Team Lead (Vaccines and Immunization Policy)

The Team Lead provides technical leadership and managerial support in vaccine and immunization policy within the Department of Immunization, Vaccines & Biologicals. The role involves developing evidence-based WHO policy recommendations, managing a small team, overseeing resource mobilization, and serving as Executive Secretary to the SAGE advisory committee to support global immunization priorities and policy guidance.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership and managerial support within the Department/Programme in vaccine and immunization policy, ensuring timely development of evidence-based WHO policy recommendations.
• Develop and propose technical health policies and strategies through collaboration with Regional and Country Offices; serve as focal point to regions for immunization policy matters and advise on policy adaptations and implementation.
• Manage the programme area by leading a small team of technical staff, developing and monitoring workplans and financial resources, and implementing planned activities to optimize deliverables.
• Lead and conduct research on best practices in implementing programmes and disseminate information for capacity building.
• Manage monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of key performance indicators and reporting requirements to optimize programme performance.
• Serve as technical reference among peer community, UN Agencies, and other stakeholders at technical levels.
• Liaise with and utilize partnerships with UN Agencies, donors, research institutions, and maintain contact with key technical partners such as Gavi and National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups.
• Represent the programme area at meetings, international fora, and working groups to advocate for WHO vaccine and immunization policy and support scientific credibility.
• Serve as Executive Secretary to the SAGE advisory committee, providing strategic and operational leadership for SAGE and related working groups on vaccine and immunization matters.
• Adapt and strengthen SAGE processes to respond to emerging global immunization priorities and enhance advisory mechanisms.
• Oversee the WHO/IVB Steering Group on vaccine position papers and related policy guidance, with final responsibility for scientific and technical content.
• Serve as departmental focal point for assigned diseases or disease areas and lead or co-lead work on emerging cross-cutting issues including vaccination policy prioritization.
• Oversee resource mobilization and donor reporting, ensuring effective stewardship and accountability of programme resources.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• An advanced level university degree at the Doctoral (MD) level or PhD level in public health, medicine, vaccinology, immunology or other relevant biological scientific area.
• Advanced training in epidemiology, vaccinology, immunology, or other relevant scientific area (desirable).
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in vaccine evaluation, and extensive experience in the area of health policy and strategy development.
• Demonstrated experience of vaccine and immunization policy generation at the international level.
• Demonstrated experience in appraising evidence that can support vaccine policy development.
• A record of peer-reviewed publications with emphasis on scientific aspects of vaccines and immunization.
• Demonstrated experience managing human and financial resources.
• Experience of routine vaccination programmes in low-income countries and country decision-making (desirable).
• Experience in the development and policy generation of high priority vaccines (desirable).
• Experience in organizing and overseeing technical advisory committees (desirable).
• Advanced scientific and technical expertise in vaccine development and evaluation, including efficacy, effectiveness, impact and safety studies.
• Advanced knowledge of immunization, epidemiology, and disease surveillance.
• Ability to direct and assess scientific work.
• Ability to exercise leadership and to work effectively with colleagues at national and international level.
• Ability to establish (and interact with) major advisory committee and to foster consensus.
• Ability to plan, organize, coordinate and implement work inputs from several sources; to express ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Extensive knowledge of WHO and a proven ability to work in a multicultural environment, including with regional staff and external partners.
• Expert knowledge of English.
• Intermediate knowledge of French (desirable).

Skills

• Vaccine Evaluation
• Health Policy Strategy
• Epidemiology
• Vaccinology
• Immunology
• Vaccine Safety Studies
• Vaccine Efficacy Studies
• Disease Surveillance
• Scientific Evidence Appraisal
• Peer-reviewed Publications
• Human Resources Management
• Financial Resource Management
• Technical Advisory Committee Management
• Vaccine Development
• Routine Vaccination Programmes
• Policy Generation
• Scientific Leadership
• Multi-cultural Team Collaboration
• WHO Policy Development
• Technical Leadership
• Vaccine Policy Development

Languages

English, French