Purpose of the Post:

The purpose of the Programme Management Officer position is to support the effective coordination, monitoring, and delivery of the Pandemic Fund single country project portfolio in the African Region. The incumbent will contribute to ensuring technical coherence, operational efficiency, and compliance across assigned projects, while strengthening country capacity for project implementation, reporting, and results-based management. By facilitating coordination among country offices, the Regional Office, Headquarters, and external stakeholders, the position supports WHO’s role as an Implementing Entity of the Pandemic Fund and contributes to the timely, accountable, and high quality delivery of investments that enhance pandemic preparedness, health emergency readiness, and health systems resilience in Member States.

Objectives of the Programme and of the immediate unit or field activity (Overview of the programme):

The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme)/WHE/EPR is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations. The Management & Administration Unit of the Health Emergencies Programme is responsible for effective management and administrative support for the emergencies programme and for ensuring that WHO emergency operations are rapidly and sustainably financed and staffed. This consists of the provision of high-quality, predictable administrative services (i.e. HR, Finance, work planning, grant management) to the Emergency Programme, including during emergency response, as well as effective monitoring of (and compliance with) SOPs, leading to continuous improvement and business process excellence.

Organizational Context (Describe the work environment, the role of the individual within the team – team member, specialist, adviser, facilitator, coordinator/manager, representative, expert, authority in the field, etc; available guidelines and degree of independence in decision making, and nature and purpose of contact within and outside the Organization):

The World Health Organization (WHO) leads global efforts to promote health, protect populations, and respond to public health emergencies. Central to its mission is the strengthening of health systems to effectively manage and mitigate health crises by providing guidance, resources, and strategic support to enhance global health security.

The mission of WHO’s Emergency Preparedness & Response (EPR) Cluster is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response. This includes containing outbreaks and providing effective relief and recovery for affected populations.

Within EPR, the Emergency Preparedness Programme focuses on strengthening countries’ readiness to respond to outbreaks and health emergencies. This includes supporting risk assessments, developing preparedness plans, enhancing surveillance and early warning systems, strengthening emergency response mechanisms, and building workforce capacity. The programme also coordinates with WHO country offices, regional partners, and global initiatives to ensure a proactive and effective response to emerging health threats. The team works closely with colleagues across the EPR Cluster and beyond to align efforts and deliver on WHO’s emergency preparedness goals.

The Pandemic Fund Delivery Unit (PDU), hosted within the Health Emergency, Pandemics & Threats Preparedness Programme (HEP) under the EPR Cluster at the WHO Regional Office for Africa, supports the strategic implementation and coordination of resources mobilized through the Pandemic Fund. The PDU ensures timely delivery, accountability, and measurable impact across WHO AFRO Member States. The Programme Management and Partnerships Officer will play a pivotal role in bolstering WHO’s leadership in the Pandemic Fund process, cultivating strategic partnerships, and ensuring alignment with WHO’s regional health security priorities.

Summary of Assigned Duties (Describe what the incumbent has to do to achieve main objectives; include main achievements expected):

Under the leadership of the HEP PAM, Nairobi Hub Coordinator and the supervision of the PDU Project Coordinator, the incumbent will contribute to the coordination, monitoring, and delivery of the Pandemic Fund single country portfolio. Initially, the incumbent will support 12 projects across multiple countries, with potential expansion during the assignment period. The incumbent will ensure technical and operational coherence across the portfolio, facilitate knowledge exchange, and support effective delivery and governance of projects in alignment with WHO’s role as Implementing Entity and delivery partner.

Summary of assigned duties:

The incumbent is assigned to all of the following responsibilities, which are performed as needed:

1. Project management support, coordination and compliance & risk management

• Develop and improve project management tools and resources to meet the needs of the projects.
• Lead the onboarding of new projects ensuring they are set for success (i.e. onboarding package and sessions)
• Establish and maintain a consolidated tracking mechanism for assigned single country Pandemic Fund projects, capturing milestones, expenditures, deliverables, and risks.
• Support projects to submit post-approval changes to the pandemic fund secretariat.
• Act as the focal point between countries, the regional office and HQ on single country project management
• Consolidate weekly updates for all projects for the attention of the AFRO senior management
• Connecting projects with the appropriate resources at regional and HQ levels in terms of procurement, M&E, communication, and budget and finance.
• Support risk identification and mitigation planning at both country and portfolio levels.
• Provide guidance to ensure timely reporting, alignment with Fund priorities, and adherence to WHO procedures.

2. Country capacity building and delivery support

• Support in building the capacity of each project team in project management and in the use of existing tools and resources at AFRO and HQ.
• Support technical leads in the countries in operationalizing workplans, ensuring synergy across components (surveillance, laboratories, workforce, emergency operations, etc.).
• Provide input into technical missions, workshops, and capacity-building activities.
• Track country progress against results frameworks and performance indicators in coordination with the M&E focal points.
• Support the review and validation of country deliverables and progress reports to the Pandemic Fund and WHO as an IE.

3. Governance, Reporting, and Stakeholder Engagement

• Coordinate preparation of portfolio-level briefs and updates for governance bodies (e.g., Pandemic Fund Steering Committee, WHO internal boards).
• Synthesize technical and financial inputs for semi-annual and annual reports.
• Liaise with regional and country offices to ensure alignment and information flow.
• Support workshop planning, facilitation, and follow-up to strengthen cross-country learning.

4. Community of Practice and Strategic Knowledge Management

• Establish and operationalize the community of practice for the pandemic fund in AFRO
• Facilitate bi-monthly coordination meetings with country focal points.
• Document lessons learned, best practices, and innovations from implementation.
• Contribute to the development of guidance, templates, and standard operating procedures for portfolio management.
• Maintain a repository of tools, reports, and knowledge products for cross-country learning.

RECRUITMENT PROFILE

Competencies

1. Communicating in a credible and effective way
2. Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
3. Efficient use of resources
4. Fostering integration and teamwork

Functional Skills and Knowledge

• Strong problem-solving skills, demonstrated through the ability to identify challenges, gather and analyse complex data, build strategic models, and provide well-founded recommendations to enhance project outcomes.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively present in meetings, draft comprehensive report, and create strategic presentations. The officer should engage effectively with diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, international organizations, and health partners at national, regional, and international levels.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively in teams, fostering cooperation, developing team members promoting a constructive team environment that values teamwork, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Education (Qualifications)

Essential:

• University degree in public health, health policy, management, or international development.

Desirable:

• Advanced university degree in at least one of the abovementioned fields will be an asset

Experience

Essential:

• At least five (5) in managing public health programs or operations, preferably in African contexts, with a strong focus on strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and policy development in emergency or humanitarian settings.
• Proven expertise in project management, including the ability to oversee multiple projects, manage risks, and ensure timely delivery of outcomes. This includes managing project work, coordinating teams, and reporting to higher-level management.
• Strong interpersonal, diplomatic, and organizational skills, with demonstrated ability to engage and coordinate with a diverse range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Successful facilitation of capacity-building session
• Excellent analytical, writing, and presentation skills.
• High standards of integrity, discretion, and sound judgment.
• Capacity to work effectively under pressure and meet deadlines.

Desirable:

• Prior experience working with the United Nations, the Pandemic Fund, World Bank, or similar mechanisms is an asset

Languages

• Excellent knowledge of English
• Working knowledge of French or Portuguese would be an asset.

Other Skills (e.g. IT)

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly PowerPoint and Excel.
• Good general knowledge of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.