Consultant – Infodemic Management

Purpose of consultancy

To support Infodemic Management work within the Risk Communication, Community Engagement and Infodemic Management Unit which is part of the WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme

Background

The mission of WHO’s Health Emergencies (WHE) Programme is to build the capacity of Member States to manage health emergency risks and, when national capacities are overwhelmed, to lead and coordinate the international health response to contain outbreaks and to provide effective relief and recovery to affected populations.

The WHE’s Risk Communication, Community Engagement and Infodemic Management Unit (RCI) ensures that people and stakeholders are enabled and empowered to make informed decisions that protect them from health emergencies. To do so, RCI communicates risks and preventive measures, engages communities and community actors, manages rumours and misinformation, builds country capacities and supports country responses, and positions RCCE-IM as an evidence-based technical area of work and WHO Europe as an authoritative partner in it.

Among the Unit’s priorities is Infodemic Management (IM). IM monitors platforms, works with fact-checkers, develops guidance and builds skills to manage, mitigate, and contain of the spread of false or misleading health information. IM leverages the power of RCCE, data science and behavioral insights to support targeted, effective communication strategies.

An Infodemic Management (IM) consultant is needed to support Infodemic Management work within WHE/RCI. Their role spans from developing engagement tools and training modules, building health literacy interventions, conducting risk assessments, organizing stakeholder consultations, to aiding in establishing the European Infodemic Preparedness and Response Alliance (EIPRA).

Deliverables

Under the supervision of the Infodemic Management Officer within WHE/RCI, the consultant will support:

1. Developing and applying two panels or surveys that engage individuals to identify questions, concerns, and information voids on specific health topics.
2. Creating new IM training modules and integrating them into Risk Communication and Community Engagement-Infodemic Management (RCCE-IM) capacity building sessions.
3. Develop infodemic insight reports, and advise on RCCE-IM emergency responses.
4. Organizing at least two consultations with institutional stakeholders, including national health authorities, international agencies, civil society organizations, fact-checkers, and journalists, to address RCCE-IM needs.
5. Establishing the European Infodemic Preparedness and Response Alliance (EIPRA).

Qualifications

Education

Essential: A Master's degree or higher in Public Health, Health Communication, Social Sciences, Data Science, or a related field.

Experience

Required: • Minimum 7 years’ experience in the fields of RCCE, Communication for Development (C4D), Behavioural Change Communication; • Proven experience in health communication and managing health-related information; • Experience in capacity building and training delivery.

Desirable: • Experience with infodemic management in the WHO Europe region. • Previous engagement with international agencies or public health organizations such as the WHO. • Experience in developing and applying surveys for data collection;

Skills/Knowledge

Required: • Excellent interpersonal skills, with a capacity to collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders; • Strong communication and report-writing skills; • Ability to use social listening tools and perform risk assessments.

Desirable: • Understanding of how information spreads through various channels, including social media, and how to assess the credibility of different sources.

Languages

• Required: proficiency in English; • Desirable: working knowledge of Russian, German, or French.

Location

The consultant will primarily work remotely.

Travel

Travel may be required for country missions. WHO will cover the cost for official duty travels

Remuneration

Remuneration: The proposed fee is equal to Band B level: 3 months x 8000 USD (monthly)

Expected tentative duration of contract: 1 October – 31 December 2023

Additional Information

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