WHO Collaborating Centres are entities being part of top level institutions active in the health sector with the core mission of providing to WHO, scientific or technical support in a precise area. In the present work, we draw upon personal experience managing a section of a WHOCC, and upon the learnings during the Master degree, to try to create the lacking, but yet crucial knowledge on strategic management of a WHOCC. We built a conceptual framework of strategic management of a WHOCC in the first part of the work, and we tested in the second part empirically its fit with the field. A qualitative research design including 13 interviews of key informants worldwide, yielded to validate our conceptual framework and to compile practical recommendations from effective WHOCCs leaders on current strategic and management contributors for enduring existence of a WHOCC. In conclusion, WHOCCs resulted indeed to be manageable entities, presenting similarities in their strategic management with other organizations and yet, having singularities to be known and managed.