Senior Program Officer

 

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING APPLICATION DEADLINE\:  please note that the deadline for applications is indicated in local time as per the time zone of the applicant’s location.

 

 

1. Organizational Setting

 

The post is located in the Global Challenges Division, whose objective is to strengthen WIPO's position as the leading intergovernmental forum for addressing the intersection between intellectual property and global public policy issues.

 

The Division engages substantively with other UN and intergovernmental organizations, the private sector and civil society in order to lead and inform policy deliberations. It develops practical contributions to demonstrate the benefits of intellectual property in the search for solutions to major challenges facing humanity, including global health, climate change, and food security.

 

2. Purpose Statement

 

The incumbent manages WIPO’s engagement in the Trilateral Cooperation among the World Health Organization (WHO), WIPO, and the World Trade Organization (WTO) on policy-related issues at the intersection of Global Health, Intellectual Property (IP) and Trade.

 

The incumbent will ensure the management and coordination of WIPO’s contributions to the Trilateral Cooperation. This will include internal coordination across WIPO Departments and Divisions as well as liaising with counterparts in WHO and WTO; where appropriate, this will also include outreach to other international organizations. The incumbent will represent WIPO in diverse fora and events as appropriate and interact with member states, international organizations, representatives of private and public sectors, and academia.

 

The role also includes a number of Division-wide responsibilities. The incumbent supports the Director of the Division in monitoring and analyzing international policy development in the Division’s focus areas and in developing and executing strategies for WIPO to participate in the international policy dialogue with a specific contribution in order to help policy makers and to reinforce the reputation of WIPO as a source of neutral and reliable information. The incumbent also supervises a number of positions and functions within the Division.

 

3. Reporting Lines

 

The incumbent works under the supervision of the Director, Global Challenges Division.

 

4. Work Relations

 

The incumbent will regularly work across the Division and Sector, as well as with a broad range of WIPO colleagues in other Sectors. The incumbent will also work extensively with external partners, notably the Trilateral Cooperation among the World Health Organization (WHO), WIPO, and the World Trade Organization (WTO). The incumbent interacts regularly and coordinates with the Head of Global Health on the implementation of relevant work streams.

 

 

The incumbent will perform the following principal duties\:

 

a.      Coordinate and manage WIPO’s participation in the Trilateral Cooperation as well as related interaction with other stakeholders in member states, intergovernmental organizations, private and public sectors, civil society and academia, among others.

 

b.      Coordinate and manage on behalf of WIPO Trilateral Coordination activities, including those specifically directed towards Trilateral elements of the WIPO response to health emergencies, such as COVID-19.

 

c.      Initiate and manage coordination with relevant Divisions across WIPO to ensure their input to the Trilateral Cooperation.

 

d.      Conceptualize, design, and implement Trilateral activities based on trilateral annual work plans to help address global health emergencies, including COVID-19. Design and support systems for project monitoring.

 

e.      Assess developments, challenges, and issues addressed by the Trilateral Cooperation, and provide analysis and advice to the Division Director on areas presenting an opportunity for further development, taking into account economic, social, and political conditions.

 

f.       Manage the production of reports and publications related to WIPO’s participation in the Trilateral Cooperation.

 

g.      Support the Director of the Division in developing and executing strategies on how WIPO, in cooperation with external partners as appropriate, could contribute to global policy processes addressing the policy needs of the respective fora.

 

h.      Represent, as requested, the Division Director in internal and WIPO in external meetings and events to provide information on the activities of the Division and to share knowledge on global IP policy challenges.

 

i.   Supervise staff, consultants, interns and Junior Professional Officers.

 

j.   Perform other related duties as required.

 

 

 

Education (Essential)

Advanced university degree in law, international relations, business, science, or other related field. A first-level university degree plus an additional two years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

 

Experience (Essential)

At least seven years of progressive professional experience in policy analysis, project design and implementation, relationship management and partnerships, with a strong focus on global health and trade, preferably in an international environment.

 

Acquaintance in national and international legal and policy development, norm setting, negotiation, administration or litigation, and international relations, in particular the work of WIPO, the UN system or other international organizations.

 

Demonstrated record of establishing and managing partnerships related to intellectual property and public policy issues, preferably in global health, in a diplomatic setting.

 

Language (Essential)

Excellent written and spoken knowledge of English.

 

Language (Desirable)

Knowledge of other official UN languages.

 

Job Related Competencies (Essential)

Proven ability to effectively manage multi-agency partnerships. Results-oriented.

 

Ease with internet-based platforms, including ability to define and describe business-side needs.

 

Strong, analytical, decision-making and problem-solving skills.

 

Sound judgment and integrity.

 

Excellent communication and public-speaking skills; proven ability to communicate technical subject matter to a wide range of audiences, including non-specialist policy makers and the general public.

 

Good interpersonal skills and ability to establish and maintain effective working relations in a multi-cultural environment with sensibility and respect for diversity.

 

Knowledge of the policy processes, legal structures and practices of organizations in the UN system, and organizations dealing with intellectual property-related as well as global health issues and global trade issues.

 

 

1. Communicating effectively.
2. Showing team spirit.
3. Demonstrating integrity.
4. Valuing diversity.
5. Producing results.
6. Showing service orientation.
7. Seeing the big picture.
8. Seeking change and innovation.
9. Developing yourself and others.

 

 

 

Mobility\:  WIPO staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the Director General and may be assigned to any activities, office or duty station of the Organization.  Accordingly, the selected candidate may be required to move from time to time to new functions and/or to another duty station.

 

Annual salary\:

Total annual salary consists of a net annual salary (net of taxes and before medical insurance and pension fund deductions) in US dollars and a post adjustment.  Please note that this estimate is for information only.  The post adjustment multiplier (cost of living allowance) is variable and subject to change (increase or decrease) without notice.  The figures quoted below are based on the October 2022 rate of 71%

 

P4
Annual salary	$75,602
Post adjustment	$53,677
Total Salary	$129,279
Currency USD

 

Please refer to WIPO’s Staff Regulation and Rules for detailed information concerning salaries, benefits and allowances.

 

Additional Information

 

Initial period of two years, renewable, subject to satisfactory performance.  No fixed-term appointment or any extension hereof shall carry with it any expectancy of, nor imply any right to, (further) extensions or conversion to a permanent appointment.

 

This vacancy announcement may be used to fill other posts at the same grade with similar functions in accordance with Staff Rule 4.9.5.

 

Applications from qualified women as well as from qualified nationals of unrepresented Member States of WIPO and underrepresented geographical regions are encouraged. Please click on the following links for the list of unrepresented Member States and the list of underrepresented regions and the WIPO Member States in these regions.

 

The Organization reserves the right to make an appointment at a grade lower than that advertised.

 

___________________________________________________________________

 

By completing an application, candidates understand that any willful misrepresentation made on this web site, or on any other documents submitted to WIPO during the application, may result in disqualification from the recruitment process, or termination of employment with WIPO at a later date, if that employment resulted from such willful misrepresentations.

 

In the event that your candidature is shortlisted, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of an identification and of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WIPO 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 these will be reviewed individually.

 

Additional testing/interviewing may be used as a form of screening.  Initial appointment is subject to satisfactory professional references.

 

Additional background checks may be required.