Technical Officer, UHC Knowledge Hub, Tokyo

Position details

• Vacancy number: 2602425
• Grade: P3
• Contractual arrangement: Fixed-term appointment
• Contract duration: 2 years
• Organization: HQ/PFD Performance, Financing and Delivery
• Schedule: Full-time
• Closing date: Sep 6, 2026, 10:59:00 PM

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 Performance, Financing and Delivery (PFD) department works to achieve universal health coverage by strengthening health financing, governance, and economic policies. It develops sustainable, people-Centre health systems and leads primary health care reforms to ensure everyone can access quality services without financial hardship. This is accomplished through evidence-based policy, partnerships, capacity building, and technical support tailored to country needs. The UHC Knowledge Hub aims to strengthen health financing in support of UHC by supporting efforts to secure adequate fiscal space for health and to improve the efficiency, equity, and effectiveness of health financing systems. It will support senior officials from Ministries of Health and Finance in LICs and MICs. Related thereto is the overall mission of WHO's global work on health financing and economics, which is to foster the development of equitable, efficient and sustainable forms of health system financing and organization. This will be achieved through capacity strengthening and policy advisory support to countries in concert with WHO Regional and Country Offices and partner agencies, the generation of relevant analysis and evidence, as well as guidance on systematic approaches to support national health financing policy development processes, implementation, policy analysis, and appropriate capacity building. The WHO Health financing and Economics teams are charged, inter alia, with promoting conceptual clarity on health financing issues, developing and disseminating evidence on the implications of different health system financing mechanisms in different contexts, capacity strengthening activities to promote national ownership and leadership, and providing policy support on national health financing policy development oriented to UHC. It does so by working closely with regional focal points in health financing, inter-country offices where they exist, and country office health financing and health system specialists.
 

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Under the guidance and supervision of the Team Lead of the WHO UHC Knowledge Hub, the successful candidate will: 

• Support implementation of WHO's UHC Knowledge Hub workplan, monitors the implementation of activities ensuring objectives and priorities are met and on track. 

• Contribute to organizing and facilitating capacity-building activities focused on health financing policy and public financial management.

• Develop relevant training materials for the UHC Knowledge Hub's capacity-building initiatives, in collaboration with the WHO Geneva-based Health Financing and Economics teams.

• Facilitate information sharing among UHC Knowledge Hub partners and across WHO levels engaged in the Hub.

• Undertake special projects and initiatives, project management tasks, including preparation of annual narrative reports and monitoring of WHO's contributions to the UHC Knowledge Hub.

• Participate in visibility and coordination activities, including organization of high-level fora and other events involving senior officials from country ministries and key stakeholders. 

• Conduct analytical work in health financing, public financial management, and economics, contributing to policy briefs, discussion papers, and other publication formats.

• Support smooth running of operations of administrative services including procurement of goods and services, communications, information technology of the office, and local service requirements, in compliance with WHO procedures.
   

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: A university degree in Business Administration, Management, economics or health economics, health policy, public health, or social sciences, with a concentration in health financing.
Desirable: Post-graduate degree in the above fields.
 

Experience

Essential: 

• Five years' experience in the field of health financing. 

• Demonstrated experience in the organization, facilitation and design of training materials, capacity strengthening activities, high-level fora and meetings/conferences;

• At least 3 years of international exposure in areas directly relevant to the role as well as in training organization and project management.

Desirable: 

• Experience in WHO/UN and international agencies.

• Experience with bilateral agencies.

  
   

Skills

• Demonstrated organizational and coordination skills.

• Good analytical and writing skills and demonstrated ability to identify critical policy issues and prepare a variety of documents and briefing materials in the field of health financing, public financial management and economics.

• Sound knowledge of established approaches to health financing in a variety of low- and middle-income as well as high-income settings.

• Proven skills in health financing system reviews, public financial management analysis and evidence gathering of what works and what doesn't to progress towards UHC; Tact, diplomacy and ability to motivate partners.
   

WHO Competencies

• Teamwork

• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

• Communication

• Producing results

• Moving forward in a changing 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 71,335 (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 2580 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 Manual.

• 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.

• 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.

• 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 reasonableaccommodation@who.int 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 shws@who.int.

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

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

• *For WHO General Service staff who do not meet the minimum educational qualifications, please see e-Manual III.4.1, para 220.

• In case the website does not display properly, please retry by: (i) checking that you have the latest version of the browser installed (Chrome, Edge or Firefox); (ii) clearing your browser history and opening the site in a new browser (not a new tab within the same browser); or (iii) retry accessing the website using Mozilla Firefox browser or using another device. Click this link for detailed guidance on completing job applications: Instructions for candidates