Team Lead (Vaccines and Immunization Policy)

WHO - World Health Organization; Genf; Vor Ort; CHF 87.000 - 120.000; Vollzeit

Zusammenfassung

World Health Organization in Geneva is seeking a Team Lead for Vaccines and Immunization Policy (P5) to provide technical leadership and strategic direction in shaping global immunization policy. The role involves coordinating with regional and country offices, guiding policy adoption, and ensuring evidence-based decision making for routine and emergency immunization activities.

The successful candidate will lead cross-functional teams, oversee advisory groups like SAGE, and collaborate with

Qualifikationen

• Advanced scientific and technical expertise in vaccine development and evaluation.
• Advanced knowledge of immunization, epidemiology, and disease surveillance.
• Ability to lead and coordinate cross-functional teams.

Aufgaben

• Provides technical leadership and managerial support within the Department/Programme in vaccine policy.
• Develops and proposes policy through collaboration with regional and country offices.
• Oversees monitoring, evaluation and reporting of programme deliverables.
• Represents the programme area at meetings and liaises with UN agencies and partners.
• Oversees resource mobilization and donor reporting.

Kenntnisse

Vaccine policy leadership

Immunization program management

Evidence-based policy development

Stakeholder engagement

Ausbildung

Doctoral-level degree in public health/medicine/vaccinology

Desirable: advanced epidemiology/immunology training

Jobbeschreibung

Job Description - Team Lead (Vaccines and Immunization Policy) (2602203)

Team Lead (Vaccines and Immunization Policy) - ( 2602203 )

Grade : P5

Contractual Arrangement : Fixed-term appointment

Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days) : 2 years

Job Posting

Sep 22, 2026, 10:05:30 AM

Closing Date

Oct 13, 2026, 9:59:00 PM

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

The vision of the Division of Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care (PPC) is to advance health for all by anticipating change and integrating promotion, prevention and care across all health and disease areas to address today's greatest health burdens and tomorrow's challenges. Within the PPC division, the department of Immunization, Vaccines & Biologicals (IVB) aims to shape a world where everyone, everywhere, at every age, fully benefits from vaccines for good health and well-being through leadership, partnerships, coordination, research, guidance, technical assistance, data for action, and impact monitoring, in both routine and outbreak settings. The Strategic Objectives of the IVB Department draw from WHO mandates, key immunization and global health strategies, and include: Establishing global immunization agendas, strategies and policies to build and harness commitment to action. Promoting research and innovation to increase impact of vaccines, technologies and immunization practices. Advancing evidence-based introduction and access to vaccines and immunization innovations. Optimizing immunization delivery to ensure high-impact, sustainable and equitable programmes, including response to outbreaks and emergencies for global health security. Harnessing vaccine alliances and partnerships, including collaborations with Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and key WHO partners, towards cross-programme coordination and collaboration in pursuit of universal health coverage.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Generic duties:

Provides technical leadership and managerial support within the Department/Programme in the area of vaccine and immunization policy, enduring timely development of evidence-based WHO policy recommendations and support policy processes of regional and national immunization policy making bodies.

Develops and proposes technical health policies and strategies through collaboration with Regional and Country Offices and serves as focal point to regions for immunization policy related matters and advise on policy adaptations and implementation, including through support to Regional Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (RITAGs) and National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAGs).

Manages the programme area in delivering its objectives through efficient managing a small team of technical staff, development and monitoring of workplans and financial resources and implementation of planned activities to optimize the programme's deliverables in line with the mandate of the Organization.

Leads and conducts research on best practices in implementing programmes and activities and dissemination of information for capacity building in the respective area of work.

Manages the monitoring and evaluation and reporting of the subject area of work of key performance indicators and reporting requirements and mechanisms to optimize performance of Programme deliverables.

Serves as the technical reference among the peer community, UN Agencies and other stakeholders at the technical levels in the respective area of expertise.

Liaises with and utilizes partnerships with UN Agencies, donors, research institutions, and maintain regular contact with key leading technical partners, such as Gavi, and leading National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups.

Represents the programme area of work at various meetings, international fora, and relevant internal or external working groups to advocate for WHO vaccine and immunization policy and support the scientific credibility of the Department.

Perform all other related duties as assigned.

Specific duties:

Serve as Executive Secretary to the SAGE advisory committee, providing strategic and operational leadership for SAGE and its related working groups on vaccine and immunization matters for routine and emergency use.

Adapt and strengthen SAGE processes to respond to emerging global immunization priorities and enhance the impact and innovation of advisory mechanisms.

Oversee the WHO/IVB Steering Group on vaccine position papers and related policy guidance, with final responsibility for the scientific and technical content.

Serve as departmental focal point for assigned diseases or disease areas and lead or co-lead work on emerging cross-cutting issues, including vaccination policy prioritization.

Oversee resource mobilization and donor reporting, ensuring effective stewardship and accountability of programme resources.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: An advanced level university degree at the Doctoral (MD) level or PhD level in public health, medicine, vaccinology, immunology or other relevant biological scientific area.

Desirable: Advanced training in epidemiology, vaccinology, immunology, or other relevant scientific area.

Experience

A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in vaccine evaluation, and extensive experience in the area of health policy and strategy development.

Demonstrated experience of vaccine and immunization policy generation at the international level.

Demonstrated experience in appraising evidence that can support vaccine policy development.

A record of peer-reviewed publications with emphasis on scientific aspects of vaccines and immunization.

Demonstrated experience managing human and financial resources.

Experience of routine vaccination programmes in low-income countries and country decision-making.

Experience in the development and policy generation of high priority vaccines.

Experience in organizing and overseeing technical advisory committees.

Skills

Advanced scientific and technical expertise in vaccine development and evaluation, including efficacy, effectiveness, impact and safety studies.

Advanced knowledge of immunization, epidemiology, and disease surveillance.

Ability to direct and assess scientific work.

Ability to exercise leadership and to work effectively with colleagues at national and international level.

Ability to establish (and interact with) major advisory committee and to foster consensus.

Ability to plan, organize, coordinate and implement work inputs from several sources; to express ideas clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.

Extensive knowledge of WHO and a proven ability to work in a multicultural environment, including with regional staff and external partners.

Teamwork

Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

Communication

Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

Producing results

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 103,165 (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 7282 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

Staff members separated due to the 2025 Prioritization and Realignment Process will receive special consideration according to the applicable regulatory framework.

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 and/or an asynchronous video assessment 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 eManual.

The Director-General retains the discretion to not make any appointment to this vacancy, to make an appointment at a lower grade, or to make an appointment with a modified job description, including shortening the duration of the appointment.

Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. 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.

Persons with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations (modifications or adjustments to the application or recruitment process) to support their participation in the application and recruitment process. Please send an email to [e-mail] with your full name, the vacancy number you are applying for, and specific details of the accommodation needed in your request.

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 a fixed-term position in the International Professional category (Grades P1-D2) are eligible for Geographical 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.

Please note that WHO's contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at [e-mail] .

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