OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME
The Division of Prevention and Health Promotion (PHP) supports countries in ensuring that people thrive in healthy environments, while avoiding premature disease and death through integrated prevention across the spectrum of health and disease, health promotion, innovation, behavioral and cultural insights, trust building and climate action. The WHO European Centre for Environment, Climate Change and Health (Bonn, Germany) leads regional efforts to create healthy environments and drive climate health action. Guided by the Declaration of the Seventh Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health (Budapest Declaration), the second European Programme of Work 2026- 2030, the 14thGeneral Programme of Work, and the recommendations of the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health, it supports countries in building climate-resilient health systems, addressing heat and other climate-sensitive conditions, and supporting the green transition in the health sector. It also advances action on environmental health risks including air and water pollution, waste, and contaminated soil, working across sectors to address the structural drivers of ill health. The Programme on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, and Climate Adaptation and Climate (WCA) addresses the health-related aspects of water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) and climate change adaptation. The programme works with Member States to 1 support the development of climate change health adaptation plans, including specific focus on heat-health action. It further supports implementation of climate-related priorities set out in the second European Programme of Work and recommendations of the Pan-European Commission for Climate and Health. The programme provides secretariat functions to the Protocol on Water and Health and supports Member States in developing and improving WASH regulations, management and surveillance approaches. The programme also supports the response to WASH and/or climate-related health emergencies, as well as the regional rollout of SDG6 monitoring for which WHO is the custodian agency. The WCA programme works in close cooperation with the programme on of Living Environments and Climate Mitigation, in a flexible yet highly coordinated matrix arrangement.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
As part of a unit team, and in close collaboration with other teams within the Bonn Office, the incumbent performs a variety of secretarial and administrative services in support of the activities in Climate change and health of the European Centre for Environment, Climate Change and Health.
Key duties:
The incumbent will:
- Draft correspondence and documents based on written/verbal prompts from the professional staff of the unit
- Compose and finalize correspondence of administrative nature
- Provide translation or synopsis of incoming mail
- Take notes at meetings and type reports and other documentation
- Assist with the administrative preparation and conduct of regional and national meetings and educational activities, in accordance with established procedures
- Make duty travel arrangements in accordance with established procedures
- Prepare correspondence for the recruitment of consultants and temporary advisers
- Arrange briefing appointments and provide secretarial support for them while in EURO
- Process agreements for performance of work and other types of contractual arrangements as required
- Manage related correspondence, follows up on deadlines of such agreements/contracts, and prepares payment instructions
- Initiate action to process or follow up on correspondence, documentation and forms
- Create background files and compiles reference material as appropriate
- Access and retrieve information from relevant databases and updates as required
- Respond to and acts on e-mail and telephone enquiries and requests for information
- Assess the critical nature of technical enquiries and refers them to appropriate staff or reply
- Coordinate appointments for supervisor(s) and organize programmes for visitors
- Provide briefing and guidance to staff at all levels in the unit/programme on office practices and procedures
- Liaise with, assists or replaces other secretaries and/or programme assistants in the unit or department should the need arise
- Perform other related duties as required
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Essential: Completion of secondary school or equivalent.
Desirable: Relevant higher education from an accredited institution.
Experience
Essential: At least 5 years of experience in the secretarial/administrative field.
Desirable: Experience in an international environment or institution. Relevant experience in WHO or the United Nations.
Skills
- Proficiency in the use of standard office computer software
- Note taking and operation of computerized systems and databases
- Emotional intelligence: ability to identify and manage one's own emotions, as well as helping others to do the same
WHO Competencies
Use of Language Skills
Essential: Expert knowledge of English
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 EUR 53,465 (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 identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
A written test may be used as a form of screening.
If your candidature is retained for 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.
For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits workforce 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 workforce. 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 for WHO jobs.
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 (https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/our-values) 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 short-listed candidates.
WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.
WHO shall have no responsibility for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.
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].
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