Purpose and application
10 The purpose of this section of the WHO eManual is to describe the procedures for establishing a position or abolishing an existing one in all WHO offices.
Authority
20 The Director-General has the authority to establish and abolish (vacant and occupied) positions.
20.1 In Headquarters, the authority to establish and to abolish vacant positions up to and including grade P5 is delegated to Assistant Directors-General within their approved budget allocations and the Division’s Human Resources Plan as reviewed and approved by the Director-General, including a ceiling for position establishment.
20.2 In the regions, the authority to establish and abolish positions up to and including grade P.6/D.1, with the exception of the positions of the WHO Representatives, is delegated to Regional Directors within their approved programme budget allocations and Regional Human Resources Plan, including a post establishment ceiling.
20.3 Restructuring at headquarters or in the regions which involves the establishment or abolition of organizational units are referred to the Director-General or Regional Director, respectively, for decision.
30 If the Director-General decides on an ad hoc basis to establish or abolish a position, the procedure described in this section is waived.
Focal points
40 Each cluster and regional office designates a focal point who is available to advise on the administrative aspects of a proposed establishment or abolition of a position.
Requests for the establishment of positions
50 For each position that is proposed to be established, the below paragraphs are followed.
50.1 The position owner prepares a proposal for the establishment of the position containing the following information:
- a description of the organizational location of the position and its relationship to other positions;
- position description; and
- rationale for the establishment of the position.
50.2 The position owner consults with the budget centre manager to determine whether sufficient funds will be available, or are foreseen to be available, for the duration of the position.
50.3 The position owner consults with Human Resources and Talent Management (HRT)/Regional HR Manager (RHRM) to determine whether the proposed job description, grade and title are appropriate and in line with policy and practice.
50.4 The position owner creates a draft new position in the HR plan, completes all of the required fields and submits the proposal through the approval processes in GSM.
50.5 When an administrative approval is included in the major office workflow, it may include a review to check that the position is within any financial or other requirements, such as a maximum position level.
50.6 After review of the finalized proposal, the decision to establish a position is taken by the appropriate authority as provided in paragraph 20 above, with reference to the finalized proposal.
50.7 The decision to establish a position is recorded in GSM.
50.8 When it has been decided to establish a position, the related actions in the HR action plan are initiated.
Requests for the abolition of positions
Occupied positions
60 For each occupied position that is proposed to be abolished, the below paragraphs are followed.
60.1 The position owner prepares a proposal for the abolition of the position containing the following information:
- a description of the organizational location of the position and its relationship to other positions;
- programmatic, budgetary or financial reasons for the proposed position abolition; and
- a detailed explanation of how the work of the position would be reduced, eliminated, reorganized or reassigned.
60.2 The position owner consults with the budget centre manager and HRT/RHRM regarding the proposed position abolition. HRT/RHRM advises on any other consultative mechanism that may be appropriate.
60.3 The position owner submits the finalized proposal to the appropriate delegated authority as provided for in paragraph 20 above for review and decision.
60.4 The position owner ensures that the position in the HR plan is ticked to be abolished and submitted through the approval processes embedded in GSM with reference made to the finalized proposal (provided for in paragraph 60.3) in the position’s planning notes section in GSM.
60.5 The final decision to abolish the position is taken by the appropriate delegated authority as provided in paragraph 20 above with reference to the finalized proposal, and approved through the approval process embedded in GSM.
60.6 The position owner uploads the approved proposal in Enterprice Content Management system.
60.7 Following the decision to abolish the position, the related actions in the HR action plan are initiated.
Budget considerations
70 A vacant position shall not be abolished for the purpose of reclassification of an occupied position. A vacant position shall not be proposed to be abolished, if it serves to request a reclassification of the position occupied by the staff member who is officially designated to act against the vacant position in accordance with the provisions of Staff Rule 320.4 (see also Section III.5.8.100 on the subject of Extra pay or Acting pay) with a view to revising the job description of the staff member’s position against the duties and responsibilities of that vacant position..
80 Indemnities are budgeted for and funded by the budget centre concerned.
Vacant positions
90 For vacant positions proposed to be abolished, the position owner ensures that the position in the HR plan is ticked to be abolished and submitted through the approval processes in GSM.
Special cases
100 For organizational change involving moving positions in GSM, this section does not apply.
