Consultant on data analysis and statistics related to COVID-19 behavioral insights

Overview

Support WHO Europe with advanced analysis of behavioral insights data from COVID-19.

You have:

• Master's degree in statistics, data analytics or related field – or Master's degree in psychology, social science, economics or related field with specialization in statistics and data analytics.
• At least 7 years' experience working with statistics and data analysis, preferably in a social science, public health and/or psychological context.
• Excellent knowledge of English.
• Senior level expertise within a range of analysis methodologies.
• Knowledge of political and public health systems and structures.
• Experience with machine learning.
• Track record of quantitative research.

1. Purpose of the Position

The purpose of the position is to support WHO Regional Office for Europe with advanced analysis of behavioural insights (BI) data from and across 30 countries. The data has been collected by countries across the WHO European Region from March 2020 and is still being collected, using the WHO tool available here: www.euro.who.int/en/coronavirus-bi. Results are used to understand factors that affect behaviours, perceptions and well-being during the current COVID-19 pandemic and as such inform national pandemic responses as well as WHO Regional Office for Europe actions and recommendations. The data analysis and corresponding visualizations are used to communicate and demonstrate these insights in presentations, reports and publications and to develop high-level policy recommendations.

2. Organizational context

To support national COVID-19 response measures (policies, interventions and communication), WHO Regional Office for Europe (Behavioral and Cultural Insights Unit) prepared a tool for COVID-related behavioural insights surveys and made it publicly available in 2020. Using this survey, countries gain an understanding of public behaviours, risk perceptions, levels of trust and barriers to and drivers of vaccination uptake, which is key to developing and revising COVID-19 response strategies. Over 30 countries and areas have applied the tool to conduct multiple rounds of data collection throughout the pandemic response. The Regional Office provides direct technical support to 18 of these countries and areas, and additional countries have collected data without active WHO engagement and are willing to share these with WHO for cross-country analysis. A consultant is required to conduct standard, country-level data analysis as well as in-depth analysis of cross-country data. Senior-level data analysis expertise is needed to strengthen Regional Office support to countries, conduct in-depth topic and cross-country analysis and visualize these. This work requires extensive experience and specialized expertise in working with complex datasets as well as visualizing complex data for a non-technical audience.

3. Description of duties

With up to 18 countries/areas conducting BI surveys with direct WHO Europe technical support: • Analyse multiple new rounds of data from countries (some junior statistical support available) using R Notebook and already established codes and format for analysis • Produce Power Point presentations to report on these findings from each of the 18 countries/areas, including individual country data and regional conclusions/considerations based on country data using existing format and template. • Streamline processes for data analysis and visualization through refining and adjusting the current standard analysis methodology. • Conduct tailored, additional and in-depth analysis for countries/areas seeking analysis of specific parts of the data set to better understand priority topics (such as trends related to socio-demographics or to issues such as vaccination, trust, well-being, health literacy or other).

With countries working independently of WHO Europe: • Following their data sharing consent, integrate their data into our database and clean and adjust this so that cross-country analysis is made possible (junior statistical support available). • Maintain the database to allow continued and streamlined analysis.

With data collected from up to 30 countries during the pandemic: • Analyze data collected, using standard analysis tool in R Notebook, including findings per sample and complex inferential analyses or machine learning – to produce in-depth analysis for selected topics (such as well-being, trust, vaccination, health literacy and socio-economic trends as well as other topics that may become a priority for regional analysis). This includes the following: o Applying multilevel modeling to cross-country data to obtain estimates of effects while considering national particularities o Applying structural equation modeling to disenable endogeneity and calculate mediation effects (e.g. wellbeing model) o Segmentation analysis (needs-based and/or algorithmic) to identify and proofing behavioural groups. o Other methods which allow advanced analysis of data as advised by the consultant. • Produce data visualizations to demonstrate and illustrate the findings, with a focus on user friendliness and developing illustrations that are easy to interpret – for use in presentations, academic papers, reports and news stories. • Advice the BCI Unit as regards possible data analysis methods and use of the data set to evaluate interventions and quantify their impact on behaviour change. • Prepare the data and analysis for sharing and use by strategic partners such as WHO Regional Office for Europe incident management support team (IMST), the WHO, UNICEF, IFRC Collective Service, Exeter University (host of BCI Hub) and others

4. Recruitment Profile

Functional Knowledge and Skills

Essential:

o data analytics and statistics; o social science research methods; o evaluation and analysis; o interpersonal communication skills; o report-writing skills (in English).

Education Qualifications

Essential: o Master’s degree in statistics, data analytics or related field – or Master’s degree in psychology, social science, economics or related field with specialization in statistics and data analytics.

Experience

Essential: o at least 7 years’ experience working with statistics and data analysis, preferably in a social science, public health and/or psychological context; o senior level expertise within a range of analysis methodologies o senior level expertise within data diagnostics, sample and complex inferential analysis, multilevel modelling, structural equation modelling and segmentation analysis. o experience with machine learning o track record of quantitative research; Desirable: o knowledge of political and public health systems and structures o work experience in WHO or another international public health organization

Languages

Essential: excellent knowledge of English. Desirable: knowledge of other languages in the WHO European Region (see: www.euro.who.int/en/countries)

5. Contract duration

1 February – 31 August 2022 with possibilities for extension of contract until end year.

6. Location

Remotely or onsite at WHO Regional Office for Europe.

7. Travel

No travel is planned

8. Remuneration and budget (travel costs excluded)

To be negotiated

9. Living expenses

Not applicable.

10. Work schedule / Duration of contract

7 months at 20 days per month.

11. 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's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice. • 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 in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 4 years ago - Updated 1 year ago - Source: who.int