Organization Mission

The World Health Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations Public Health Organization established in 1948. The objective of the World Health Organization shall be the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.
World Health Organization achieves its goals by performing its essential functions:
1. Take a leadership role in key health issues and create partnerships when joint action is needed;
2. Set research priorities and encourage the acquisition, application and dissemination of useful knowledge;
3. Setting standards and criteria and encouraging and monitoring them;
4. Develop ethical and evidence-based policies
5. Provide technical support, be an agent of change and build institutional capacity in a sustainable way;
6. Monitor health status and assess health trends.

Context

The World Health Organization (WHO) African Region has embarked on a new Global Programme of Work (GPW14) and a new Programme Budget (2026-2027). Through these two strategic documents, the region aims to deliver public health outcomes through an integrated results-based structure.

The overall objective the Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases Cluster, in the WHO African Regional Office (AFRO) is to provide leadership and ensure action in supporting Member States in reducing the impact of Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases (CND) and contribute to attaining Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the SDGs in the WHO African Region.

The Cluster is responsible for the following technical areas – HIV, Tuberculosis and Hepatitis, including other Sexually Transmitted Infections; Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, including Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases; Non-Communicable diseases; and Vaccine Preventable Diseases. The Cluster provides leadership and vision to the above and related areas of work in the WHO African Region and facilitates planning, programming, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of services in an integrated approach. The Cluster is responsible for joint actions with the ARD and UHC-LC Clusters to respond to the needs of the population through the integrated delivery of interventions and services for CNDs equitably across the life course, through strengthened health systems, and for response to outbreaks to vaccine-preventable and vector-borne diseases with the Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Cluster. The Cluster also develops strategic partnerships, mobilizing capacities in the region in the pursuit of its objectives and contributes to cross-cluster resource mobilization in order to achieve universal coverage for significant improvement in health outcomes using Primary Health Care as a delivery vehicle.

The HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and STIs (HTH) team is responsible for supporting Member States towards ending the epidemics of these diseases and achieving the SDGs in the WHO African Region, under the guidance of the Framework for an Integrated Multisectoral Response to TB, HIV, STIs and Hepatitis (2021-2030). In the context of the GPW14, the UNV will support the HTH team in managing specific HIV and tuberculosis program activities, ensuring effective implementation, monitoring, and collaboration across stakeholders to advance regional efforts in disease prevention, treatment, and control.

Key Responsibilities

Within the delegated authority and under the supervision of the UCN-HTH Team lead, as assigned, the UN Volunteer will provide the following:

1. Support the development and implementation of plans for HIV and TB programs in alignment with WHO regional goals.
2. Contribute to an effective AFRO coordination of multi-country HTH initiatives, ensuring coherence and synergy in program interventions.
3. Support achievement of HTH objectives through contribution to implementation of work plans.
4. Support implementation of HTH strategic initiatives.
5. Facilitate the organization of workshops, trainings, webinars and other HTH convenings and events.
6. Coordinate activities of the WHO AFRO advisory groups for the HIV, TB, Hepatitis programs and the Regional Validation Committee supporting the triple elimination efforts.
7. Support planning and development of programme reviews and development and implementation of surveillance protocols.
8. Contribute to programme monitoring and evaluation.
9. Prepare reports, case studies, presentations and contribute to development of other HTH-relevant documentation.
10. Perform other duties as assigned by Supervisor.

Results/expected outputs

As an active WHO AFRO team member, efficient, timely, responsive, client-friendly and high-quality support rendered to WHO AFRO and its beneficiaries in the accomplishment of her/his functions, including:

• Routine reporting on all assigned tasks
• Progress report toward eliminating vertical transmission and reducing TB/HIV co-infections
• Report on data management activities under HTH programmes.
• Training and capacity building activities for the countries
• Reports on collaborative regional initiatives including the regional advisory groups and the disease validation committee.

Required Skills and Experience

• Extensive experience in HIV/TB program management, preferably in the African region.
• Strong leadership, analytical, and problem-solving skills in public health initiatives.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement abilities.
• Proficiency in project monitoring, evaluation, and reporting with a track record of impact-driven results

Desirable
• Experience in WHO or other UN organizations would be an asset.

Core Competencies

• Professionalism: demonstrated understanding of operations relevant to WHO AFRO; technical capabilities or knowledge relevant or transferrable to WHO AFRO procedures and rules; discretion, political sensitivity, diplomacy and tact to deal with clients; ability to apply good judgement; ability to liaise and coordinate with a range of different actors, especially in senior positions; where appropriate, high degree of autonomy, personal initiative and ability to take ownership; resourcefulness and willingness to accept wide responsibilities and ability to work independently under established procedures; ability to manage information objectively, accurately and confidentially; responsive and client-oriented.
• Integrity: demonstrate the values and ethical standards of the WHO AFRO in daily activities and behaviors while acting without consideration of personal gains; resist undue political pressure in decision-making; stand by decisions that are in the organization’s interest even if they are unpopular; take prompt action in cases of unprofessional or unethical behaviour; does not abuse power or authority.
• Teamwork and respect for diversity: ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries; excellent interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective partnerships and harmonious working relations in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic, mixed-gender environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity; sensitivity and adaptability to culture, gender, religion, nationality and age; commitment to implementing the goal of gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all aspects of UN operations; ability to achieve common goals and provide guidance or training to colleagues.
• Commitment to continuous learning: initiative and willingness to learn new skills and stay abreast of new developments in area of expertise; ability to adapt to changes in work environment.
• Planning and organizing effective organizational and problem-solving skills and ability to manage a large volume of work in an efficient and timely manner; ability to establish priorities and to plan, coordinate and monitor (own) work; ability to work under pressure, with conflicting deadlines, and to handle multiple concurrent projects/activities.
• Communication: proven interpersonal skills; good spoken and written communication skills, including ability to prepare clear and concise reports; ability to conduct presentations, articulate options and positions concisely; ability to make and defend recommendations; ability to communicate and empathize with staff (including national staff), military personnel, volunteers, counterparts and local interlocutors coming from very diverse backgrounds; capacity to transfer information and knowledge to a wide range of different target groups;
• Flexibility: adaptability and ability to live and work in potentially hazardous and remote conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort; to operate independently in austere environments for protracted periods; willingness to travel within the area of operations and to transfer to other duty stations within the area of operations as necessary.
• Genuine commitment towards the principles of voluntary engagement, which includes solidarity, compassion, reciprocity and self-reliance; and commitment WHO AFRO’s mission and vision, as well as to the UN Core Values.

Living Conditions

The Republic of Congo is a low-middle income country, located in Central Africa sub-region.

The country shares boundaries with Gabon in the South-West, Cameroon and Central Republic Africa in the North and North East, the Democratic Republic of Congo in the East, Angola and Atlantic Ocean in the South.

Since 2014, the Republic of Congo is experiencing an economic downturn, affecting the economic growth (-5 per cent in 2017). Because of the persistent drop in the price of oil, this situation drove to the decline of the gross domestic product per capita, from $3,196 in 2013 to $1,658 in 2017. Nevertheless, the country is globally stable and safe in the main urban and rural areas.

Frequent disruptions are recorded in the electricity supply, particularly in Brazzaville (political capital) and Pointe-Noire (economic capital). The living cost is relatively affordable, but some concerns with the cost of decent housing should be noted. The population enjoys dressing in style and loves music both profane and religious.

According to United Nations security standards, life and travel in Brazzaville and in the other areas major are secure.

The Republic of Congo is a unique country. It provides for an interesting and enriching environment, but also requires a mature level of cultural awareness, as well as more stamina and commitment than elsewhere to make life comfortable and affordable. Therefore, flexibility and the ability and willingness to live and work in harsh and potentially hazardous conditions, involving physical hardship and little comfort, are essential.