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Contractual Arrangement: External consultant
Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 6 months
Job Posting: Sep 4, 2024, 2:22:56 AM
Closing Date: Sep 18, 2024, 11:59:00 PM
Primary Location: Anywhere
Organization: WP/WHE WHO Health Emergencies Programme (WHE)
Schedule: Full-time
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Purpose of consultancy
This consultancy will provide technical support to the WHO Health Emergencies Programme (WHE), Country Health Emergency Preparedness and IHR (CPI) unit to develop regional health security activities to implement the Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework (APHSAF). The consultancy will also support work under the Health Emergency Information & Risk Assessment (HIM) unit to strengthen national influenza surveillance in Mongolia.
Background
In 2023 the Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework (APHSAF) was endorsed by Member States at the seventy-fourth session of the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific. APHSAF builds on eighteen years of biregional collaboration on health security through the Asia Pacific Strategy for Emerging Diseases and Public Health Emergencies, and also regional lessons and experiences gained from responding to major public health emergencies and pandemics.
Support is now needed to guide countries in the region on how to implement APHSAF to strengthen health security capacities in their own contexts. Countries also require support to plan for and operationalize recent amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) which will impact on the international governance of health security.
Surveillance is a core capacity of the IHR (2005) and contributes to the ‘Assess and Respond’ domain of APHSAF. In Mongolia, efforts are underway to build on and sustain gains made in respiratory pathogen surveillance made during COVID-19, and to integrate reporting into expanded global surveillance networks.
Deliverables
Output 1: Support development of APHSAF technical and communication documents (by 31 March 2025)
Deliverable 1.1: Development of APHSAF technical briefings and presentations.
Deliverable 1.2: Support finalisation of draft APSHAF Implementation Guide.
Deliverable 1.3: In coordination with Communications Unit, develop APHSAF advocacy and content and products.
Deliverable 1.4: Support planning and development of technical content for APHSAF community of practice.
Output 2: Coordinate regional support to countries to prepare to operationalise IHR (2005) amendments (by 31 March 2025)
Deliverable 2.1: Coordinate topics and issues for support from country requests.
Deliverable 2.2: Work with WHO colleagues at Regional and HQ to develop policy briefings and guidance documents.
Deliverable 2.3: Support development of a policy paper on adoption of the IHR (2005) amendments, for submission to the seventy-sixth session of the WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific.
Output 3: Work with Country Office Mongolia and regional HIM team to review national influenza surveillance in Mongolia (by 31 March 2025)
Deliverable 3.1: Conduct desk review of reporting systems and data to evaluate the timeliness and quality of reporting of influenza and other respiratory pathogens.
Deliverable 3.2: Develop recommendations to improve respiratory pathogen surveillance, taking into account participation in global networks such as GISRS.
Output 4: Progress reporting (by 31 March 2025)
Deliverable 4.1: Submit monthly progress reports
Deliverable 4.2: Submit a technical report at the end of consultancy.
Qualifications, experience, skills and languages
Educational Qualifications:
Essential: University degree in public health, epidemiology, social science or a related area from a recognized university.Desirable: Additional professional training/specialization in health systems, health security, public health emergency management or a related area.
Experience
Essential: At least five years of relevant experience at national and international level in public health and/or public health emergency management. Desirable: Previous experience with WHO or other UN agencies. Previous international experience in public health emergency response, communicable disease control or related areas is an advantage.
Skills/Knowledge:
Motivated, highly organized, critical thinker with strong analytical skills.
Excellent writing and editing skills in English.
Ability to work productively independently and in a team with diverse collaborators.
Ability to work to tight deadlines.
Attention to detail.
Languages and level required:
English (Advanced)
Location
Off site: Remote consultancy
Travel
Travel to the WHO Western Pacific Regional Office and countries in the region may be requested.
Remuneration and budget:
Remuneration: Band B; USD 7,000 – 8,000 per month Expected duration of contract: 6 months, expected start date of 1 October 2024
Additional Information:
• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.• A written test may be used as a form of screening.• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO 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 will require individual review.• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.• The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits workforce regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics. The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply for WHO jobs. Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int • An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter (https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/our-values) into practice.• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of short-listed candidates.• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. • WHO shall have no responsibility for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.• Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.• In case the recruitment website does not display properly, please retry by: (i) checking that you have the latest version of the browser installed (Chrome, Edge or Firefox); (ii) clearing your browser history and opening the site in a new browser (not a new tab within the same browser); or (iii) retry accessing the website using Mozilla Firefox browser or using another device. Click the link for detailed guidance on completing job applications: Instructions for candidates.
Original job advert here Job Description - Consultant - Asia Pacific Health Security Action Framework and Influenza Surveillance, WPRO/WHE (2406779) (who.int)