WHO·Apr 9, 2026

Programme Coordination Assistant

Under the overall supervision of the Team Lead for Health Systems at WHO Sri Lanka and the Registrar General, Registrar General’s Department the UN Volunteer Specialist will support the Registrar General’s Department in ...

On-siteNationalSpecialist UCoS from Apr20263. Good health and well-being
On-site

Sri Lanka

Colombo

Duration

184 days

Extendable

Positions

1 Available

Deadline

Apr 23, 2026

8 days left

🎯

Sustainable Development Goal

3. Good health and well-being

General Information

Description of assignment title

Programme Coordination Assistant

Assignment country

Sri Lanka

Expected start date

May 4, 2026

Sustainable Development Goal

3. Good health and well-being

Volunteer category

Specialist UCoS from Apr2026

Host entity

WHO

Type

onsite

Duration

184 days
(with possibility of extension)

Number of assignments

1

Duty stations

Colombo

Assignment Details

Mission and Objectives

The World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to achieve better health for all. By connecting countries, people and partners, we strive to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. From emerging epidemics such as COVID-19 and Zika to the persistent threat of communicable diseases including HIV, malaria and tuberculosis and chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer, we bring together 194 countries and work on the frontlines in 150+ locations to confront the biggest health challenges of our time and measurably advance the well-being of the world’s people.

Context

The UN Volunteer Specialist will support the Registrar General’s Department in accelerating the digital modernization of civil registration systems and strengthening the implementation of the OneRegistry initiative in collaboration with WHO and UNDP. This assignment contributes to national efforts to improve service delivery, enhance data quality, and promote interoperable digital systems that support evidence-based planning and citizen-centred services. The UN Volunteer Specialist will work closely with government officials, technical teams, WHO and UNDP staff, and other partners to ensure effective coordination, timely implementation, and accurate reporting of programme activities.

Task Description

Under the overall supervision of the Team Lead for Health Systems at WHO Sri Lanka and the Registrar General, Registrar General’s Department the UN Volunteer Specialist will support the Registrar General’s Department in coordinating and implementing activities related to the modernization of civil registration systems and the OneRegistry initiative. Responsibilities include organizing meetings, preparing documentation, monitoring progress, and facilitating communication in collaboration with WHO, UNDP, government counterparts, technical partners, and other stakeholders. Scope of work: The UN Volunteer Specialist will support the following functions: Implementation and Operational Coordination - Assist in the day-to-day coordination of programme activities related to the modernization of civil registration systems between WHO, UNDP, and the Registrar General’s Department. - Support follow-up on activity plans, timelines, and deliverables to ensure timely implementation. - Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to facilitate operational processes and address implementation challenges. Support to Digitalization and Modernization Processes - Contribute to administrative and technical tasks related to the digital transformation of civil registration processes. - Support documentation, tracking, and consolidation of technical inputs related to system development, workflow redesign, and process improvements. - Assist in coordinating consultations, technical meetings, demonstrations, and capacity-building sessions related to digitalization. Coordination and Monitoring of OneRegistry Project Activities - Support the planning, coordination, and monitoring of activities under the OneRegistry initiative. - Facilitate communication with stakeholders, including ministries, development partners, and technical agencies. - Assist in preparing progress updates, monitoring matrices, and briefing materials. Documentation, Reporting, and Knowledge Management - Support the preparation of technical notes, meeting minutes, reports, and knowledge products. - Assist in documenting lessons learned, best practices, and capacity-building outcomes. - Contribute inputs to donor reports, programme updates, and presentations as required.

Eligibility Criteria

Age

18 - 80

Required experience

3 years

Nationality

Candidate must be a national or legal resident of the country of assignment.

Assignment Requirements

Relevant experience

3 years

Language Requirements
EnglishRequired
Fluent
SinhalesePreferred
Working knowledge
TamilPreferred
Working knowledge
Required education level

Bachelor's degree

Area(s) of expertise

Administration, Development programmes, Information technology

Driving license

-

Competencies and values
• Technical expertise • Overall attitude at work • Teamwork • Communication • Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Skills and experience
Experience in project management and or coordination. Experience in project coordination with any UN agencies or development partners is an asset.

Additional Information

Living conditions and remarks
Colombo is situated on the Western Province of Sri Lanka and is the commercial capital of the country. Colombo is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to the administrative capital, Sri Jayawardenepura, Kotte. The climate is fairly temperate all throughout the year, but humidity is usually high. From March to April the temperature averages around 31 degrees Celsius (88 degrees Fahrenheit). The only major change in the Colombo weather occurs during the monsoon seasons from May to August and October to January when heavy rainfalls occur. Sri Lanka became a member of the United Nations on 14 December 1955. As this is a national UN Volunteer assignment, the UN Volunteer will be responsible for arranging his/her own housing and other living essentials. https://www.unv.org/ You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos
Inclusivity statement

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme that welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity and to promoting respect for human rights and individual dignity without distinction.

Note on Covid-19 vaccination requirements

Selected candidates for certain occupational groups may be subject to vaccination requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19), in line with the applicable host entity policy.

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