Job Detail

Director, Ageing and Life Course - (1804028)  Grade: D1Contractual Arrangement: Fixed-term appointmentContract duration: Longer term: 

Job Posting

: Sep 14, 2018, 11:44:17 AM

Closing Date

: Oct 12, 2018, 11:59:00 PM

Primary Location

: Switzerland-Geneva

Organization

: HQ/ALC - Ageing and Life Course

Schedule

: Full-time  
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications indicated above reflects your personal device's system settings. 

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

Ageing and Health has been identified as a key area of work in WHO's General Programme of Work. The Department of Ageing and Life Course (ALC) coordinates this work with the aim of bringing about policy, legislative, programmatic and social change for people to experience the best possible trajectories of Healthy Ageing. This includes strategies to help people build and maintain capacity across their lives, and to help people with declines in capacity to compensate or adapt to these losses. To achieve this, WHO draws on the total assets of the Organization in a “whole of Organization” approach led by the ALC Department. This also entails close collaboration with all levels of government, civil society and academia.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

- To manage and oversee the Department of Ageing and Life Course (ALC) and partner with other Departments and the three levels of the Organization to ensure an Organizational response to the issue of population ageing.

- To present a compelling vision and lead global efforts in reframing of the way the world considers ageing and older people, and work to ensure the GPW goal of “15 million people over the age of 65 prevented from becoming care dependent” is achieved.

- To lead, coordinate and advance the WHO Global Strategy and Action Plan on Ageing and Health, and the planned Decade of Healthy Ageing 2021-2030.

- To ensure that WHO's approach in all spheres is consistent with a sustainable and equitable response to the global transition to older populations.

- To direct technical expertise in identifying gaps and appropriate policy and research responses, to establish norms and guidance to facilitate country action.

- To convene expertise on key topics and synthesize knowledge to support higher strategic priorities, to advocate for action aligned with the GPW.

- To convene global partnerships to support this work including responsibility for important partnership platforms such as the Clinical Consortium on Healthy Ageing, the WHO Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities.

- To attract and advocate for resources to facilitate action and to ensure the capacity at country level.

- To represent the Organization at international and national fora with Member States and scientific and international meetings to promote healthy aging and life course

- Acts, as and when requested, as Assistant Director-General, Family, Women, Children and Adolescents Cluster.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential : Medical or other health science university degree with an advanced university degree (Masters level or above) in gerontology, geriatrics, public health, management, sociology, or other field with an emphasis on ageing.


Desirable : Post graduate degree in Public Health, training in management and/or developmental studies and/or economics.

Experience

Essential : At least 15 years' experience in health programme development and management both at national and international levels. At least 10 years working on ageing and health issues including working in or with low resource countries. Experience in ageing related research demonstrated through published articles in peer reviewed journals. Proven experience leading and managing a diverse teams .


Desirable : International experience in the promotion and implementation of policies and programmes addressing ageing and health. Senior experience in working with different constituencies and networking with key partners (academic, NGOs, governments, UN).

Skills

Demonstrated high level of knowledge of the medical, demographic, epidemiological, physiological, psychological, and social aspects of ageing. Demonstrated high level of knowledge of the biological, social, economic and other environmental factors contributing to trajectories of Healthy Ageing, including in low-resource settings. Demonstrated high level of understanding of the principles and scientific evidence on trajectories of health across the life course approach to health. Demonstrated high level of understanding of the principles of public health programming, and its operationalization at a country level. Demonstrated ability to work constructively with key stakeholders including senior researchers to deliver concrete outcomes. Proven managerial, supervisory and leadership skills. Knowledge and understanding of international plans of action and policies on ageing and their implications. Demonstrated ability to think strategically and deliver on major outcomes with limited resources. Demonstrated ability to communicate norms and concepts related to ageing and health in culturally acceptable and simple language. Exceptional communication skills and ability to advocate clearly and forcefully WHO's agenda on ageing. Demonstrated ability to build functional coalitions of key stakeholders and to tangibly work across a wide range of countries. Capacity to lead an achievement-oriented team, follow-up or delegate commitments, and to achieve impact through the development of a shared team vision. Demonstrated capacity to lead /play a successful role in resource mobilization.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork

Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

Communication

Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

Driving the Organization to a Successful Future

Creating an empowering and motivating environment

Use of Language Skills

Essential : Expert knowledge of English.


Desirable : Intermediate knowledge of French.

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 97,805 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 6121 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test may be used as a form of screening.

• In the event that your candidature is retained for an 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: www.whed.net/ . Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit: www.who.int.

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link:www.who.int/employment/en/. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.