RESTRICTED  
  
WT/BFA/W/366  
 
2 June 2015  
(15-2801)  Page: 1/11  
Committee on Budget, Finance and Administration    
 
 2014 ANNUAL REPORT ON GRADING STRUCTURE AND PROMOTIONS IN THE WTO 
SECRETARIAT 
 
1  INTRODUCTION 
1.  This document presents a Human Resources Update on staffing and post related statistics in 
the WTO Secretariat as of 31 December 2014. Key information covered includes detailed data on 
the composition of WTO staff by grade as well as the evolution of the grading structure for 
professional and support staff since 1995. Moreover, statistics are also provided on post and staffing allocation, as well as  internal staff mobility.  
2.  The report also includes data on staff recruitment as of 31 December 2014, including the 
overall number of positions advertised through vacancy notice, as well as the number of 
separations and appointments. Furthermore, detailed data is included on promotions through the annual promotions exercise from 1996 to 2011, as well as on a competitive basis since 2007 .  
2  UPDATE ON STAFFING AND POST RELATED STATISTICS IN THE SECRETARIAT AS OF 
31 DECEMBER 2014 
2.1  Grading Structure  
3.  The WTO grade structure in the professional staff category ranges from grade 6 to grade 10, 
with support grades ranging from grade 1 to grad e 7. Director level positions are at grades 11 
and 12. Over the last few years, the policy of the organization has been to increasingly recruit staff at entry-level, with professional staff appointe d mainly at grades 6 and 7. Recruitment may be 
above entry-level grades when (1) a position requ ires additional years of experience; and where 
(2) there is a demonstrated need for additional  expertise or a managerial/supervisory role.  
4.  In terms of the WTO grade structure as of  31 December 2014, the number in professional 
positions continues to surpass the number of staff in support positions. As illustrated in Chart 1, 
386 staff members (58%) are in the professional category (grade 6 to grade 12), while 285 staff members (42%) are in support positions (grade 2 to  grade 7). Looking specifically at professional 
staff and the inclusion of all grades at this level, the highest ratio of staff members are in grade 9. 
For support staff, the highest ratio of staff members are in grade 5. WT/BFA/W/366 
 
- 2 - 
 
  Chart 1 Grading Structure for Professional and Support Staff, as of 31 December 2014 
12
11
10
9876Professional  Staff
4
16
97
114
62
48
45
7
6
5
4
32Support Staff
Total Professional  (G6P‐G12): 386
Percentage  total staff: 58%Total Support (G2‐G7S): 285
Percentage  total staff: 42%
29
63
90
59
41
3
 
 
 
5.  In terms of the grade structure evolution fo r professional staff since 1995, the percentage of 
staff members in more senior positions has been steadily decreasing, specifically in grades 8 and 10 (Chart 2). Staff members in grade 10 now represent 25% of all professional staff, 
the lowest percentage since 2000 (see Annex 1). At the same time, the significant inflow of staff in 
grade 6 professional since 2010 can be clearly observed. While grade 6 professionals consistently represented 1% or less of total professional staff until 2009, there are now 45 staff in this category as of December 2014, representing 12% of professional staff. The staffing data set out in 
Annex 1 further illustrates how the average grade of professional staff, in part driven by this 
increase in entry-level professional staff in the Secretariat, has gradually decreased since 2008 and is now at its lowest level since 1995 (from 9.24 in 1995 to 8.61 in 2014). 
6.  In the grade structure evolution for support staff since 1995, the trend is a decreasing number 
of support positions in grade 7, representing 10% of support staff. The highest number of staff can 
be shown at the grade 5 level, representing 32%.  In contrast to the professional grades, the 
average grade for support staff has increased from  4.76 in 1995 to 4.90 in 2014, as illustrated in 
Annex 2. 
Chart 2 Grading Structure Evolution for Prof essional and Support Staff, from 1995 to 
31 December 2014 
 
  
0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%
1995
19992000
2001
2002
2003
20042005
2006
20072008
2009
20102011
2012
2013201412
11
10
9
8
7P
6P
020406080100120140
1995
1999
20002001
2002
2003
2004
20052006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
20122013
201412
11
10
9
8
7P
6P
 
 
  Professional  Grades, 
by number of staff Professional  Grades, 
by percentage  WT/BFA/W/366 
 
- 3 - 
 
   
   
020406080100120
1995
1999
20002001200220032004
2005
2006200720082009
2010
20112012201320147S
6S
5
4
3
2
0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%
1995
1999200020012002200320042005
2006
200720082009201020112012201320147S
6S
5
4
3
2
 
 
 2.2  Post and Staffing Allocation  
7.  The majority of WTO staffing is covered by the regular budget of the organization. As 
illustrated in Chart 3, the WTO employs a total of 724 staff, with 94% (680 staff) funded from the regular budget and 6% (44 staff) from extra-budgetary trust funds
1.  
Chart 3 Staffing Under Regular Budget an d Extra-Budgetary Trust Funds, as of 
31 December 2014  
Of the 680 staff on the regular 
budget:
634 are on regular/fixed ‐
term  contracts
14 are on project‐based 
contracts
32 are on short‐term 
contracts
Of the 44 staff on extra budgetary  
funding:
42 are on fixed‐term 
contracts
2 are on short‐term 
contracts
44
680Extra 
Budgetary
6%
Regular 
Budget
94%
 
8.  Furthermore out of a total of 680 staff, 634 are on fixed-term/regular contracts, 14 are on 
project-based contracts for dispute settlement lawy ers and 32 are on short-term contracts. The 
14 project-based lawyers were hired to assist with the high increase in dispute settlement cases. 
The staffing figures outlined above represents 94% of overall WTO staff as of 31 December 2014. 
                                               
1 Extra-budgetary trust funds are targeted to Technical Assistance Programmes for Members. Support Grades,  
by number of staff Support Grades,  
by percentage  WT/BFA/W/366 
 
- 4 - 
 
  Chart 4 Number of Staff by Contract Type for Divisions under Regular Budget, as of 
31 December 2014 
9
71
18
17
13
21
40
21
30
44
17
37
129
23
17
1
16
8
20
2
12
18
504
5
51
1
1
1
2
10
1
4
2
1
1
1
3
1
1
1
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140Accessions
Administration  and General Services
Agriculture  and Commodities
Appellate  Body Secretariat
Council and TNC
Development
Economic  Research  and Statistics
Human Resources
Information  and External Relations
Information  Technology  Solutions
Intellectual  Property
ITTC
LDIMD
Legal Affairs
Market Access
Office of Internal Audit
Office of the Director‐General
Offices of DDGs
Rules
Staff Counsellor
Trade and Environment
Trade in Services
Trade Policies Review
Regular/Fixed ‐term
Project‐Based
Short‐term
 
 
 
9.   Chart 4 above illustrates the breakdown of all staff members funded from the regular budget per division. Although the highest number of staff can be shown in LDIMD (Languages, 
Documentation, and Information Management) with 129 regular/fixed-term staff, they represent 
the division with the largest decrease in comparison to 2013 (by 2.2%). Furthermore, the largest percentage increase (.8%) in the number of sta ff can be observed in the Legal Affairs division, 
with the additional headcount of 5 regular/fixed-term staff members. 
10.  As shown by division in Chart 5 below, 44 staff members are funded from extra-budgetary 
funds in which 42 are on fixed-term L-Post contracts
2 and 2 are on short-term contracts. This 
represents 6% of overall WTO staff as of 31 December 2014. 
Chart 5 Number of Staff by Contract Type for Divisions under Extra-Budgetary Trust 
Funds, as of 31 December 2014 
1132212363
11
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14Market AccessITTCIntellectual  PropertyInformation  Technology  SolutionsHuman ResourcesEIFEconomic  Research  and StatisticsAgriculture  and CommoditiesAdministration  and General Services
Fixed‐term
Short‐term
 
 
 
                                               
2 Posts of limited duration fund ed from extra-budgetary resources WT/BFA/W/366 
 
- 5 - 
 
  2.3  Internal Staff Mobility 
11.  As illustrated in Chart 6 below, 31 inter-divisional staff movements were made from 
1 January to 31 December 2014. 
Chart 6 Internal Staff Mobility by Divisi on, from 1 January to 31 December 2014 
‐9‐8‐7‐6‐5‐4‐3‐2‐10123456
Incoming
Outgoing
 
 
 3  RECRUITMENT AS OF 31 DECEMBER 2014 
3.1  Positions Advertised through Vacancy Notice 
12.  From 1 January to 31 December 2014, a total of 41 vacancy notices were released. In four of 
these vacancy notices, more than one position was advertised, thereby bringing the total number 
of positions advertised to 53. Of these, 39 were  for professional positions, of which 22 were 
advertised at grades 6 and 7. This represents 63% of professional posts advertised, excluding 
director positions advertised at grade 11. Table 1 below shows the number of positions advertised 
by division and the respective grade levels. Table 2 further illustrates the number of positions 
advertised since 2007.  
Table 1 Positions Advertised by Division , from 1 January to 31 December 2014 
Division 3 4 5 6S 7S 6P 7P 8 9 10 11 Total  
Accessions  1          1 
Admin. and General Services       1 1   1 3 
A g r i c u l t u r e       2       2  
Appellate Body  2   1  3  2   8 
Office of the Director-General   1         1 
EIF         1   1 
Human Resources      1     1 2 
Inf. and External Relations 1 1 1     1    4 
ITSD  1    1      2 
ITTC    2        2 
LDIMD      2 2 1 3   8 
Legal Affairs   1    2  2   5 
M a r k e t  A c c e s s            1  1  
Office of Internal Audit      1      1 
Rules   1    2  2   5 
Trade in Services      1      1 WT/BFA/W/366 
 
- 6 - 
 
  Division 3 4 5 6S 7S 6P 7P 8 9 10 11 Total  
Trade and Environment      1      1 
TPRD    1  1 2    1 5 
Total 1 5 4 3 1 10 12 3 10 - 4 53 
 
Table 2 Positions Advertised, from 2007 to 2014 
Year Grade 
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total 
2007 5 4 3 1 8 10 5 2 2 - 40 
2008 1 2 - 2 8 4 1 - 1 - 19 
2009 5 3 6 3 8 7 1 - 2 - 35 
2010 1 2 3 18 5 2 4 - 1 - 36 
2011 3 2 2 13 2 4 3 - 2 - 31 
2012 3 2 1 6 - 2 2 1 2 - 19 
2013 5 1 1 11 13 3 3 1 3 - 41 
2014 1 5 4 13 13 3 10 - 4 - 53 
Total 24 21 20 67 57 35 29 4 17 - 274 
 
3.2  Separations and Appointments 
13.  Table 3 below shows staff separations since 2007 ranging from grades 3 through 12. The 
highest number of staff separations from the Secretariat since 2007 can be observed in the grade 10 category, totalling 44. This is followed by staff in grade 7, totalling 30. In 2014, there 
were a total of 24 separations. From 1 January to 31 December 2014, 79% of all separations were 
due to retirements, while resignations and end of contacts account for the remaining number of departures.  
Table 3 Staff Separations by Year, from 2007 to 31 December 2014 
Year Grade 
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total 
2007 2 4 2 5 4 2 4 5  - 3 31 
2008 4 3 2 2 2 2 3 7  - 4 29 
2009 2 -  4 4 4 2 1 4 2  - 23 
2010  - 2  - 2 6 -  1 4  - 1 16 
2011  - 2 2 2 5 6 1 3 1  - 22 
2012  - 1 4 2 1 3 1 6 -  3 21 
2013 1 - 4 3 7 3 3 6 3 2 37 
2014 - - 2 4 1 2 3 9 2 1 24 
Total 9 12 20 24 30 20 17 44 8 14 203 
 
14.  In regards to fixed-term/regular staff a ppointments since 2007, 58 staff members have been 
appointed for grade 6 positions, the highest number of staff appointments throughout grades 3 through 12 (Table 4). 
Table 4 Staff Appointments by Year, from 2007 to 31 December 2014 
Year Grade   
3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Total Internal External  
2007 1 8 3 2 12 11 1 1 - - 39 15 24 
2008 6 3 - 1 6 6 3 2 2 - 29 11 18 
2009 1 3 1 4 8 4 1 - 1 - 23 6 17 
2010 4 4 1 9 6 - 1 - 2 - 27 10 17 
2011 4 - 5 15 6 2 2 - 1 - 35 16 19 
2012 2 3 - 7 - 2 1 - 1 - 16 3 13 
2013 4 1 1 10 4 1 1 2 1 1 31 12 19 
2014 4 - 1 10 6 1 2 - 2 - 26 14 12 
Total 26 22 12 58 48 27 12 5 10 1 226 87 139 WT/BFA/W/366 
 
- 7 - 
 
  4  PROMOTIONS AS OF 31 DECEMBER 2014 
15.  Table 5 below shows the number of staff promotions through the annual promotions exercise. 
With the current freeze introduced in 2012, there have been no such promotions since 2011. The 
annual budget for post re-gradings3 was approximately CHF 217,000 per annum. 
16.  In accordance with Staff Rule 107.1 (d), it is also defined as a promotion when a staff 
member is selected to fill a job at a higher grade for which there has been a vacancy notice (see below):  
"A promotion on a competitive basis shall occur when a staff member is selected to fill a job at a 
higher grade for which there has been a vacancy notice. The Director-General may issue a vacancy 
notice in respect of a job reclassified at a higher grade." 
17.  Shown in Table 6 is the number of promotions that haven taken place on a competitive basis 
since 2007. Since the introduction of the freeze on promotions, a competitive selection process has 
been the only avenue for staff to attain a higher grade. 
Table 5 Promotions by Grade, from 1996 to 2014 
Year Grade 
2 to 3  3 to 4  4 to 5  5 to 6  6 to 7  7 to 8  8 to 9  9 to 10  Total  
1996 4 14 4 18 1 1 5 5 52 
1997 5 3 11 5 1 4 14 4 47 
1998 - 12 5 5 2 5 13 4 46 
1999 - 6 12 11 2 11 14 4 60 
2000 - 10 5 6 2 11 7 10 51 
2001 - 8 12 1 7 8 12 10 58 
2002 - 6 7 5 9 5 12 10 54 
2003 2 7 8 9 3 6 10 6 51 
2004 - 3 14 6 6 7 5 10 51 
2005 2 7 6 3 4 10 9 7 48 
2006 - 4 6 9 2 9 13 7 50 
2007 1 6 7 4 6 5 12 5 46 
2008 1 5 7 9 7 6 8 10 53 
2009 1 6 8 4 3 6 13 9 50 
2010 1 3 7 3 3 7 11 6 41 
2011 - 3 4 4 1 4 2 - 18 
2012 - 
2014 - - - - - - - - - 
Total 17 103 123 102 59 105 160 107 776 
 
Table 6 Promotions on a Competitive Basis by Grade, from 2007 to 31 December 2014 
Year Grade 
2 to 3 3 to 4 4 to 5 4 to 6 5 to 6 6 to 7 7 to 8 8 to 9 9 to 
10 10 to 
11 Total 
2007 - - - - - - - - - 1 1 
2008 - - - - - - - - - - - 
2009 - 1 1 - - - 1 - - - 3 
2010 - - - - 2 - - 3 - - 5 
2011 - - - - - - 1 - - 1 2 
2012 - - 1 - - 1 1 1 1 2 7 
                                               
3 The number of post re-gradings were increased from 25 to 5% of regular posts in 2007 
(WT/BFA/SPEC/171). WT/BFA/W/366 
 
- 8 - 
 
  Year Grade 
2 to 3 3 to 4 4 to 5 4 to 6 5 to 6 6 to 7 7 to 8 8 to 9 9 to 
10 10 to 
11 Total 
2013 - - - - 1 1 1 3 - - 6 
2014 - - 2 1 2 3 1 6 1 - 16 
Total - 1 4 1 5 5 5 13 2 4 40 
 WT/BFA/W/366 
 
- 9 - 
 
  LIST OF ANNEXES 
Annex 1: WTO Grade Structure Evolution, Professional Staff by Grade (1995 – 2014) Annex 2: WTO Grade Structure Evolution, Support Staff by Grade (1995 – 2014) 
_______________ 
 
  
 
   WT/BFA/W/366 
 
- 10 - 
 
  ANNEX 1 
WTO GRADE STRUCTURE EVOLUTION, PROFESSIONAL STAFF BY GRADE 
(1995 – 2014) 
  12/D2 11/D1 10/P5 9/P4 8/P3 7P/P2 6P TOTAL Avg. Gr Growth 
31/12/1995 6 16 43 59 42 5 0 171 9.24   
%-age 3.5% 9.4% 25.1% 34.5% 24.6% 2.9% 0.0% 100%     
31/12/1999 7 27 53 79 54 34 1 255 9.01 49% 
%-age 2.7% 10.6% 20.8% 31.0% 21.2% 13.3% 0.4% 100%     
31/12/2000 12 22 65 76 61 31 1 268 9.07 5% 
%-age 4.5% 8.2% 24.3% 28.4% 22.8% 11.6% 0.4% 100%     
31/12/2001 11 22 75 79 65 30 3 285 9.06 6% 
%-age 3.9% 7.7% 26.3% 27.7% 22.8% 10.5% 1.1% 100%     
31/12/2002 13 19 90 82 74 41 1 320 9.03 12% 
%-age 4% 6% 28% 26% 23% 13% 0% 100%     
31/12/2003 11 19 89 91 72 38 3 323 9.01 1% 
%-age 3% 6% 28% 28% 22% 12% 1% 100%     
31/12/2004 16 12 98 85 79 50 5 345 8.93 7% 
%-age 5% 3% 28% 25% 23% 14% 1% 100%     
31/12/2005 14 12 100 89 82 40 3 340 8.99 -1% 
%-age 4% 4% 29% 26% 24% 12% 1% 100%     
31/12/2006 13 12 108 92 77 35 4 341 9.04 0% 
%-age 4% 4% 32% 27% 23% 10% 1% 100%     
31/12/2007 12 12 107 97 81 41 3 353 8.99 4% 
%-age 3% 3% 30% 27% 23% 12% 1% 100%     
31/12/2008 9 16 113 95 84 40 1 358 9.01 1% 
%-age 3% 4% 32% 27% 23% 11% 0% 100%     
31/12/2009 8 15 115 97 81 42 5 363 8.97 1% 
%-age 2% 4% 32% 27% 22% 12% 1% 100%     
31/12/2010 9 15 118 104 75 38 15 374 8.94 3% 
%-age 2% 4% 32% 28% 20% 10% 4% 100%     
31/12/2011 9 16 114 107 75 38 28 387 8.84 3% 
%-age 2% 4% 29.5% 28% 19% 10% 7% 100%     
31/12/2012 6 19 106 107 72 39 32 381 8.78 -2% 
%-age 2% 5% 28% 28% 19% 10% 8% 100%     
31/12/2013 5 17 102 110 69 40 39 382 8.70 0% 
%-age 1% 4% 27% 29% 18% 10% 10% 100%     
31/12/2014 4 16 97 114 62 48 45 386 8.61 1% 
%-age 1% 4% 25% 30% 16% 12% 12% 100%   WT/BFA/W/366 
 
- 11 - 
 
  ANNEX 2 
WTO GRADE STRUCTURE EVOLUTION, SUPPORT STAFF BY GRADE 
(1995 – 2014) 
  7G 6G 5 4 3 2 1 TOTAL Avg. Gr Growth 
31/12/1995 26 43 63 72 36 3 0 243 4.76   
%-age 10.7% 17.7% 25.9% 29.6% 14.8% 1.2% 0.0% 100%     
31/12/1999 19 59 56 66 48 6 0 254 4.67 5% 
%-age 7.5% 23.2% 22.0% 26.0% 18.9% 2.4% 0.0% 100%     
31/12/2000 23 62 58 68 44 8 0 263 4.73 4% 
%-age 8.7% 23.6% 22.1% 25.9% 16.7% 3.0% 0.0% 100%     
31/12/2001 26 54 71 63 44 11 0 269 4.71 2% 
%-age 9.7% 20.1% 26.4% 23.4% 16.4% 4.1% 0.0% 100%     
31/12/2002 32 50 76 59 44 6 0 267 4.81 -1% 
%-age 12% 19% 28% 22% 16% 2% 0% 100%     
31/12/2003 34 59 77 58 40 5 0 273 4.90 2% 
%-age 12% 22% 28% 21% 15% 2% 0% 100%     
31/12/2004 36 58 86 49 45 7 0 281 4.89 3% 
%-age 13% 21% 31% 17% 16% 2% 0% 100%     
31/12/2005 36 57 91 48 37 5 0 274 4.97 -2% 
%-age 13% 21% 33% 18% 14% 2% 0% 100%     
31/12/2006 36 68 87 62 50 7 0 310 4.86 13% 
%-age 12% 22% 28% 20% 16% 2% 0% 100%     
31/12/2007 37 64 90 69 42 6 0 308 4.89 -1% 
%-age 12% 21% 29% 22% 14% 2% 0% 100%     
31/12/2008 41 65 88 65 39 5 0 303 4.96 -2% 
%-age 14% 21% 29% 21% 13% 2% 0% 100%     
31/12/2009 39 64 92 66 29 4 0 294 5.02 -3% 
%-age 13% 22% 31% 22% 10% 1% 0% 100%     
31/12/2010 41 61 96 64 31 3 0 296 5.03 1% 
%-age 14% 21% 32% 22% 10% 1% 0% 100%     
31/12/2011 37 64 98 60 32 3 0 294 5.02 -1% 
%-age 13% 22% 33% 20% 11% 1% 0% 100%     
31/12/2012 35 64 96 61 34 3 0 293 4.99 0% 
%-age 12% 22% 33% 21% 12% 1% 0% 100%     
31/12/2013 31 62 92 62 37 3 0 287 4.93 -2% 
%-age 11% 22% 32% 22% 13% 1% 0% 100%     
31/12/2014 29 63 90 59 41 3 0 285 4.90 -1% 
%-age 10% 22% 32% 21% 14% 1% 0% 100%     
 
 
__________