Consultant - International Health Regulations (IHR) Exercise Crystal, Country Health Emergency Preparedness & IHR (CPI)

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Purpose of the Consultancy

The WHO Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) seeks to recruit a consultant to lead the development and support delivery and conduct of public health emergency simulation exercises with countries and areas of the Western Pacific Region. The role will involve planning and development of exercise scenarios, content and orientation materials, and support for the delivery and conduct of International Health Regulations (IHR) Exercise Crystal – an annual exercise to test IHR communications between National IHR Focal Points and WHO. The role will also provide support to orientate and train participants in their exercise roles and to develop public health emergency exercise guidance documents and content for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme in the Western Pacific Region.

Background

Up-to-date knowledge of response plans, processes, and systems is essential to be prepared and ready to respond to public health emergencies. Simulation exercises are effective tools for emergency response staff to test this knowledge in a safe environment, and to identify system strengths and areas that need improvement. They are important tools to assess operational health security capacities and are a component of the established IHR Monitoring and Evaluation Framework to assess IHR (2005) core capacities. Exercises also provide opportunities for new staff to be orientated to their roles, and for more experienced staff to refresh their knowledge.

In the WHO Western Pacific Region, the IHR Exercise Crystal has been held annually since 2008 with countries and areas in the Region. The exercise is a test of the National IHR Focal Point communication system to share, assess, and report information related to public health events with potential international consequences between countries, areas, and WHO. Exercise Crystal is also a useful training opportunity for new and more experienced staff to practice their use of the IHR communications system and risk assessment process. The exercise is hosted in Manila, with online participation from the 37 countries and areas in the Western Pacific Region. In 2023 the Exercise will be held over two days in the week of 4 December.

Planned timelines (5.5 months)

Start date: 1 November 2023

End date: 15 April 2024

Work to be performed

Method(s) to carry out the activity

Under the supervision of the Technical Officer, Public Health Emergency Preparedness (PHEP), CPI, the consultant will:

1. Review past IHR Exercise Crystal exercises and participant feedback, taking into account high- and low-capacity contexts;

2. Prepare the 2023 IHR Exercise Crystal including the development of the exercise scenario, injects, evaluation tools, and other exercise content;

3. Develop and conduct briefings to key groups including players, simulators, monitors, evaluators, and exercise management team members;

4. Coordinate the conduct of exercise including exercise play, monitoring, and evaluation;

5. Conduct post-exercise debriefing sessions with participants and exercise management team members; and

6. Develop the exercise report in collaboration with the Technical Officer (PHEP).

Outputs

Output 1: Plan and develop scenario and exercise materials for IHR Exercise Crystal 2023, based on discussions with WHE team members, an understanding of the objectives and scope of the exercise, past experience, and feedback from players and the exercise management team.

Deliverable 1.1: Concept note detailing exercise design, format, and scenario overview.

Deliverable 1.2: Developed exercise design, scenario, injects, and other planning documents.

Deliverable 1.3: Developed exercise monitoring and evaluation plan and tools.

Output 2: Ensure IHR Exercise Crystal participants and the WHE exercise management team are briefed and prepared.

Deliverable 2.1: Participant Guide and other orientation materials developed and disseminated.

Deliverable 2.2: Pre-exercise briefings held with identified National IHR Focal Point offices and WHE exercise management team members.

Output 3: Coordinate the conduct of exercise including exercise play, monitoring, evaluation, and debriefing.

Deliverable 3.1: IHR Exercise Crystal conducted, monitored, evaluated, and documented.

Deliverable 3.2: Participant ‘hotwash’ debriefings and exercise management team debriefing conducted and documented.

Deliverable 3.3: Evaluation findings analyzed and documented.

Output 4: Provide support to develop a regional resource of generic public health emergency exercise scenarios and exercise content

Deliverable 4.1: Collection, analysis, and organization of relevant public health emergency simulation exercise materials from a range of global sources.

Deliverable 4.2: Development of generic, adaptable exercise planning tools and templates.

Output 5: Provide documentation of activities and progress regularly

Deliverable 5.1: Submission of monthly progress report.

Deliverable 5.2: Development of final IHR Exercise Crystal 2023 report (including evaluation findings) in consultation with the Responsible Officer, within four weeks of the exercise.

Specific requirements

Qualifications required

· Essential: University degree in social sciences, public administration, law, public health, international relations, business administration, or other related disciplines.

· Desirable: Advanced university degree in social sciences, public administration, law, public health, international relations, business administration, or other related disciplines.

Experience required

· Essential: At least five years of relevant experience in public health planning, emergency preparedness and response, crisis management, or outbreak management and response coordination. Experience in designing and conducting simulation exercises (tabletop, functional, or full-scale) related to emergency management and response.

· Desirable: Experience in designing and conducting simulation exercises at the international level. International experience with a United Nations agency.

Skills and technical knowledge

· Strong knowledge of the rights and obligations of State Parties under the IHR (2005), including notification decision-making processes contained in Annex 2 of the IHR (2005).

· Strong writing and creative skills, and ability to adapt to changing and unexpected circumstances.

· Strong training and oral presentation skills.

· Demonstrated ability to identify and manage difficult situations, to lead and direct multidisciplinary and multinational staff.

Language requirements

· Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English is essential.

Competencies

· Teamwork

· Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

· Communication

· Producing results

· Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

· Creating an empowering and motivating environment

Place of assignment

Remote-based with travel to Manila for 6 weeks.

Medical clearance

The Consultant will provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

Additional Information

This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.

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