Team Lead – Health Intelligence Architecture

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme (The Programme) 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 Health Emergency Intelligence and Surveillance Systems division (WSE) is responsible for building a system of collaborative intelligence enabling better decisions to avert and manage public health threats and risks. Its goal is to enable, strengthen and support countries, regional and global actors in averting and managing public health threats and risks through collaborative problem solving and decision-making for short-term action and long-term policies, informed by better data and analytics.The WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence is a new office of WHO, located in Berlin. It works with partners to enable the generation of public health relevant information to provide timely actionable insights and improve decision making to prepare for, avert and respond to public health threats. It also aims to reduce fragmentation and inefficiency by creating an ecosystem that promotes collaboration across multiple professional disciplines, sectors, and initiatives; and empower decision makers, public health professionals, and civil society to make informed public health decisions.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Within the framework of the delegated authority, the incumbent is assigned all or part of the following duties which are performed according to the needs of the unit and department:

• Assess, develop, implement and advise on the overall technology architecture and engineering strategy for the Department.

• Oversee and lead a team of architects and engineers, including hiring, training, and performance management.

• Collaborate with stakeholders to identify and prioritize technology initiatives based on business needs and requirements.

• Evaluate and select appropriate technologies and platforms to support business objectives.

• Ensure that architecture and engineering solutions are aligned with industry best practices and compliance requirements.

• Advise on and lead the development and maintenance of roadmaps for the evolution of the Department’s technology architecture and engineering capabilities.

• Implement processes and procedures to ensure quality, consistency, and scalability of architecture and engineering solutions.

• Provide technical advice, guidance and leadership to the team and other stakeholders.

• Identify and evaluate new opportunities for growth and expansion, including potential partnerships and strategic initiatives.

• Monitor trends and developments across sectors and domains to stay up-to-date on changes in relevant landscapes, emerging technologies, strategic opportunities and best practices.

• Negotiate with and foster new partnerships with internal and external public health partners, including Member States, regional networks and international organisations, to enable the development of strategic technology solutions and funding.

• Liaise with and utilize partnerships across other UN Agencies, donors, private sector and academia / research institutions.

• Prepare regular reports and presentations for senior leadership and other stakeholders on strategy and implementation, highlighting progress and achievements as well as identifying challenges / risks and areas / options for improvement.

• Stay up-to-date with the latest developments in technology domains with relevance to the work of the Hub and Department.

• Represent the programme area of work at various meetings to advocate for the objectives, projects and initiatives of the Department and Hub.

• Perform other related duties as assigned, including replacing and back stopping for others as required.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: Advanced level university degree (Masters or higher) in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering or related field.
Desirable: Advanced university degree (Masters or higher) in Business Management, Administration or other related field. Certifications in relevant technologies such as AWS, Azure, or Docker. Certifications in software development methodologies such as Agile or DevOps and software development frameworks like Scrum or Kanban. Certifications in leadership, management and communication.

Experience

Essential: A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience leading technical teams, managing large projects, and developing technology strategies with demonstrated experience in software architecture and design, including familiarity with design patterns, scalability, performance, and security. Experience with modern software development methodologies such as Agile, DevOps, and Continuous Delivery. Demonstrated experience developing, coordinating, managing and implementing strategies, processes and innovative solutions across disciplines and sectors, for the growth and expansion of technological solutions. Demonstrated experience in complex international contexts involving technical, cultural and political elements. Experience with inter-agency collaboration or in WHO, UN, UN Agencies or other international organisations.
Desirable: Demonstrated experience with and contributions to public health across sectors and geo-political levels.

Skills

• Proven track record of building and leading high-performing architecture and engineering teams.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise architecture frameworks, design patterns, and principles.
• Proven expertise in multiple programming languages, platforms, and technologies.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Strong understanding of geopolitical issues and the international context.
• Proven ability to lead projects in a multi-disciplinary and cross-cutting environment involving technological, technical, cultural and political elements.
• Strong skills in developing strategies and making policy recommendations.
• Strong skills in building and maintaining partnerships.
• Strong skills in mobilizing and managing financial and human resources.
• Strong skills in administrative processes with a sound understanding of work planning.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills with the ability to effectively communicate technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to advocate for and communicate the importance of enterprise architecture frameworks and principles to stakeholders and management.
• Proven ability to manage diverse teams to produce results under pressure in critical situations.
• Ability to engage and communicate effectively, diplomatically and tactfully with external partners including Ministries of Health, donor institutions, civil society, and other stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to keep abreast of new developments in multiple domains.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Producing results
Knowing and managing yourself
Creating an empowering and motivating environment

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of another WHO language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, Spanish).

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 92,731 (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 3354 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: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

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

• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

• For information on WHO’s operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its staff. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (

https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion

)are strongly encouraged to apply for WHO jobs.

Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to

reasonableaccommodation@who.int

• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with WHO and an underlying premise of the international civil service. 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.

• WHO also offers wide range of benefits to staff, including parental leave and attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work-life balance and to allow all staff members to express and develop their talents fully.

• The statutory retirement age for staff appointments is 65 years. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete the term of appointment will normally be considered.

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

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