Consultant - Cervical cancer

Purpose of consultancy

To contribute to the development of technical products that can accelerate the pathway towards global elimination of cervical cancer.

Background

Cervical cancer affects over half a million women each year and causes over a quarter million deaths. Cervical cancer affects many of the most vulnerable in the world and strikes women in the prime of their life; nearly nine in ten women that die from cervical cancer live in low-income countries. Yet, cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer, as long as it is detected early and managed effectively. Primary and secondary preventions are highly effective, with cost-effectiveness of ≤ USD 100 per day averted in low and middle-income countries.

In 2018, the WHO Director General, made a call into action to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem. This call was followed by a WHO strategy to reach elimination with goals for 2030 on three pillars: reaching 90% of girls vaccinated against HPV infection by age 15, screening 70% of with a high-performance test at least twice in life and treating 90% of identified cervical disease and ensuring 90% of women with cervical cancer are given treatment and adequate care.

The 2021 WHO guidelines on screening and treatment to prevent cervical cancer recommend the use of HPV testing in primary screening, either on vaginal self-collected or cervical provider collected samples. Simple screening algorithms, screen-and-treat or screen, triage and treat are recommended to facilitate that most screened positives received treatment. HPV partial genotyping (i.e., using HPV16 and HPV18 individual results), visual inspection after acetic acid (VIA), cytology and colposcopy are among recommended triage tests, however, technology evolves fast and novel technologies can also be considered to increase efficiency of programmes and ensured best use of resources in low-and-middle income countries (LMIC). Countries need support and technical guidance to progress towards the 2030 goals.

The focus of this work includes a range of activities to contribute to the implementation and scale up of HPV based screening and treatment, including guidance for the development of WHO technical products such as 1) the living guidelines for cervical cancer screening and treatment, at which rapid aggregated evidence from novel technologies can be evaluated, 2) Target Product Profiles for HPV tests and other technologies, 3) guidance for HPV testing implementation in countries, 4) policy briefs on implementation research for cervical cancer prevention and control and, 5) other technical products. The activities may include working with countries and partners to better understand implementation successes and challenges.

In the context of the private sector dialogues, and to further support countries’ efforts to access High-performance HPV tests, WHO will organize activities with the private sector, inviting them to strengthen their commitment and contribution to increase access to HPV tests and facilitate implementation and scale-up of HPV-based cervical cancer screening. In coordination with WHO secretariat, the focus of this work includes a range of activities to support dialogues with the private sector, including the organization of meetings with procurers and manufacturers and preparing related meetings reports. The work may include interacting with country stakeholders and partners to better understand the needs for successful HPV testing scale up.

Deliverables

• Output 1: Provide technical input in the development of living systematic reviews and recommendations on cervical screening and treatment of precancer lesions to prevent cervical cancer.
  • Deliverable 1.1: Organize WHO secretariat weekly meetings and online meetings (every two to three weeks) with sub-working group, to evaluate the evidence of technologies prioritised by the GDG. Provide technical input to the completion of systematic reviews and data analysis for the evaluation of evidence of GDG research priorities.
  • Deliverable 1.2: Organize full-working group meetings in June 2024 (virtual) and September 2024 (in-person); including preparation of background and thematic documents, agendas, summary notes and action points from each meeting; and completion of meeting reports after incorporating feedback from participants and WHO Secretariat.
  • Deliverable 1.3: Contribute to the publication of new/updated recommendations on cervical screening and treatment of precancer lesions to prevent cervical cancer.
  • Deliverable 1.4: Contribute to the completion of implementation guidance, including data consolidation from interviews and results presentations. Expected by: 30 April 2025
• Output 2: Contribute to cervical cancer market shaping activities.
  • Deliverable 2.1: Design, carry out and analyse result from Delphi surveys for technical products development.
  • Deliverable 2.2: Ensure completion and publication of HPV Target Product Profiles, and of peer review publications on identified research gaps.
  • Deliverable 2.3: Provide technical recommendations to the WHO Technical officer on the HPV test quality assurance knowledge and implementation activities in alignment with WHO HPV test TPPs.
  • Deliverable 2.4: Collaborate in the organization of HPV private sector dialogues, meetings with procurers and manufacturers and completion of meetings reports. Expected by: 31 Oct 2024
• Output 3: Contribute to the implementation research cancer activities:
  • Deliverable 3.1: Facilitate meetings and consultations with different experts and stakeholders about increasing cervical cancer screening and treatment uptake, implementation of HPV testing (and self-sampling) in primary screening, availability of affordable and accessible screening and treatment technologies.
  • Deliverable 3.2: Provide technical input to the completion of policy briefs on implementation research for cervical cancer screening networks.
  • Deliverable 3.3: Provide technical input / participate in the development and management of cervical screening and treatment projects. Expected by: 31 May 2025
• Output 4: Provide technical input to other Cancer Team activities.
  • Deliverable 4.1: Registration and follow-up of technical products (TPs) in TULIP for planning and executive clearances.
  • Deliverable 4.2: Ensure TPs are ready for publication, including liaison with copy-edit and layout providers.
  • Deliverable 4.3: Prepare documentation and review profiles of potential collaborating non-State actors, identify issues related to FENSA and propose to the WHO Technical officer risk mitigation measures. Prepare documentation needed for WHO ERC submission for cancer research activities.
  • Deliverable 4.4: Participate in cancer team and external meetings on implementation research for cancer prevention and control. Expected by: 31 May 2025

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

• Advanced university degree in health or social sciences, public health or related field.

Desirable:

• Specialized training in molecular biology/epidemiology, clinical trials, and project management.

Experience:

Essential:

• For band B: 5 to 10 years of demonstrated experience in project management and data monitoring on research or public health.
• For band C: Over 10 years of demonstrated experience in project management and data monitoring on research or public health, including evidence generation at national or international level.

Desirable:

• Experience on developing WHO technical products (e.g., target product profiles, preferred product characteristics).
• Experience in survey design, data analysis and reporting.
• Experience in academic writing.
• Experience in project management and data monitoring.
• Experience working with WHO, other UN agency or international health sector organization in planning, monitoring, and evaluation.
• Experience on training and monitoring on laboratory molecular testing techniques.
• Experience in LMIC cervical cancer prevention programmes or field work research.

Skills:

• Expertise in supporting the organization of consultations and meetings.
• Strong technical, analytical, conceptual and inter-personal skills.
• Excellent organizational, oral and written communication skills including the development of reports and technical presentations.
• Knowledge of WHO handbooks on technical products, the WHO planning, budgeting and monitoring framework and the WHO policy on engagement with the private sector will be assets.

Languages required:

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English and French.

Desirable:

• Intermediate knowledge of Spanish and/or Portuguese.

Location

Off site: Home-based.

Travel

The consultant is expected to travel.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

Remuneration:

Band level B - USD 7,000 - 9,980 per month. Band level C - USD 10,000 - 12,500 per month.

Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited):

N/A

Expected duration of contract:

6 - 11 months.

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.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
• 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 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 final candidates.
• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.
• WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever 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.
• Consultants working in Switzerland must register with the applicable Swiss cantonal tax authorities and social security authorities, within the prescribed timeframes (Guidelines issued by the Swiss Mission are available at: <https://www.eda.admin.ch/missions/mission-onu-geneve/en/home/manual-regime-privileges-and-immunities/introduction/Manuel-personnes-sans-privileges-et-immunites-carte-H/Non fonctionnaires et stagiaires.html>

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Added 9 days ago - Updated 7 hours ago - Source: who.int