Director, Health System and Services

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Purpose of the position: The Director of Health Systems and Services (HSS) Cluster provides region wide executive leadership and institutional stewardship for advancing resilient, equitable, and people centred health systems across the WHO African Region. The role is central to delivering Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), aligned with GPW14 and the Regional Director’s vision.
Reporting at the most senior level, the incumbent sets strategic direction, authorises major policy orientations, and ensures delivery of high impact health systems results at scale. The Director leads the HSS Cluster as a flagship pillar of WHO AFRO’s programme architecture, ensuring optimal use of resources, organisational coherence, and measurable value for Member States.
The position serves as WHO AFRO’s principal executive interlocutor on health systems and services, leading high level policy dialogue, political engagement, and diplomacy with Member States and development partners. The incumbent drives cross cluster integration, breaks organisational silos, and leads strategic partnerships and large scale resource mobilisation to position WHO as a trusted leader in health systems strengthening grounded in the Primary Health Care (PHC) approach.

Objectives of the Programme

The HSS Cluster guides Member States in developing resilient, equitable, and people-centered health systems that deliver quality essential services using the PHC approach. The Cluster drives progress towards Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the SDGs by strengthening health governance and financing; the health workforce; access to essential medicines and technologies; service delivery at scale, particularly at the primary care level; and national capacities in data, research, and innovation.
The Cluster collaborates with the Health Promotion and Disease Prevention and Control (DPC) and Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Clusters to promote integrated action, ensure continuity of essential services during emergencies, and advance health system resilience across the WHO African Region.

Description of the Duties

Strategic Leadership and Policy Stewardship

• Advise the Regional Director on region wide strategic priorities, institutional risks, and policy choices to accelerate progress towards UHC, the SDGs, and GPW14.
• Provide authoritative leadership in shaping, approving, and overseeing the implementation of high impact regional policies, strategies, and investment frameworks related to health systems and services, ensuring measurable results and institutional coherence.

Member States Capacity Strengthening

• Exercise executive oversight to ensure delivery of integrated, high level technical and policy support to Member States across health governance, financing, workforce, service delivery, data and digital health, access to medicines and technologies, research, innovation, and antimicrobial resistance.
• Champion people centred, life course approaches tailored to national contexts and priority populations.

Programme Integration and Delivery at Scale

• Direct the strategic integration of HSS programmes to build fit for purpose, scalable, and resilient health systems, maximising synergies and institutional efficiency.
• Ensure robust planning, performance monitoring, accountability, and reporting, with responsible stewardship of human and financial resources and timely delivery of results.

People Leadership and Organisational Performance

• Provide executive people leadership across the employee lifecycle to create a high performing, values driven workforce, strengthening talent development inclusive leadership, and a culture of responsibility.
• Foster a culture of excellence, integrity, collaboration, and results orientation, enabling senior managers to deliver in complex, politically sensitive environments.
• Direct the administrative and financial management of the HSS Cluster, including the planning, budgeting, and execution of operational plans, while ensuring compliant, efficient, and transparent use of resources.

Representation, Diplomacy, and Strategic Communication

• Represent WHO AFRO at high level regional and global fora, leading policy dialogue, advocacy, and diplomatic engagement on health systems and services.
• Drive strategic communication of the Cluster’s vision and results through evidence based, executive level messaging that reinforces WHO’s leadership and credibility.

Coordination, Partnerships, and Resource Mobilization

• Provide executive leadership to ensure alignment and coherence across WHO AFRO clusters, Headquarters, and country offices.
• Build and steward strategic, long-term partnerships and lead resource mobilization efforts securing sustainable, aligned financing for the HSS agenda.

Health Systems Resilience and Cross Cluster Collaboration

• Drive cross cluster collaboration with DPC and EPR to strengthen health system resilience, ensure continuity of essential services, and support effective emergency response across the Region.

The incumbent may be required to perform other related responsibilities as assigned.

Recruitment Profile

Competencies

WHO global Competency model: http://www.who.int/employment/WHO_competencies_EN.pdf?ua=1
1. Teamwork
2. Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
3. Communication
4. Driving the Organization’s position in health leadership
5. Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
6. Creating an empowering and motivating environment

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of French.
The above language requirements are interchangeable.

Functional Knowledge and Skills

Proven senior level leadership in the design, delivery, and management of large scale, complex international health programmes at national and global levels.
Deep technical expertise in policies, strategies, and interventions across one or more core health systems domains, including health financing and governance, workforce, service delivery, health information, medicines and health technologies, antimicrobial resistance, family and reproductive health, and research and innovation.
Demonstrated strong analytical judgement, diplomatic acumen, and negotiation skills, with the ability to navigate complex technical, political, and cultural environments, manage sensitive stakeholder relationships, and build consensus among diverse national and international actors.

Required Qualifications

Education

Essential: Medical degree, with a Master’s degree in Public Health, or a doctorate in a Public-Health related discipline from an accredited/recognized institution.
Desirable: A PhD in a Public-Health related discipline, or specialized training or post graduate qualifications in health systems strengthening, health policy, or related public health disciplines.

Experience

Essential: At least fifteen (15) years of progressive national and international public health experience, with a minimum of three (3) years in senior management roles at the international level.

Desirable: Demonstrated professional experience in both developing and developed country contexts, including public health or related fields. Experience across diverse institutional settings, such as the private sector, NGOs, UN system, or governmental health agencies, is an asset. Proven experience in building partnerships, resource mobilization, and engagement with donors.

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 117,953 (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 4,452 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 who apply to this requisition and who have been or will be separated as a result of the 2025 Prioritization and Realignment Process will be given special consideration’
• 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 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 WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The 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.
• The 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 can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int
• 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.
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• This post is subject to local recruitment and will be filled by persons recruited in the local commuting area of the duty station.
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