Coordinator (Surge & Crisis Support) Grade: P-6

To reduce the health consequences of emergencies, disasters, crises and conflicts and minimize their social and economic impact. The Surge & Crisis Support Unit is responsible for facilitating institutional readiness and business continuity planning in the context of emergency risk management and providing appropriate and timely support in the context of acute onset disasters/crises and protracted emergencies.
Description of duties: The purpose of this Coordinator position is to lead the Surge and Crisis Support Unit within the Emergency Risk Management and Response department (ERM) in the Cluster of Polio, Emergencies and Country Collaboration (PEC). The primary function is to plan, implement and deliver the products and activities of the unit directly, through the management of the unit's team members and in coordination with Regional Offices and partner agencies. The primary responsibilities are to manage the department's work to ensure institutional readiness for health action in humanitarian crisis globally and to support Regional Offices and Health Cluster partners in acute and protracted emergencies through the rapid deployment of technical, financial, logistical and material support as required. The position will as Coordinator lead the Surge & Crisis Support Unit under the direct supervision of the Director, ERM. Summary of assigned duties: - Lead and manage the staff and financial resources of the Surge and Crisis Support Unit to develop and implement its work plan and ensure the delivery of its major products. - Manage the WHO/Global Health Cluster role in interagency rapid response teams including deployment of a WHO/GHC pre-qualified team within 72-hours as required in level 3 (and potentially level 2) emergencies. - Coordinate the provision of technical support to Regional and Country Offices and the PEC cluster enabling units for resource mobilization for acute and protracted humanitarian emergencies. - Provide guidance to WHO Regional and Country Offices, and health cluster partners, for the development of health cluster response strategies, action plans and appeals. - Serve as event manager of WHO/HQ functions in level 2 emergencies; ensure HQ readiness. - Backstop Regional Offices to build country office readiness and contingency plans, with a particular emphasis on priority watch-list countries, through training, simulations and desktop exercises. - Ensure functioning Organization-wide Standard Operating Procedures for humanitarian action for all levels of emergencies. - Coordinate WHO/HQs surge capacity for health in humanitarian emergencies, including ensuring a functioning human resources roster, facilitating inter-regional and inter-agency mechanisms for rapid deployment of surge teams, and defining team compositions and functions. - Overseeing and ensuring the ongoing functioning of the HQ rapid response account for humanitarian emergencies and the procurement, stocking, transport and management of medical supplies at six United Nations Humanitarian Response Depots (UNHRD). - Backstopping RO/CO in establishing infrastructure/logistics at the site of acute, sudden-onset emergencies, with appropriate links to the logistics cluster. - Assist the Director in fulfilling this mandate and undertaking other duties as required by the Director.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education: Essential: An advanced degree in a health field, complemented by a post-graduate degree in public health or public health-related discipline or disaster management. Desirable: Medical degree; specific training in emergency risk management; specific training in humanitarian response.
Skills: - Comprehensive knowledge and experience in managing and directing organizational assets to save lives and improve health in the setting of humanitarian disasters. - Demonstrated leadership and team management skills in international and multi-cultural settings, including the proven capacity to lead and deliver on deadlines during periods of extreme stress and intense activity; demonstrated ability to provide independent leadership in such periods with capacity to organize, monitor and synthesize information quickly and concisely. - Proven ability to coordinate, manage and lead successfully projects across agencies and organizational departments in the context of humanitarian emergencies (ideally including within and across WHO). - Proven ability to interact and negotiate with senior leadership in national and international agencies and organizations. - Excellent interpersonal and communications skills with solid writing and editing experience and ability. - Strong strategic thinking, with the ability to quickly comprehend strategic and tactical objectives and to formulate plans to address challenges/risks. Other Skills: Knowledge of office software applications, including at least basic facility with database and related programmes. WHO competencies: Promoting WHO's position in health leadership. Ensuring the effective use of resources Building and promoting partnership across the organization and beyond Fostering integration and teamwork Driving WHO to a successful future
Experience: Essential: - At least 10 years of experience at national and international levels in emergency readiness and especially response work, including at least 5 years in senior management position(s), ideally at the global level. This experience must encompass work in humanitarian response in settings of acute onset disasters/crises, protracted emergencies and fragile states. - Relevant experience in strategy formulation and interagency collaboration. - Proven leadership skills and experience in managing complex projects in the field or at global level, and contingency and operational planning. - Proven experience and a successful track record in establishing/managing mechanisms for the rapid deployment of surge teams and their co-ordination in the context of humanitarian emergencies. - Experience in developing and managing standard operating procedures for implementing and coordinating humanitarian action for all levels of emergencies. - Experience in planning and overseeing the rapid deployment of materials and equipment in the context of humanitarian response. - Substantial experience in human and financial resource management with a strong track record of leadership and management of teams comprised of different technical and cultural backgrounds. Desirable: - Relevant work experience in WHO and/or UN sister agencies; experience working in relevant non-governmental or humanitarian organizations. - Work experience or training as Health Cluster Coordinator or a Humanitarian Coordinator.
Languages: Excellent knowledge of English with a working knowledge of French. Knowledge of other WHO working languages an advantage.
Additional Information: The following priority order will be observed in the screening of candidates: 1. WHO staff members (Continuing, Fixed-term and Temporary appointments), 2. External candidates. A written test may be used for screening purposes. Other similar positions at the same level may be filled from this vacancy notice. This vacancy is published in English only.
Annual salary: (Net of tax) USD 95,270 at single rate USD 103,070 with primary dependants	Post Adjustment: 125.4 % of the above figure(s). This percentage is to be considered as indicative since variations may occur each month either upwards or downwards due to currency exchange rate fluctuations or inflation.
Online applications are strongly encouraged to enable WHO to store your profile in a permanent database. Please visit WHO's e-Recruitment website at: www.who.int/employment. The system provides instructions for online application procedures.
All applicants are encouraged to apply online as soon as possible after the vacancy has been posted and well before the deadline stated in the vacancy announcement.