Getting a World Health Organization Volunteer opportunity is not a walk in the park. It requires extensive preparation and skills in the area of focus before your application can be considered. Plus, only graduate and post-graduate students can apply for these opportunities.
The Western Pacific Regional Office Internship and Volunteer Programme (IVP) offers some of these WHO programs, whereas the UN Volunteer program offers others. The aim is for the selected applicants to gain real-world knowledge of how WHO operates.
The volunteers and interns will be given hands-on assignments to improve their education experience while providing them with employment opportunities and personal development.
In addition, they must be health professionals established in the health sector and understand how stakeholders interact on international platforms. However, opportunities exist in other fields.
Eligibility Criteria for World Health Organization Volunteer Opportunities
To receive a voluntary assignment by WHO, you must:
- Have a professional background and experience that would help you contribute to technical programs
- Be ready to perform specific tasks voluntarily under the supervision of a staff member
- Have finished your education with relevant job experience.
Application Procedures
Below are the steps to apply for World Health Organization Volunteer Opportunities:
Step 1: Vacancy notice (VN)
This notification is posted via e-Recruitment and advertised on diverse online platforms. Before the portal is opened, VNs are advertised to enable interested applicants to have prior knowledge of it.
Step 2: Short listing
Within seven days of the vacancy notice closure, the board shortlists the names of successful applicants. This includes the shortlist, curriculum, vitae file, and applicants’ chosen roles and duties.
Step 3: Recruitment and selection
Individual units of WHO carry out the recruitment and selection process. Depending on the unit’s need, the timeframe is between one day and three months.
Interviews and examinations take place, and only the best candidates are selected. After that, a mutual agreement on the Terms of Reference is reached.
Step 4: Processing application request
This takes place within 14 days and is done by the unit and HRM.
Step 5: Contracting
Successful applicants receive a contract and other documents within five days of application request approval. This includes contract signing, annexes, and declaration of interest.
To apply for the World Health Organization Volunteer Opportunities, visit the website within the months of application.
Documents needed for WHO Volunteer Opportunities
The following are the documents necessary for a volunteer application:
- Proof of relevant experience from the organization you work with
- Most recent detailed CV
- Copy of valid passport and ID
- Copy of university credentials
- Proof of health care coverage
World Health Organization Volunteer Opportunities
Below are the UN Volunteer opportunities at the World Health Organization:
Technical Officer for blood safety, organ and tissue transplants
Duration: 12 months with possible extension
Assignment Country: Congo
Duty station: Brazzaville
Assignment description: Technical Officer for blood safety, organ and tissue transplant
Expected start date: October 16, 2023
Sustainable development goal: good health and well-being
Volunteer category: international UN volunteer specialist
Host entity: WHO
Type: onsite
Task description
The UN Volunteer Technical Officer for blood safety, organ, and tissue transplants provides support to the host country to carry out the following:
- Develop policy strategies and legislation for blood and other medical products of human origin (MPHO).
- Set up national regulatory systems for blood and other MPHO.
- Develop sustainable blood donor and organ donation to boost access to safe, effective, quality-assured blood products and other MPHO.
- Develop and apply quality systems to enhance the quality and safety of blood and other MPHO.
- Develop and execute principles on the rational use of blood and other MPHO.
- Develop and execute educational programs in National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS)
- Supervise data collection and administration.
Eligibility criteria
To qualify for the UN Volunteer Technical Officer for blood safety, organ and tissue transplants, applicants must be:
- Between 27 and 80 years
- A national of any country other than the host country (Congo, in this case)
Requirements
Below are the requirements for the application for the UN Volunteer Technical Officer for blood safety, organ and tissue transplants:
Experience: Applicant must have three years of experience in medicine, pharmacy, and related fields, with relevant training and professional experience.
Areas of expertise: health
Languages: The candidate must be fluent in English and French and have a working knowledge of Portuguese.
Education level: Master’s degree or equivalent in blood transfusion, organ and tissue transplant, or other levels
Competencies and values: The candidate must be accountable, creative, organized, and professional.
Finance Assistant
Duration: 12 months, with possible extension
Description of assignment: Finance Assistant
Assignment Country: Egypt
Expected date: October 1, 2023
Sustainable development goal: good health and well-being
Volunteer category: National UN Volunteer Specialist
Host entity: WHO
Type: onsite
Duty station: Cairo (2)
Task description
The National UN Volunteer will take up the tasks below under the management of the National Professional Office (Budget) of the Finance Officer:
- Initiate, evaluate, and process budgetary and financial transactions.
- Offer budgetary and financial clearances concerning awards, HR, imprest, and third-party contracts, ensuring conformity with eManual provisions and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
- Update data in the Global Management System (GSM) to ensure superior quality and uniformity of budget and financial data concerning salary and activity work plans.
- Prepare or appraise and process expenditure batches, journal vouchers, and iSupplier payments.
- Ensure uniformity of donor budgets and financial aspects of donor agreements in agreement with budget best practices.
- Appraise financial reports or requests for certified financial reports to donors and notify BC focal points of any paucity prior to endorsement/clearance by the Budget and Finance Officer.
- Scrutinize budgetary and financial data and implement remedial measures or emphasis to BCs to decide exceptions.
- Conduct preliminary account analyses and reconciliations and recognize and correct financial errors to guarantee high-quality and accurate information for decision-making and reporting.
- Supervise budgetary and financial status and interact with BCs to address issues impacting project implementation.
- Assist in the evaluation/substantiation of financial details for the annual closure of accounts and biennial closure, performing introductory evaluating and substantiating financial information to ensure the precision of financial reporting in harmony with IPSAS.
- Contribute to the grounding and delivery of training on assigned processes to BCs.
- And others
Eligibility criteria
To qualify for the UN Volunteer Financial Assistant, applicants must meet the following conditions:
- Must be between 27 and 80 years
- Must be a national or legal resident of the country of assignment
Requirements
To be qualified for this World Health Organization Volunteer Opportunity, applicants have three years of experience in the following:
- Exhibit knowledge and expertise in applying general accounting principles, procedures, and practices
- Strong analytical skills and high attention to detail
- Prior experience reconciling VAT receivable or other complex GL accounts
- Ability to mine, comprehend, and deduce the results acquired from the system
- Advanced skills in Microsoft Excel
- Familiar with accounting systems (Oracle, SAP, etc.)
- Outstanding oral and written skills
- Exceptional drafting, formulation, and reporting skills
- Have interest in public health, volunteerism as a mechanism for durable development, and the UN system
- And other skills
Area(s) of expertise: Administration, Economics and Finance
Language Level: Fluency in English and Arabic
Education level: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Accounting, Finance, or a related field
Competencies and values: Technical expertise, Producing results, Teamwork, and Communication.
Translation of the health-related materials Rus-Eng, Eng-Rus
Duration: 12 weeks
Description of assignment title: Translation of the health-related materials Rus-Eng, Eng-Rus
Assignment country: Kazakhstan
Expected start date: Invalid Date
Sustainable Development Goal: Good health and well-being
Hours per week: 11 – 15
Host entity: WHO
Type: Online
Task description
The World Health Organization seeks online volunteers to help translate health-related materials from English to Russian and from Russian to English in KAZ country office. As a translator, you will:
- Translate the document, which can be four pages maximum in A4 format, into Russian language or vice versa
- Translate some bullet points and recommendations of the documents
- Ensure the translation is brief, in line with WHO’s communications guidelines, and fits the audience
Furthermore, the Online Volunteers will receive the document in the original language and guidance on WHO’s communications guidelines and other guidance as needed.
They will also have the opportunity to build connections with the WHO Country Office Kazakhstan team and learn how the translated product adds to growing people’s consciousness of significant topics and recommendations that positively impact their health and well-being.
Required experience
The applicant for the position of translation of the health-related materials Rus-Eng, Eng-Rus must:
- Be a national of Russian and fluent in English
- Be familiar with technical terms related to health and well-being
- Show proof of previous translation experience
Languages: Fluency in Russian and English
Conclusion on the World Health Organization Volunteer Opportunities
Numerous World Health Organization volunteer opportunities worldwide can be done online or onsite. If you desire to volunteer for the organization and have what it takes, the above opportunities are available. However, you must constantly visit the UN Volunteer website for more opportunities like the funded WHO internship.
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