WHO / Yoshi Shimizu
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Staff appointments

Remuneration

WHO has an attractive remuneration package with competitive pay and benefits in accordance with the United Nations Common System which is established by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC). There are three main categories of staff: Professional and higher categories (IP), National Professional Officer (NPO) and General Service (GS). Offers for these positions are either Fixed Term Appointments or Temporary Appointments.

Staff in the professional and higher categories are paid on the basis of salary scales applied worldwide and established by the General Assembly of the United Nations on the recommendation of the ICSC. A common job classification system developed by the ICSC provides the structure for this salary scale.

Staff in the General and National Professional Officer categories are paid in accordance with local salary scales based on the best prevailing local conditions through surveys of local salaries, which are conducted and reviewed periodically. Job classification standards differentiate between levels of responsibility and provide a framework for comparison with local labour markets.

 

WHO Officer with turban sitting on the floor.

 

Benefits

As an IP, NPO or GS staff member, you are eligible for 30 days of annual leave per year on a fulltime basis (or the pro rata equivalent). For most appointments, will be covered by the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Scheme and the WHO worldwide medical insurance (including dental). Salaries, grants and allowances paid by WHO are generally exempt from income tax in most countries.

An employment offer will include all relevant information on benefits and your onboarding process will explain how to apply for and receive applicable entitlements.

Other staff benefits vary according to contract type and level and may include:

  • Dependency allowance
  • Education grant for schools and first-level university education
  • Home leave and family visit 
  • Maternity/paternity/surrogacy or adoption leave
  • Settling in grant
  • Relocation grant
  • Hardship allowance
  • Mobility incentive
  • Rental subsidy
  • Repatriation and/or end of service grant

 

Appointment types

Fixed Term Appointments​

Fixed Term Appointments are issued to international professional, national professional and general service staff for one or two years. These appointments may be renewed subject to the Organization’s needs and the staff member’s performance. ​

Temporary Appointments​

Temporary Appointments are issued to international professional, national professional and general service staff to meet short term programmatic needs. Temporary appointments may be renewed up to a maximum period of 24 months, after which a mandatory break in service of more than 30 days is observed.

Find out more about WHO Rules and Regulations.

Explore joining WHO via one of our talent programmes.

 

International staff mobility

WHO is committed to making a measurable difference in people’s health at the country level. To drive impact at the country, regional and global levels, our workforce needs to be agile and highly competent.

Mobility makes our workforce more diverse at all levels of the Organization while improving organizational performance in three ways: 1) it increases the talent pool; 2) it brings new perspectives into discussions and decision making processes; and 3) it brings the voices of the people with health challenges more directly into the discussion. The mobility programme is implemented fairly but vigorously with enhanced attention to the retention of women leaders and people from developing countries at senior positions.

Mobility is also part of the wider UN system, where many organizations have adopted it in various forms. The International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) has placed mobility at the heart of the career management pillar in its Framework for Human Resources Management.

International Professional staff on fixed term contracts adhere to the geographical mobility programme.

 

Staff categories and requirements

International Professional

Required qualifications (indicative list)

Proficiency in English or French and a good working knowledge of a second official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish) is required for most positions.


International Professional and Higher Graded levels run from P1 to D2.

  • P1: One year of relevant professional work experience (1) and first university degree (3)
  • P2: Two years of relevant professional work experience (1) and first university degree (3)
  • P3: Five years of relevant professional work experience (1) and first university degree (3)
  • P4: Seven years of relevant professional work experience (1) and master's level university degree (2)
  • P5: Ten years of relevant professional work experience (1) and master's level university degree (2)
  • P6/D1/D2: Fifteen years of relevant professional work experience (1) and master's level university degree (2)

National Professional Officer

Required qualifications (indicative list)

Requirements for our National Professional Officers (NPO) are similar to those for our International Professional Officers; however, there is often more emphasis on working at a national level. NPOs are also an essential part of our professional teams.

  • NO-A: One year of relevant professional work experience (1) and first university degree (3)
  • NO-B: Two year of relevant professional work experience (1) and first university degree (3)
  • NO-C: Five year of relevant professional work experience (1) and first university degree (3)
  • NO-D: Seven year of relevant professional work experience (1) and master's level university degree (2)

General Service positions

Language qualifications (indicative list)

General Service positions usually require a strong command of one official UN language and a working knowledge of a second. Knowledge of a third would be an advantage. Language requirements depend on the duty station.

Educational level (indicative list)

  • G3: Minimum 2 years of experience and completion of a secondary, technical or commercial school programme
  • G4: Minimum 3 years of experience and completion of a secondary, technical or commercial school programme
  • G5: Minimum 5 years of experience and completion of a secondary, technical or commercial school programme
  • G6: Minimum 8 years of experience and completion of a secondary, technical or commercial school programme
  • G7: Minimum 10 years of experience and completion of a secondary, technical or commercial school programme

(1) Experience in developing countries an asset
(2) Or equivalent educational qualification
(3) For WHO staff only, equivalent professional training or self study/work experience