Logistics Officer

Host entity: WHO

Volunteer type: International

Areas of expertise: Administration, Emergency preparedness, crisis response, Logistics, procurement, commodities

Application deadline: 13/11/2026

Mission and objectives

The WHO Office in the occupied Palestinian territory is the principal technical adviser to the Palestinian Ministry of Health providing advice and support to strengthen health services, ad-dress public health issues and promote research for health. WHO is also lead of the humanitarian Health and Nutrition Cluster, coordinating the assistance provided by international and local partners to the health sector.

WHO employs approximately 45 staff at its offices in West Bank and Gaza, including international and local professionals with expertise in medicine, public health nursing and other specialties. As the lead health agency, WHO works with many partners, including United Nations agencies, donors, nongovernmental organizations, universities and the private sector to sup-port the Palestinian Authority to reach their national health development
goals and to ensure that efforts of all these organizations are coordinated.

Assignment context

This United Nations Volunteers (UNV) assignment is embedded within the WHO Health Operations Team, contributing to the Health Emergencies and Recovery Programme. In this capacity, the role supports WHO’s global mandate to assist countries and coordinate international efforts in preventing, preparing for, detecting, responding to, and recovering from public health emergencies and disease outbreaks. The position operates within a complex, high-risk environment requiring strong operational leadership, strategic coordination, and adherence to international standards.
In the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), the programme is focused on ensuring sustained and equitable access to life-saving medical supplies, maintaining critical health operations under severe access and movement constraints, and safeguarding the continuity of essential health services. This is achieved through the establishment and management of robust, compliant, and resilient supply chain and logistics systems.

The Country Office logistics team, based in Jerusalem plays a central and strategic role in enabling programme delivery across Gaza and the West Bank. It oversees end-to-end supply chain operations, ensuring the timely, efficient, and accountable delivery of medical commodities. This includes leading coordination with national authorities and relevant stakeholders on complex administrative processes, importation requirements, and customs clearance procedures, while ensuring full compliance with host country regulations and United Nations protocols. The role also contributes to risk mitigation, operational continuity, and the optimization of logistics performance in a highly constrained and dynamic context. The UNV Logistics Expert has a senior advisory/expert role and reports to the OSL Team Lead in Jerusalem.

Task description

• Ensure full compliance with WHO rules, regulations, and global supply chain standards by advising and leading on comprehensive demand forecasting and supply planning processes. In close coordination with UN partners (including WFP and the Logistics Cluster), design and oversee end-to-end supply chain strategies to guarantee the timely, efficient, and accountable delivery of quality-assured medicines, equipment, and consumables in support of health emergency operations.

• As an expert advisor to the OSL Team Lead in Jerusalem, provides strategic oversight of importation and logistics processes, including high-level engagement with relevant authorities to facilitate customs clearance, reception, transportation, storage, and last-mile distribution of critical supplies to affected populations, ensuring efficiency, compliance, and risk mitigation in highly constrained environments.

• Design and implement policies and systems to strengthen t the management of WHO warehouses and inventory systems, establishing and enforcing robust stock control, tracking, and reporting mechanisms in line with international best practices to ensure accuracy, transparency, and accountability.

• Lead the planning and maintenance of operational stockpiles for emergency response, including incident management equipment (e.g., deployment kits, telecommunications, and IT assets), ensuring operational readiness and rapid deployment capacity.

• Design and implement policies and systems to oversee the strategic management of the WHO fleet, including planning, allocation, and monitoring of fleet movements, as well as ensuring preventive maintenance, optimal utilization, and adherence to safety and security standards.

• Provide expert technical and operational analysis, recommendations and implementation of systems and policies in the establishment and support of WHO-assisted health facilities, including mobile and outreach services, ensuring that logistics and infrastructure requirements are effectively planned and delivered.

• Ensure the implementation and monitoring of water, sanitation, and infection prevention and control (IPC) standards across all supported health facilities, aligning with WHO guidelines and international health standards.

• Conduct regular field missions and operational assessments to evaluate supply chain performance, stock management, storage conditions, and service delivery effectiveness, identifying risks and implementing corrective actions as needed.

• Deliver timely, analytical, and solution-oriented reporting to the Incident Management System (IMS) team, highlighting operational gaps, emerging needs, and bottlenecks, and proposing evidence-based recommendations to enhance response effectiveness.

• Undertake additional incident-specific responsibilities as required, demonstrating flexibility, leadership, and the ability to operate effectively in a dynamic emergency context.

Skills and experience

• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience in logistics and supply chain management in complex humanitarian or emergency settings, with a proven ability to identify, analyze, and resolve operational challenges in volatile environments.

• Advanced expertise in end-to-end supply chain and warehouse management, including planning, procurement, storage, distribution, and inventory control. Experience within the UN system or other international organizations is highly desirable.

• Strong knowledge of import/export procedures, customs clearance, and regulatory compliance, with experience engaging government authorities to facilitate the timely movement of humanitarian supplies.

• Demonstrated analytical, problem-solving, and strategic planning skills, with the ability to manage complex operations, prioritize competing demands, and deliver results under pressure.

• Proven leadership and coordination experience, with the ability to work effectively with diverse stakeholders and influence decision-making through sound judgment and diplomacy.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including reporting, drafting, and presentation of information to senior management and coordination forums.

• High level of accuracy and attention to detail in documentation, reporting, and data management, ensuring compliance with organizational and audit requirements.

• Strong interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills, with experience collaborating with government counterparts, UN agencies, NGOs, and local communities. Familiarity with community engagement and Communication for Development (C4D) approaches is an asset.

• Ability to perform effectively in high-pressure and rapidly changing environments, demonstrating adaptability, resilience, and teamwork within multicultural and multidisciplinary settings.

• Advanced computer skills, including proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (especially Excel and Word), email, internet-based tools, databases, and data analysis systems.

• Self-motivated and results-oriented, capable of working independently with minimal supervision while managing multiple priorities and meeting tight deadlines.

• Strong understanding of security risks and protocols, with the ability to operate safely in insecure or high-risk environments.

• Commitment to humanitarian principles, public health objectives, and equitable access to services, with a strong appreciation of volunteerism and a good understanding of the United Nations system and its mandates.

Competencies and values

• Teamwork;
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences;
• Communication;
• Accountability
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Planning and organising
• Professionalism
• Self-management

Living conditions

As this is an International UN Volunteer (IUNV) assignment, the selected candidate will be responsible for independently arranging accommodation and all related living needs; the contract is initially for six (6) months with the possibility of extension subject to funding availability, operational requirements, and satisfactory performance, and includes a monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) of USD 4429 to cover housing, utilities, and general living expenses, in addition to comprehensive life, health, and permanent disability insurance (with health coverage for up to three eligible dependents) and an end-of-assignment exit allowance upon successful completion of the assignment.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.