World Health Organization Jobs 2020

Ghana confirmed the outbreak of circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Type 2 (cVDPV2) in August 2019 in the Northern Region. The outbreak has since spread to nine other regions in the country. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, response activities to the polio outbreak were largely suspended. In order to prevent further spread of the poliovirus, the country will restart the implementation of polio outbreak response activities to help break transmission.

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) seeks to ensure that future generations of children will be free from the threat of polio. Achieving this goal depends on interrupting poliovirus transmission and on ensuring rapid and effective responses to poliovirus outbreaks occurring in polio-free countries

GPEI Strategy for the response to circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus Type 2 (cVDPV2) 2020–2021, offers contingency measures across four mutually supportive areas of work: 1. enhanced outbreak response; 2. vaccine supply and usage; 3. early detection of new outbreaks; and 4. communication and promotion. Countries experiencing cVDPV2 outbreaks are expected to implement these strategies and break transmission within the shortest possible time.

The World Health Organization (WHO) Country Office for Ghana seeks to engage highly motivated professionals to support the implementation of polio outbreak response activities.

Job Description

Job Title: Programme Assistant

Description of duties:

As Office Clerk, the incumbent will ensure the smooth flow of work as related to clerical activities, coordinating actions with other support staff in the team, and in consultation and collaboration with the Assistant to the WHO Representative. The incumbent will work under the overall supervision of the WHO Representative and direct supervision of the Operations Officers.

Objectives of the Programme and the immediate Strategic Objectives

Country Office Support Units have been established in the organizational structure to provide support for Managers and staff to fully assume their responsibilities in the Global Management System (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.

Organizational context

The incumbent works on the basis of general instructions, own experience and precedents, following WHO Country Office procedures and practices, rules and regulations, to ensure smooth workflow in the assigned area of work. The incumbent is encouraged to seek guidance for unusual issues. Most of the work is controlled for correctness and appropriateness by the incumbent.

Summary of Assigned Duties

Under the guidance and supervision of the NPO/Operations Officer, the incumbent will perform the following duties;

1. Assist in receiving visitors and answer telephones, direct calls and take messages; Registers, classifies and routes incoming correspondence, documents, and other materials;
2. Compile, copy, sort, and file records of office activities, and other activities;
3. Maintain and update filing, inventory, mailing, and database systems, either manually or using a computer;
4. Collects and delivers mail, pouches and other communications from and to the post office, government agencies, and other institutions;
5. Sorts deliver and pick up mail from various offices on the premises at regular intervals. Keeps records as required;
6. Operate office machines, such as photocopiers and scanners, duplicating machines and personal computers;
7. Using appropriate tracking tools, follow-up on and ensure that target dates and deadlines are met and that correspondence and queries are responded to in a timely manner
8. Prepare travel requests for official WHO travel. Make flight and hotel reservations, etc
9. The incumbent will serve as back up to the team members in similar or different positions within the WCO
10. Support implementation of other health priorities as a part of WHO’s Country Cooperation Strategy
11. Perform other related duties as required or instructed and may be required to deliver messages and run errands.

Education:Essential:  Completion of secondary school education and/or equivalent technical or commercial education.

Desirable:  Training in typing/secretarial tasks and/or in a clerical field is desirable.

Experience:

Essential: 2 to 4 years of experience in clerical or office work.

Desirable: Experience working in WHO would be an added advantage

Skills:

1.    Excellent Communication skills (both written and spoken);

2.    Knowledge of Word Processing, Spreadsheet and presentation software;

3.    Experience working successfully in similar position as outlined in the scope of work

Competencies:

1.    Moving forward in a changing environment

2.    Producing results

3.    Fostering integration and team work

Languages:

Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English and working knowledge of local language will be an asset.

Additional Information:

This position will be filled only by a national of Ghana.

The incumbent should contribute to ensuring high professional, ethical, and institutional standards of the Organization. Meet professional conduct expectations, and basic universal norms of honesty, integrity, loyalty, and lawful behavior. This includes compliance with the above, including ability to: perform within existing organizational structures and governance; adhere to WHO’s processes; demonstrate gender and cultural sensitivity; demonstrate respectful and constructive interpersonal communication; perform as a team player; and demonstrate due diligence.