| Senior Scientific Coordinator – International Standards (terrestrial) |
| Context |
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The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH – founded as OIE) is a leading intergovernmental organisation representing 183 Members worldwide. Through its activities, WOAH makes a decisive contribution to improving animal health, protecting animal welfare and strengthening Veterinary Services. The Organisation provides transparent information on world’s animal health situation, and promotes international standards, particularly in terms of the safety of trade in live animals and animal products. More information can be found on . Joining WOAH means taking part in the development of one of the leading international organisations, recognised and associated with other multilateral institutions, in the field of worldwide health. It means helping to build a global approach to health, combining animal and human health in a “One Health” approach. It means joining teams motivated by the impact of their actions, the sense of their collective commitment and their recognised professionalism in their respective fields of expertise. WOAH’s headquarters are based in Paris. The Organisation is present on every continent through 13 Regional or Sub-regional Representations. WOAH has 250 staff members, two-thirds of whom are based at headquarters. |
| Job Description |
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Positioning and reporting Under the authority of the Deputy Director General (Standard Setting and Implementation), and the direct supervision of the Head of the Standards Department. |
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Job purpose The Senior Scientific Coordinator – International Standards (terrestrial) contributes to the scientific excellence and integrity of the by serving as secretariat to WOAH Specialist Commissions and expert groups to ensure the delivery of high-quality, scientifically-based and up-to-date international standards. They are also responsible for the coordination of activities and work programmes of the WOAH Specialist Commissions dealing with terrestrial standards for coherence and complementarity to optimise the use of organisational resources and avoid duplication. They contribute to the increased understanding and implementation of the WOAH standards by Members through support to the continuous improvement, transparency and inclusiveness of the standard-setting process. |
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Missions and activities Lead secretariat coordination to the Specialist Commissions – Coordinate the work of Specialist Commissions as part of the standard-setting process – In collaboration with the secretariats of the Specialist Commissions and Working Groups, coordinate the horizontal management of the agendas, work programmes and activities to ensure alignment and harmonisation where relevant – Identify synergies and potential overlaps across work programmes of the Specialist Commissions and propose approaches to streamline activities and optimise resources – Ensure that cross-cutting terrestrial animal health issues and addressed in a coherent and coordinated manner across relevant Specialist Commissions, expert groups and staff membersWork closely with secretariats of Specialist Commissions to ensure respect of relevant WOAH procedures – Provide leadership, expertise, guidance and training to secretariats of Specialist Commissions and internal teams, ensuring consistency in approach in the standard-setting processIdentify risks and issues to delivery of activities, consider options for management of risks and issues and feed this back to management and the team – Support the development of harmonised internal working procedures Scientific secretariat support to the Specialist Commissions and expert groups – Oversee and manage secretariat support to WOAH Specialist Commissions and expert groups working on terrestrial standards – Liaise with relevant teams and partners to prepare agenda items, working documents and reports – Support the preparation of terms of reference for expert groups including ad hoc Groups and draft meeting reports – Follow-up actions arising from meetings, including contributing to the development or update of relevant guideline documents, Code or Manual Chapters – Liaise with the relevant Specialist Commissions on the work of expert groups and staff members Provide support to the work of the Standards Department and observe general organisational procedures – Contribute to the preparation of responses to enquiries from Members and other stakeholders – Prepare relevant documents and undertake analysis as required – Support the update of the online commenting system – Support the development and delivery of training programmes on standard-setting and implementation of WOAH standards – Ensure respect of WOAH procedures in standard-setting, management of Specialist Commission and cross-cutting functions (e.g. procurement, governance, publication etc) – Support the implementation of a WOAH Trade & Standards Roadmap – Coordinate responses to enquiries from diverse sources including colleagues, WOAH Members, other organisations and external parties The Senior Scientific Coordinator – International Standards (terrestrial) is required to coordinate the completion of the work in their area of responsibility to the required standard against relevant deadlines as directed by the Head of Department and provide progress reports using agreed tools with the team. In addition, the Head of the Standards Department may, when necessary, assign to the incumbent any other duties in keeping with the nature and responsibilities of this position. The scope of duties may be adjusted to reflect the Organisation’s evolving priorities and working methods. |
| Requirements |
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Qualifications and Experience Required Qualifications – An advanced degree in veterinary or biological sciences, public health or equivalent – At least 8 years of professional experience in a regulatory environment – Experience in provision of high level secretariat and coordination functions at the national or international level – At least 5 years of experience in an international environment – Professional experience in a National Veterinary Authority would be an advantage. Required Skills Technical Skills – Excellent writing skills and ability to synthesise complex technical discussions into clear and concise reports fit for audience; – Possess scientific literacy and ability to understand, synthesise and summarise scientific information – Proficient with standard Microsoft office software (in particular word processing, spreadsheets, presentations) – Ability to work in English at a high level including excellent oral and written communication skills – Proficient with modern collaboration systems (in particular online meeting platforms) with the ability to learn new tools as they are introduced – Proficient in basic document management systems, able to maintain document repositories, databases and version control Additional Skills – Knowledge and understanding of the international standards setting environment – Good knowledge of French or Spanish. I nterpersonal Skills – Excellent communication skills (verbal, written, interpersonal, presentations) – Demonstrated initiative, including ability to think strategically and achieve results – Excellent organisation skills with strong attention to detail and accuracy – Demonstrated ability to work under pressure, and to efficiently prioritise work across multiple parallel tasks – Demonstrated ability to coordinate diverse groups and manage multiple stakeholders – Courtesy, tact and ability to establish and maintain good working relationships in a multinational and multicultural environment – Self-motivated with capacity to learn Other competencies: – Quality of work: consistently delivers high-quality outputs that meet agreed objectives and manager’s expectations, by effectively prioritising tasks, managing time and respecting deadlines. – Continuous improvement: proactively seeks and constructively incorporates feedback, reflects on lessons learned and adjusts ways of working to enhance the quality and impact of their contributions. – Collaboration and teamwork: works constructively with colleagues across teams, shares timely and relevant information, supports others when needed and contributes to a climate of trust, respect and inclusiveness. – Commitment and adaptability: demonstrates initiative and a strong commitment to organisation’s mandate and strategic priorities, remains open and adaptable in a changing environment, and makes well-founded proposals within their area of responsibility to support organisational goals. |
| Additional Information |
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Working conditions Full-time position based at WOAH Headquarters in Paris. Salary: The monthly salary ranges from EUR 3,800 to EUR 4,100, depending on experience and qualifications, with allowances based on eligibility. The salary is exempt from income tax in France. Contract Type: WOAH Staff – Fixed-term contract. Duration: Two (2) years, renewable. Start date : As soon as possible Location: WOAH Headquarters, 12 rue de Prony, 75017 Paris, France. |
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General Information WOAH places high value on a multicultural and positive work environment. WOAH is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all qualified candidates, irrespective of their origin, gender, opinions or beliefs. If you are interested in the position, please complete your application online at the latest by April 21st, 2026. All applications will be reviewed after the closing date of the publication. |
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