Professional Staff

Professional staff are recruited internationally and work in a range of functional profiles at Headquarters in Geneva, or in Regional and Representative Offices. These functional profiles include, but are not limited to, scientific officers; research, management, and operations support; information systems and communication technology; legal; public information and external relations; and conference management.

Professional Roles (P1-P5)

Work in the Professional category generally demands a high degree of analytical and communication skills, substantive expertise and managerial leadership ability.

Candidates in such roles need the understanding of an organized body of theoretical knowledge generally at a level equivalent to an advanced university degree or, exceptionally, acquired through other training or practical experience in some fields of learning or specialized disciplines.

Key Skills

  • A high degree of analytical and communication skills
  • Substantial expertise and/or managerial leadership ability
  • Analyzing and evaluating problems
  • Decision-making involving discretionary choices between alternative courses of action
  • Advanced University degree (or relevant and equivalent practical experience, professional qualifications, or other training and self-study)

Specific key skills and experience required for professional roles will be specified in the vacancy notice.

Senior Professional Roles (D1-D2)

Directors (D-1 and D-2 levels) represent the highest level of the career staffing structure of the Organization. Directors manage large groups of scientists or administrators and are expected to provide substantive leadership, as well as managerial oversight and guidance. 

Key Skills

Directors must demonstrate the same skills as P1-P5 professional roles, but with additional expertise in:

  • Providing leadership in formulating and implementing the substantial work programme of a unit
  • Analyzing and determining priorities
  • Balancing and allocating resources for the completion of outputs and their timely delivery.

Work Experience and Qualifications

The key skills and experience required for all roles are specified in the vacancy notice. Each job category requires a master's degree or equivalent and a minimum amount of experience:

Entry-level professionals

  • P2 (minimum 2 years of relevant work experience and a master's degree or equivalent)
  • P3 (minimum 5 years of work experience and a master's degree or equivalent)

Mid-level professionals

  • P4 (minimum 7 years of work experience and a master's degree or equivalent)
  • P5 (minimum of 10 years of work experience and a master's degree or equivalent)

Senior-level professionals

  • D-1 (minimum 15 years of work experience and a master's degree or equivalent)
  • D-2 (more than 15 years of work experience and a master's degree or equivalent)

In the absence of a master's degree, a bachelor's degree and 2 additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. Certain positions may also require additional professional certifications (eg:  CPA, CA, ACCA for Finance positions, UNDP CIPS Level 2 certificate for Procurement positions).

Language Requirements

WMO, as part of the United Nations, has six official languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish.     

Our working languages are English and French, and, depending on the job, candidates are required to have an excellent command of one or both languages.

Additional languages are always an asset but may not be essential - this will be stated in the each vacancy notice.