Consultant - Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) and Women Health

Purpose of consultancy

To contribute to the development of innovative WHO Academy learning programmes that support decision makers, health workers and clients and the community to advance for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), women health and related health topics.

Learning programmes will focus on priority SRHR areas including contraceptives, safe medical abortion, sexually transmitted infections, HPV self-test, pregnancy self-tests, and other topics related to women care/health.

Background

The WHO Academy is a priority special initiative of the WHO transformation agenda and supports accelerated learning and capacity building towards achievement of the 13th General Programme of Work targets. On 11 June 2019 the President of France and the Director-General of WHO signed a Declaration of Intent to establish the WHO Academy that will revolutionize lifelong learning in health.

The Academy brings together adult learning science, behavioural science and cutting-edge learning technologies such as artificial intelligence and extended reality with WHO’s norms, standards and evidence to deliver high impact accredited and tailored multilingual learning to meet diverse needs.

The Academy is open to a wide range of multisectoral stakeholders that can influence health, including leaders, educators, researchers, health workers, WHO staff and the broader public. The overall goal is to support the learning and development needs of WHO staff and stakeholders to progress towards WHO’s “triple billion” goal: ensuring that by 2023, an additional 1 billion people benefit from universal health coverage; 1 billion more are afforded better protection in health emergencies, and 1 billion more enjoy improved health and wellbeing. More information about the Academy is available at academy.who.int.

Deliverables

• Deliverable 1. Learning needs and user experience research.

  • Output 1.1: Design and analyze rapid learning needs surveys and user experience (UX) research with decision makers, health workers and patients and community representatives across WHO regions and priority countries to identify and prioritize their learning and competency development needs to inform SRHR, Women Health and related health topics learning programme design and development.
  • Output 1.2: Draft reports of learning needs research findings.
  • Output 1.3: Utilize learning needs to define and prioritize a set of learning problems. Translate learning needs into learning products proposals. Liaise with the Learning Analyst to document new learning products proposals and promote their selection for further development.

• Deliverable 2. Contribute to the design of competency-based learning programmes in the field of SRHR, Women Health and related health topics.

  • Output 2.1: Define key competencies relevant to prioritized learning problems.
  • Output 2.2: Provide relevant expertise to conceptualise and co-design learning programmes that address prioritized learning problems. Co-develop the draft learning design and plan in the WHO Academy template together with the Learning Designers, taking into account expert and user feedback.
  • Output 2.3: Ensure consistency across learning products related to SRHR, Women Health and related health topics: in competencies, in content, in learning recognition, etc. Design curricula by combining existing learning products.

• Deliverable 3. Network of experts and partners in SRHR, Women Health and related health topics.

  • Output 3.1: Develop and implement a partnership strategy in SRHR, Women Health and related health topics that will foster internal WHO and external opportunities to co-create learning solutions in that domain.
  • Output 3.2: Provide guidance and coordinate with relevant actors, stakeholders to expand awareness, participation and dissemination of WHO Academy learning programmes at relevant meetings, conferences, etc.
  • Output 3.3: Identify and develop key NGO/stakeholder relationships that support the advocacy of strategies that accelerate SRHR, Women Health and related health topics and plan to improve engagement with communities.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

• First level university degree in one of the following fields: Nursing, midwifery, medical sciences or any related field.

Desirable:

• Advanced degree in public health and/or sexual and reproductive health.
• Degree or certificate in Educational Sciences or related field.

Experience

Essential:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in health education or health communication.
• Past experience in health sector and health service delivery.
• Previous experience in working with multiple stakeholders in a diverse environment (multiple cultures, time zones, countries/regions, languages, etc.).

Desirable:

• Experience working with World Health Organization or with international organizations.

Skills/Knowledge:

Essential:

• Ability to deliver and achieve results as per plan.
• Excellent communication and writing skills.
• Easily connect within the organization and create networks of experts.
• Clinical knowledge and skills in sexual and reproductive health, women health and service delivery.
• Ability to produce high-quality technical documents.
• Ability to design and develop competency-based learning programmes.

Languages required:

Essential:

Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable:

Knowledge of any other WHO language.

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.

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

N/A

Expected duration of contract:

6 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>