Regional Adviser (Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity)
- Organisation: WHO - World Health Organization
- Location: Denmark-Copenhagen
- Deadline: 3 November 2026
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME
The Prevention and Health Promotion Division spearheads WHO/Europe's work in ensuring people in the European Region thrive in healthy environments and avoid premature disease and death through integrated prevention across the spectrum of health and disease.
Prevention and Health Promotion will positively impact the 1,8 million annual avoidable deaths due to non-communicable diseases, 60% of those through prevention, and 40% through treatment (2024). This impact aligns with SDG target 3.4 of reducing by one third premature mortality from NCDs by 2030[impact].
The Division will focus on country scale-up of proven best-buy interventions, with the main goal of increasing national coverage of measures that deliver results within five years ("quick-buys") and/or in the longer term [outcome].
To increase coverage of lifesaving interventions, the Division focuses on building political and financial commitment, developing regional and country strategies and policy options, providing targeted technical assistance, and facilitating surveillance, documentation and dissemination of information and good practices [output].
Technical experts in the Division at the Regional Office are grouped in two functional areas, working in affiliation with two GDOs, through a network of Prevention and Health Promotion focal points in Country Offices. The Division works closely with the GDO on Primary Healthcare (covering PHC based prevention opportunities), and Headquarters (in relation to specialized NCD services).
Functional teams at the Regional Office address focus integration of prevention approaches across the house, and leading WHO/Europe's work on the reduction of risk factors:
• Integrated Prevention - ensuring coordination of WHO's prevention portfolio in the Region, with a focus on generating commitment, strategies and insights for promoting health at regional and country level, based on relevant strategic information and including innovation, behavioural and cultural insights.
• Risk Factors - focused on scaling up quick-buy/best-buy intervention addressing key risk factors including tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy diets, physical activity, and obesity.
The Quality-of-Care Project Office based in Athens focuses on the primordial role that ‘Quality of Care' plays for preventing unintended negative consequences of treatment and care. It continues to ensure and maximize the quality of health services across the spectrum of health and disease, which are mostly related to secondary, tertiary and quaternary prevention of NCDs.
The European Centre for Environment and Health (GDO, Bonn) focuses on the creation of healthy environments and climate change adaption and mitigation.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
The purpose of the post in to provide strategic planning and leadership, as well as authoritative advice and direction to Member States, in respect to promotion of nutrition and physical activity, and tackling obesity. Lead the horizontal coordination of the technical work across the Organization anchoring the physical activity, nutrition and food systems issues on their agendas for optimal integration of activities related to NCD prevention, and to mobilise partners to promote physical activity in all settings and across the life course and to reduce sedentary time which is an independent risk factor for NCDs.
Under the guidance of the relevant supervisors, the incumbent will assume the following responsibilities:
Key duties:
• Provide advice to Member States on policies, strategic directions and priorities on nutrition, physical activity and obesity and as a content expert provide leadership and direction for prevention of NCDs.
• Develop and implement integrated multi-sectoral approaches to strengthen delivery capacities for the nutrition and obesity activities of the EPW, the European Food and Nutrition Action Plan, the Physical activity strategy for the WHO European Region and the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases in the WHO European Region.
• Represent WHO Europe and provide authoritative advice on matters related to nutrition, physical activity, obesity and prevention of NCDs in relevant meetings, liaison with international, regional and national health authorities and external partners.
• Lead the horizontal coordination of the technical work between nutrition, obesity, physical activity and various units of the Division and across the Organization anchoring the NCD issues, including promotion of sustainable healthy diets on their agendas for optimal integration.
• Develop tools and instruments and advise Member States in evidence-based nutrition, physical activity and obesity prevention policies and plans for national NCD prevention in cooperation with the teams in GDOs, PHP, and other divisions and country offices, including the design, testing and deployment of innovative, context-based recommendations and models for integration of NCD interventions within health systems to ensure high-quality services for the prevention and control of NCDs across the care continuum.
• Coordinate and facilitate the uptake of WHO tools, information gathering, writing, and finalization of formal technical/strategic documents and state of art scientific papers.
• Guide the development of joint initiatives and work plans with professional societies and WHO Collaborating Centres dealing with nutrition, physical activity, obesity and related issues, aligning joint activities of EPW flagship initiatives and monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of collaboration.
• Develop, direct and coordinate strategic initiatives related to childhood obesity including the convening and support to the member states action network on childhood obesity: Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI).
• Take a lead role in convening regional stakeholders and establishing and managing regional partnership/s and coordination group/s to steer novel approaches in implementation of nutrition and obesity prevention initiatives, including brief interventions in primary healthcare settings and improving digital food environments.
• Act as the WHO focal point for European Salt Action Network (ESAN), WHO European Network on Reducing marketing pressure on children and European network for the promotion of health-enhancing physical activity and other relevant networks for nutrition, physical activity and obesity.
• Mobilize partners to promote physical activity in all settings and across the life course and to reduce sedentary time which is an independent risk factor for NCDs.
• Identify opportunities and special areas of mutual interest with potential donors.
• Regularly monitor and assess the performance of the technical area through evaluation and reporting.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Essential : Advanced university degree in public health.
Desirable : Advanced degree in social sciences, law or field relevant to the position.
Experience
Essential :
• At least 10 years of progressively responsible professional experience in public health programmes, particularly on non-communicable diseases and/or nutrition, physical activity, obesity at national and international levels, including demonstrated practical experience in implementing or advising on key domains of nutrition and physical activity and the implementation of the international public health policies.
• Proven practical experience and track record in implementing or advising on key domains of nutrition and physical activity promotion, and in supporting the implementation of evidence-based control legislation and policies, in data analysis and in intersectoral capacity building.
Desirable :
• Relevant experience in WHO, UN organizations/agencies, international institutions or NGOs.
• Proven experience working in partnership with UN organizations, the private sector, multinational organizations and non-governmental organizations
• Relevant experience in intersectoral work and resource mobilization.
• Proven experience working with Ministries of Health and other Ministries/Governmental Agencies/Legislative Authorities.
Skills
• Demonstrated knowledge of global and regional public health aspects of nutrition, physical activity, obesity and NCDs
• Expert level knowledge in aspects relevant to the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases.
• In depth knowledge of the political, social and health systems of countries in the WHO European Region.
• Strong diplomatic and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work with minimal technical supervision.
• Emotional awareness; Ability to identify and harness one's emotions and apply them to tasks; and the ability to manage emotions, which includes both regulating one's own emotions when necessary and helping others to do the same.
WHO Competencies
• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Moving forward in a changing environment
• Ensuring the effective use of resources
• Creating an empowering and motivating environment
Use of Language Skills
Essential : Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable : Intermediate knowledge of French/German/Russian.
REMUNERATION
WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 103,165 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 6491 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• Staff members separated due to the 2025 Prioritization and Realignment Process will receive special consideration according to the applicable regulatory framework.