Director of Programme Management

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. The organization operates in over 150 countries and has a workforce of more than 7,000 employees. WHO's primary goal is to ensure that all people can attain the highest possible level of health, which includes addressing health systems, disease prevention, and health promotion. The organization is committed to achieving universal health coverage and addressing health emergencies, while also promoting healthier populations through various initiatives and programs.

Job Overview:
The Director of Programme Management (DPM) at the WHO Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO) plays a crucial role in the health agenda for the region from 2025 to 203

• The DPM oversees multiple clusters, including Health Systems and Services (HSS), Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Control (HPDPC), and the Programme Budgeting and Performance Monitoring & Evaluation (PBM) Unit. This position is pivotal in integrating strategic planning, performance accountability, resource mobilization, and country support across WHO/AFRO. The DPM's office is aligned with the 'Healthier Africa' Agenda, which aims to improve health outcomes for all Africans by 2030, and operationalizes the WHO Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW14) and the outcomes of the 78th World Health Assembly. The incumbent will support data analysis and reporting, contributing to effective data management practices and knowledge sharing within the organization.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The incumbent will be responsible for a variety of tasks under the direct supervision of the Team Lead Monitoring and Evaluation, Special Initiatives, and Change Management (MSC). Key responsibilities include: A. Data management and analysis: Acquiring, cleaning, validating, and joining data from both structured and unstructured sources; building feature stores; implementing data quality checks; and enforcing FAIR data principles while complying with data protection agreements. B. Modeling: Supporting the development of predictive, classification, segmentation, recommendation, forecasting, and optimization models using machine learning and AI techniques; contributing to the design and implementation of retrieval-augmented generation pipelines and evaluation methods for generative AI applications. C. Supporting the design and implementation of Excel or SQL-based tools for supply activities and data follow-up; maintaining current data consolidation processes; producing data reports and insights; creating and maintaining dashboards; delivering training materials; and running informational sessions on relevant topics. Key deliverables include executive and operational dashboards, analytical insights, and user training materials.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a first university degree in data science, computer science, statistics, applied mathematics, econometrics, or a related field. A master's degree in one of these fields is desirable. Essential experience includes at least 2 years of designing and implementing data management solutions, while a background in public health is considered advantageous. Candidates should demonstrate expertise in data extraction, cleaning, transformation, interpretation, validation, and quality assurance, as well as proficiency in creating and training machine learning models using frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch. Skills in building ETL pipelines and utilizing business intelligence and advanced visualization tools such as PowerBI or Qlik are also required, along with strong analytical and writing abilities and advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and Copilot. Experience with SQL and expertise in Large Language Models and Generative AI are essential.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes a first university degree in data science, computer science, statistics, applied mathematics, econometrics, or a related field. A master's degree in one of these areas is desirable, indicating a higher level of expertise and understanding of complex data management and analysis techniques.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience in designing and implementing data management solutions. This experience should demonstrate the candidate's ability to handle data effectively and contribute to the organization's goals. A background in public health is considered a valuable asset, as it provides context for the data management work within the health sector.

Languages:
Essential language skills include expert knowledge of French or English, with intermediate knowledge of the other language. Desirable skills include intermediate knowledge of Portuguese or any other UN official language, which would enhance communication and collaboration within the international context of the organization.

Additional Notes:
The position offers an attractive remuneration package, including an annual net base salary starting at XAF 25,234,000, subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance. Staff members are entitled to 30 days of annual leave. Special consideration will be given to staff members who have been separated due to the 2025 Prioritization and Realignment Process. The vacancy notice may also 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 part of the screening process. Candidates must provide scanned copies of required degrees and qualifications, which must be from accredited institutions recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED). WHO emphasizes the importance of recruiting staff on a wide geographical basis and is committed to diversity and inclusion in its workforce. The organization has a zero-tolerance policy towards sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct. Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with WHO, and candidates may be assigned to any activity or duty station worldwide. WHO also offers a range of benefits, including parental leave and flexible work arrangements to promote a healthy work-life balance.