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Poste à pourvoir
Programme Officer – WOAH Sub-Regional Representative for Southern Africa, Gaborone, Botswana
| Programme Officer – Trade in animal commodities and regional implementation of SPS measures |
| Positioning and reporting Under the authority of the Director General, the Programme Officer will be directly answerable to the Regional Representative for Africa and work under the direct supervision of the WOAH Sub-Regional Representative for Southern Africa, in collaboration with the Standards Department, the Capacity-Building Department (CBD) and the Engagement and Investment Department (EID, World Fund) at the WOAH Headquarters in Paris. S/he will work in close cooperation with other Regional Representatives, and other officers involved in similar activities. |
| Job purpose One of the main historical mandates, entrusted to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), Founded in 1924 as the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) is the development of standards and guidelines relating to rules that Member Countries can use to protect themselves from the introduction of diseases and pathogens, without setting up unjustified sanitary barriers. WOAH standards are recognised by the World Trade Organization (WTO) as reference international sanitary rules, under the 1995 Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Agreement (SPS Agreement) which governs the international trade of plants, animals and foods. An intergovernmental organisation, WOAH also focuses on transparently disseminating information on animal diseases, improving animal health globally and thus build a safer, healthier and more sustainable world. The African Union Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Policy Framework was developed in response to a request made by the Specialised Technical Committee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Water and Environment during its 2nd Ordinary Session in October 2017 and has been coordinated by the AU Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA). The Policy Framework hinges on Annex 7 of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), an annex which deals with the SPS provisions to safeguard human, animal and plant health in a liberalised continental marketplace, in very much the same way as the WTO SPS Agreement aims to ensure safe and healthy commodities on the world market stage. The African Continental Free Trade Area is a free trade area founded in 2018, with trade commencing as of 1 January 2021. It was created by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement among 54 of the 55 African Union nations. The purpose of the present position is to support the implementation of appropriate trade facilitation and risk mitigation measures in animal health, aligned with the SPS Agreement and the SPS Annex 7 of the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Goods, in all WOAH Members which are also Members of the African Union, but will focus the more tangible activities with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) Member States. |
| Missions and activities Ensure the overall technical implementation, management and follow-up of the project – Coordinate specific technical activities and deliverables (including those implemented by consultants and external implementers), to ensure that the project delivers outputs on time, within scope and within budget. The main activities anticipated in this respect, focusing on African countries, pertain to the WOAH Performance of Veterinary Services (PVS) Pathway and in particular the WOAH Veterinary Legislation Support Programme (VLSP) and the WOAH Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Programme, as well as capacity-biilding on WOAH instruments and tools such as the World Animal Health Information System (WAHIS) and the WOAH pathways to attain official recognition of diseases freedom (or an endorsed official control programme) for a selection of diseases. – Contribute to the development of a detailed project workplan to monitor and track progress: Identify risks, and analyse, manage and propose mitigation measures to ensure timely delivery of the project; Implement a programme M&E framework, performance metrics and capture information to track programme performance; Work with the Communications Department and the Regional Communications Officer (Africa) to develop and implement a communication plan; – Participate in and contribute to the preparation of background documents and progress reports for the project governance mechanisms; – Contribute, in collaboration with the Engagement and Investment Department, to the periodic reports required by (the) donor(s); Ensure partner engagement including with national Veterinary Services and the COMESA Secretariat. – Contribute to the implementation of the SPS Annex 7 of the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Goods, through intensified cooperation with the relevant African Union offices and officers; – Act as the technical contact point on trade facilitation, risk mitigation for animal commodities (live animals and animal products), general application of, and compliance with SPS principles; and related topics for the sub-regions and provide topic-specific advice on matters relating to the project; – Contribute to drafting technical / scientific papers, posters, website articles and other relevant informative technical and communication material to promote the projects objectives. Contribute to the overall project coordination – Share information and collaborate with project partners to facilitate smooth implementation of the project; – Liaise with WOAH HQ and Regional/Sub-regional staff involved in the implementation of the project; – Support the management of the activities sub-awarded, outsourced or delegated to partners throughout the project, including experts, Reference Laboratories, Collaborating Centres, and external suppliers; – Support cross-cutting initiatives related to gender, climate and poverty reduction. Contribute to programme communication – Organise and support international workshops, meetings, and conferences relevant to the project; – Represent the WOAH at external meetings as relevant; – Provide topic-specific advice on matters relating to the project. Provide general support to the work of the Sub-Regional Representation – Assist in managing other WOAH programmes and projects within the (Southern) Africa region, including following up with Member Countries on required information, conducting country visits, etc., |
| Qualifications and Experience – MSc (or above) degree in health sciences, biological sciences, veterinary sciences, health economics or other relevant field; – At least 5 years experience working for national (public) veterinary or animal production services, the private animal health / production sector, export promotion-related advisory – consulting services, or non-governmental organisations, preferably in the Africa region. – At least 2 years of experience in project or programme management at national or regional level. Technical skills – Good project management skills Good knowledge of Microsoft Office, in particular Word and Excel; – Good knowledge of digital tools for online collaboration; – Excellent writing skills and ability to summarise complex technical discussions into clear and concise reports; – Ability to work in English and French at a high level including excellent oral and written communication skills; – Knowledge of international frameworks for trade of animal and/or plant-based commodities, i.e. the WTO, the SPS Committee, IPPC, Codeex Alimentarius and WOAH. – Knowledge or experience of international standards and guidelines pertaining to veterinary certification, border inspection and quarantaine, disease status for trade-sensitive disease, import risk analysis, risk mitigation procedures (vaccination, testing, quarantaine, processing of animal products). – Knowledge of the relevant AU and COMESA instruments. Interpersonal skills – Excellent communication skills; – Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships in a multinational and multicultural environment; – Ability to work in a team with members in headquarters and regional offices; – Capacity to learn and a self-motivated worker; – Excellent organisation skills and ability to meet specific deadlines; – Demonstrated initiative, including ability to think operationally and achieve results; – Adaptable and flexible; – Demonstrated capacity to communicate to larger audiences, using supports such as power-point presentations and social media channels; – To be highly organised, independent, and a diplomatic professional. |
| Working conditions Based at the WOAH Sub-Regional Representation for Southern Africa in Gaborone, Botswana. This post requires flexibility to travel internationally (mostly to Addis Ababa and Lusaka) and long hours in a seated position at a computer. – Type of contract: WOAH Staff – Duration: 2 years renewable. – Location: WOAH Sub-Regional Representative for Southern Africa – Gaborone, Botswana – Salary: Monthly gross: 3000-4000 EUR per month (commensurate with qualifications and experience) – 25 days annual leave – Relocation allowance (eligibility for allowances depend on the staff member’s specific circumstances) – The position to be filled is offered on a full-time basis only (39 hours of work per week). – Overseas travel abroad is expected occasionally. |
| General information The WOAH places high value on a multicultural and positive work environment. This is a full-time position based at the WOAH Sub-Regional Representative for Southern Africa – Gaborone, Botswana If you are interested in the position, please complete your application online by 14 March 2024 at the latest by clicking on the link below. APPLY HERE |