organization skills
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.

Language:

• Good knowledge of English and local language

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• Appointment of selected candidate will be on Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA) issued by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) for a period up to three months which is further extendable based on multiple factors including job performance, programme need, and funding availability. LICA is a non-staff contract whereby the signatory has the status of a contractor and not considered in any respect as being a staff member of either the World Health Organization (WHO) or UNOPS. As such, there will be no employer-employee relationship between the signatory and the contracting Organization.
• 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:********************************************. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
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