Unit Head (Emerging Zoonoses & High Impact Epidemics)

The Unit Head provides technical leadership, coordination, and managerial support within the Unit of Emerging Zoonoses and High Impact Epidemics. The role involves developing evidence-based technical guidance and strategies, managing technical teams, overseeing programme deliverables, and representing the programme at various meetings to advocate for emerging diseases and zoonoses.

Responsibilities

• Provides technical leadership, coordination and managerial support within the Unit of Emerging Zoonoses and High Impact Epidemics ensuring efficient and effective activities.
• Develops and updates evidence based technical guidance and strategies in Emerging Zoonoses and High Impact Epidemics.
• Develops and proposes technical health policies and strategies for implementation through collaboration with Regional and Country Offices and partners.
• Oversees a unit of technical teams experts specialized in various domains and facilitates efficient team synergies.
• Manages the programme area delivering objectives through managing technical staff, financial resources and work planning.
• Leads and conducts research on best practices and dissemination of information for capacity building.
• Manages monitoring, evaluation and reporting of key performance indicators and reporting requirements.
• Serves as technical reference among peer community, UN Agencies and other stakeholders.
• Liaises with partnerships in UN Agencies, Donors, or research institutions to position technical work into Global and/or National policies.
• Represents the programme area at various meetings to advocate for Emerging Diseases and Zoonoses.
• Leads development and implementation of WHO technical strategies and operational frameworks for emerging zoonotic diseases and high-consequence epidemic threats.
• Directs global technical assessments, horizon scanning and risk analysis to identify emerging public health threats and inform decision-making.
• Oversees development of scientific guidance and technical products supporting outbreak preparedness and emergency management.
• Coordinates technical networks, collaborating centres and external expert groups to strengthen evidence generation and policy development.
• Provides technical leadership during epidemic and pandemic events ensuring timely evidence-based advice and support to Member States and WHO teams.
• Promotes integration of One Health approaches and multisectoral collaboration at global, regional and national levels.

Requirements

• An advanced level university degree (Master's level degree) in medicine or advanced university degree (Master's level degree) in public health, infectious diseases or epidemiology.
• A PhD in one of the above-mentioned fields (desirable).
• A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in the prevention and control of Emerging Zoonoses and High Impact Epidemics, including experience in the area of health policies and strategies.
• Demonstrated experience managing human and financial resources.
• Demonstrated experience at the international level.
• Experience in project management (desirable).
• Experience in disease surveillance (desirable).
• Experience of work in international organizations (desirable).
• Concrete skills in the planning and coordination of multidisciplinary public health programmes, which may include the implementation of a public health/disease control programmes.
• Strong skills in the area of developing and establishing policies and strategies.
• Excellent skills and ability in managing diverse teams and financial resources.
• Good skills in mobilizing resources.
• Ability to engage and communicate effectively and diplomatically with external partners including Ministries of Health, Donor institutions, Civil Society, and other stakeholders.
• Commitment to collaborate effectively with other key partners in the Health Subject area.
• Expert knowledge of English.
• Intermediate knowledge of French (desirable).

Skills

• Emerging Zoonoses Prevention
• High Impact Epidemics Control
• Health Policy Development
• Public Health Programme Coordination
• Disease Surveillance
• Project Management
• Human Resources Management
• Financial Resource Management
• Multi-disciplinary Team Leadership
• Resource Mobilization
• Technical Guidance
• Stakeholder Engagement
• International Health Agencies Collaboration
• Epidemiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health Strategy

Languages

English, French