Overview
Secretary to the WOAH Governance Review Committee Jobs in France at World Organisation for Animal Health
Title: Secretary to the WOAH Governance Review Committee
Company: World Organisation for Animal Health
Location: France
Context
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH – founded as OIE) is a leading intergovernmental organisation representing 183 Members worldwide. Through its activities, WOAH makes a decisive contribution to improving animal health, protecting animal welfare and strengthening Veterinary Services. The Organisation provides transparent information on world's animal health situation, and promotes international standards, particularly in terms of the safety of trade in live animals and animal products. More information can be found on WOAH’s website.
Joining WOAH means taking part in the development of one of the leading international organisations, recognised and associated with other multilateral institutions, in the field of worldwide health. It means helping to build a global approach to health, combining animal and human health in a “One Health” approach.
To support its work, WOAH may use individual consultants to provide ad hoc support for tasks that cannot be carried out by members of its staff. An individual consultant works in his own name, for the duration of his assignment at WOAH, to the exclusion of any other principal and without being attached to any employer.
WOAH's headquarters are based in Paris. The Organisation is present on every continent through 13 Regional or Sub-regional Representations. WOAH has 250 staff members, two-thirds of whom are based at headquarters.
Description of the individual consultant assignment
Mission objectives
The purpose of this consultancy is to perform as an independent expert as Secretary to WOAH’s Governance Review Committee.
Following an external and independent review of WOAH’s institutional, technical and financial governance, at its 91st General Session the Assembly requested, on the recommendation of the Council, that the Director General set up a “dedicated group on governance to carry out further work to revise the WOAH Basic Texts” (Resolution No. 12 of 2024). The group operates under the title “Governance Review Committee” (also “Committee” or “GRC”) and is established to serve in an advisory, consensus-building capacity and reports to the Assembly.
The Governance Review Committee is reviewing the “Report on the analysis and evaluation of the institutional, technical and financial governance of WOAH” (the Consultants’ Report, available here) with a view to presenting to the WOAH Assembly consensus positions on each recommendation of the Report and any other recommendations the Committee may deem appropriate to improve WOAH’s governance structures and processes.
The Assembly approved the Governance Review Committee’s “holistic programme of multi-year activities” in Resolution No. 5 (2025). The work of the Governance Review Committee is divided into two substantive phases. First, the Committee is assessing any changes to WOAH’s governance arrangements it considers appropriate and helpful to the organisation (Phase 1). Once prospective changes are identified, the second phase will involve the preparation of any revisions to the Basic Texts to be made (Phase 2). It is expected that Phase 1 will be concluded at the General Session of the Assembly in 2027 and Phase 2 at the following General Session in 2028.
Upon completion of its review of the recommendations in the Consultants’ Report, and based on the action proposed on each of them, the Governance Review Committee will consider options for the revision of WOAH’s Basic Texts and make recommendations thereon to the Assembly.
Since the adoption of its work programme by the Assembly in May 2025, the Governance Review Committee engages in the following activities:
- Conduct a thorough review of all recommendations contained in the Consultants’ Report and suggest any additional recommendations stemming from the Committee’s work or other governance initiatives at WOAH;
- Present any recommendations for adjustments to WOAH’s governance processes (a first package to be presented for adoption at the Assembly’s General Session in May 2026 and a second package presented to the Assembly in May 2027); and
- Prepare an implementation plan for the recommendations to be taken forward (in addition to those flagged for immediate implementation) that includes specific actions to be undertaken, a timeline, and any budgetary requirements. This plan will include possibilities for adjusting relevant WOAH legal texts.
To support its review and development of its advice to the Assembly, the GRC has established two subgroups on codifying WOAH’s mandate and the organisation and governance of WOAH’s technical bodies. These subgroups are composed of GRC members and convene virtually or correspond by email.
The GRC’s second report to the Assembly, providing an update on its work and submitting seven (7) substantive recommendations for governance changes to the Assembly for decision at the 93rd General Session (May 2026), is available here.
The GRC Terms of Reference provide that the Committee shall have an external adviser (referred to as “Secretary”) to support the Committee’s Chairperson in their responsibilities. The Director General shall appoint the Secretary. The Secretary will perform the assignment in accordance with the GRC’s Terms of Reference and under the authority of the Chairperson.
The Secretary must be external to WOAH but have extensive knowledge of WOAH and its governance texts and processes as well as have the capacity to dedicate considerable time to supporting the Chairperson and the work of the Committee. The Secretary is not a member of the Committee (articles 3.4 and 3.5 of the Terms of Reference).
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