Distance Learning Program, WIPO Academy, Regional and National Development Sector
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING APPLICATION DEADLINE: please note that the deadline for applications is indicated in local time as per the time zone of the applicant’s location.
a. Organizational Setting
The post is located in the Distance Learning Program of the WIPO Academy. The WIPO Academy plays a central role in WIPO’s activities to enhance the capacity of countries to use the intellectual property (IP) system and adopts an interdisciplinary approach to IP education focusing on its links with trade, innovation, health, applied sciences, information technology and creative industries. The portfolio of courses on IP caters to different target audiences: inventors and creators, business managers and IP professionals, policy makers and government officials of IP institutions, diplomats, students and teachers of IP and the civil society.
b. Purpose Statement
The WIPO Distance Learning (DL) Program provides easy access to updated and relevant IP knowledge in all fields of IP. To achieve this, it runs each year an average of 330 general and advanced training courses for the benefit of more than 100,000 persons worldwide. The courses cover the basics of IP rights (history, definitions and scope of protection), their economic rationale, international sources of IP law, the international protection of IP and landmark judicial cases in the area of IP, the global IP services offered by WIPO to industry current developments and best practices in strategic management of IP rights, and address SME’s, youth, and women through specific programs. Courses are offered in several languages including Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish, and Portuguese.
c. Reporting Lines
Under the direct supervision of the Head of the Distance Learning Program, and the overall supervision of the Executive Director of the WIPO Academy, Regional and National Development Sector, the incumbent performs the following tasks in the framework of the WIPO Academy.
d. Work Relations
The incumbent plays an important role in coordinating the dissemination and presentation of the online courses to the public and under specific cooperation agreements with IP Offices in various languages, including under the DL component of WIPO’s Master’s programs.
2.Duties and Responsibilities
The incumbent will perform the following principal duties:
a. Manage the implementation of the distance learning courses offered by the Academy supervising all phases involved in the planning, delivery, administration and evaluation; supervise the work of consultants/course administrators assigning work and ensuring conformance to service orientation standards and best practices as defined by the WIPO DL Program, and evaluating performance.
b. Establish relationships with tutors and coordinate the teaching and daily services of a multi-disciplinary and multi-lingual team of IP experts, i.e., authors, WIPO experts, instructional designers, finance and translation teams, and IT specialists to monitor the delivery of DL courses; supervise the structuring of course content for online delivery.
c. creation of online tools for student/tutor interaction; preparation of operational and technical documentation for the distance learning platform; preparation, updating and implementation of user acceptance testing for distance learning course delivery; collection of feedback for impact and data analysis.
d. Supervise the offering of specialized distance learning and blended learning services to government officials, executives, the young and their teachers, women in science, and the judiciary.
e. Monitor the IT platform and finance related issues to anticipate potential overload and take necessary action; troubleshoot and provide technical support to diagnose and resolve problems encountered by learners and tutors; escalate complex issues requiring further investigation/intervention.
f. Coordinate national training of IP Offices and universities, and act as trainer in WIPO Academy’s Distance Learning Customization workshops to increase institutional capacities in IP training.
g. Research, analyze and evaluate new e-Learning delivery technologies and make recommendations to the supervisor for their deployment.
h. Liaise with external partners (universities and/or national IP Offices) on customization, joint offering, design, administration and logistical arrangements of joint programs, in particular under the DL component of the Academy’s Masters’ and Professional Development programs.
i. Represent the DL Program’s administration by providing substantive backstopping to meetings (e.g., work plan, budget, funds-in-trust) and other collaborative trainings of the service, to include proposing agenda topics, identifying participants, preparation of documents and presentations.
j. Perform other duties as required.
Education (Essential)
Advanced university degree (equivalent to Masters) in computer science, information technology or related field. A first-level university degree in a relevant field plus two years of experience in addition to the experience requested below may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.
Experience (Essential)
At least seven years of professional experience in the management and coordination of elearning projects, while handling related operational support including technical assistance, cooperation, capacity building, or development.
Experience managing or coordinating training services in multiple languages.
Experience (Desirable)
Experience in resource planning or workforce management for an IP elearning administration team.
Language (Essential)
Excellent knowledge of English.
Language (Desirable)
Working knowledge of French.
Job Related Competencies (Essential)
Strong ability to manage tasks in an independent manner while delivering high quality online and hybrid training on time.
Strong ability to supervise a high-volume, multidisciplinary team of experts, and administrators in delivering training year-round.
Strong competency in evaluating new e-Learning delivery technologies and implementing updates adapting to technologies ensuring that best practices duly supported for developing country.
Ability to investigate technical incidents and provide information to software developers for further investigation.
Analytical and problem-solving skills.
Ability to work on own initiative as well as a member of a team.
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills and ability to maintain effective partnerships and working relations in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
Client orientation, with the ability to deliver a high quality client service, improving service execution, delivery and outcomes.
Strong sense of customer-orientation with the ability to listen to clients and see the bigger picture.
Competent user of Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint and the internet, and the ability to work with databases and other content authoring and information management systems (such as Moodie, Opinio, Articulate Storyline, Scenari) and adapt quickly to new software.
4.Organizational Competencies
1. Communicating effectively.
2. Showing team spirit.
3. Demonstrating integrity.
4. Valuing diversity.
5. Producing results.
6. Showing service orientation.
7. Seeing the big picture.
8. Seeking change and innovation.
9. Developing yourself and others.
Mobility:WIPO staff members are international civil servants subject to the authority of the Director General and may be assigned to any activities, office or duty station of the Organization. Accordingly, the selected candidate may be required to move from time to time to new functions and/or to another duty station.
Annual salary:
Total annual salary consists of a net annual salary (net of taxes and before medical insurance and pension fund deductions) in US dollars and a post adjustment. Please note that this estimate is for information only.The post adjustment multiplier (cost of living allowance) is variable and subject to change (increase or decrease) without notice. The figures quoted below are based on the June 2023 rate of 82.2%
Salaries and allowances are paid in Swiss francs at the official rate of exchange of the United Nations.
Please refer to WIPO’s Staff Regulation and Rules for detailed information concerning salaries, benefits and allowances.
Additional Information
- Initial period of two years, renewable, subject to satisfactory performance. No fixed-term appointment or any extension hereof shall carry with it any expectancy of, nor imply any right to, (further) extensions or conversion to a permanent appointment.
This vacancy announcement may be used to fill other posts at the same grade with similar functions in accordance with Staff Rule 4.9.5.
Applications from qualified women as well as from qualified nationals of unrepresented Member States of WIPO and underrepresented geographical regions are encouraged.
The Organization reserves the right to make an appointment at a grade lower than that advertised.
___________________________________________________________________
By completing an application, candidates understand that any willful misrepresentation made on this web site, or on any other documents submitted to WIPO during the application, may result in disqualification from the recruitment process, or termination of employment with WIPO at a later date, if that employment resulted from such willful misrepresentations.
In the event that your candidature is shortlisted, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of an identification and of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WIPO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and these will be reviewed individually.
Additional testing/interviewing may be used as a form of screening. Initial appointment is subject to satisfactory professional references.
Additional background checks may be required.