National Professional Officer

Job Posting Organization:
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. Established on April 7, 1948, WHO's mission is to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve vulnerable populations. With a workforce of over 7,000 employees, WHO operates in more than 150 countries, working with governments and partners to improve health outcomes globally. The organization focuses on various health priorities, including disease prevention, health systems strengthening, and emergency response, aligning its strategies with the sustainable development goals (SDGs).

Job Overview:
The National Professional Officer position is designed to ensure effective WHO country presence and to implement WHO country cooperation strategies that align with the health priorities of Member States. The role involves contributing to the planning, formulation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of medical supply chain activities and stock management. The officer will work closely with the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) and the WHO team to enhance quality control and assurance systems for procurement and supply chain management. This includes addressing issues related to access to quality-assured medical products and providing technical assistance for the automation of warehouse management. The officer will also be responsible for developing and updating the national essential medicines list and conducting capacity-building activities in the regulation of medical products. The position requires collaboration with various stakeholders to improve medical device management in healthcare facilities and to disseminate best practices and guidelines.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the planning, formulation, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of medical supply chain activities and stock management.
• Strengthen the regulatory system of medical products and implement good regulatory practices through technical assistance and capacity building.
• Collaborate with the WHO team and MoHP on quality control and assurance systems for procurement, supply chain management, distribution, and storage of medical products.
• Provide technical insight for upgrading and automating warehouse management capacity at both central and peripheral levels.
• Develop and update the national essential medicines list for the country.
• Conduct national capacity-building activities in the regulation of medical products, including pharmacovigilance and supply chain management.
• Recommend improvements for medical device management in healthcare facilities in compliance with WHO standards.
• Coordinate the publishing and dissemination of information, documents, and guidelines on best practices related to technical activities.

Required Qualifications:
Essential qualifications include a university degree in Pharmacy, with a Master's Degree in public health being desirable. Candidates must possess very good technical knowledge in the field of medical products, demonstrated knowledge about WHO's Programme on Essential Medicines and Health Technologies, and an understanding of access to medical products and supply chain management. Knowledge of WHO and/or UN procurement procedures is also required. Candidates should have the ability to write reports, deliver oral presentations, and create technical and advocacy documents.

Educational Background:
Candidates must have a university degree in Pharmacy as a minimum educational requirement. A Master's Degree in public health is considered an asset and is desirable for this position.

Experience:
Candidates should have at least 2 years of experience in a related field managing pharmaceutical products. Relevant experience in WHO or UN organizations is considered desirable and will enhance the candidate's profile.

Languages:
Expert knowledge of English and Arabic is essential for this position. Proficiency in additional languages may be considered an asset but is not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
This is a National Professional Officer position, meaning only applications from nationals of Egypt will be accepted. The remuneration for this position starts at an annual base salary of USD 39,228, subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance. The position includes 30 days of annual leave. The vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level. Candidates under serious consideration will be contacted, and a written test or asynchronous video assessment may be used as part of the screening process. Candidates must provide scanned copies of their educational qualifications in advance of an interview. WHO is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of underrepresented Member States. The organization has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and abuse, and all candidates will undergo background verification.