Health Service Functionality project Data Liaison Consultant

BACKGROUND

The WHO Health Service Functionality project’s main objective is to provide comprehensive, definitive, and routine information on health service availability throughout South Sudan, in support of the South Sudan Ministry of Health. This entails collection, harmonization, verification, analysis, and visualization of data points using service delivery data collected by various partners in South Sudan. The Health Service Functionality project has operated since 2018 and generated a database of over 20,000 health facility service availability reports. The HSF team then uses this master database to produce an interactive dashboard and routine bulletins that combine health service availability data with population, disease surveillance, and other relevant data to produce a rich picture of the health context in South Sudan. With quality information products routinely produced, the HSF would like to expand the availability, visibility, and use of this information in health system decision-making by key stakeholders, including MOH, donors, and implementing partners. The HSF team has already been in communication with and again the support of the MOH Undersecretary for these efforts.

As this is a complex project with numerous partners, WHO requires a strong, experienced Data Liaison consultant with demonstrated coordination ability and impressive information management skills to move this effort forward.

The main objective of the WHO Health Service Functionality (HSF) Data Liaison consultancy is to liaise with MOH, donors, and other partners to drive improved use of data and information in health system planning and decision-making. The consultant will be responsible for routinely engaging partners and stakeholders to assess analysis needs, share relevant analyses and information, and support use of this information for decision-making including via Data Review and Action Meetings chaired by MOH. He/she will also be responsible for routine data tasks, such as gathering data from partners for input and management in the HSF master database and support with other data tasks as needed. He/she will work in close collaboration with and under the technical supervision of the HSF Technical Advisor.

Deliverables

The list of consultant responsibilities includes:

• Collaborate with MOH colleagues to facilitate monthly Data Review and Action meetings, chaired by MOH, to improve use of data and information in health system planning. This may include preparing data summaries, presentations, talking points, etc. and presenting some content as requested in partnership with MOH.
• Liaise with key stakeholders to better understand data needs and timing for key periods where specific information could be particularly useful to influence health planning and decision-making.
• Represent the HSF team in data- and information-related coordination meetings, such as the Information Management Working Group, UN GIS Experts Meeting in South Sudan, Health Cluster, Nutrition Cluster, etc..
• Liaise with partners to collect and clean using R routine datasets that flow into the HSF master database.
• Support HSF Technical Adviser in the production of key bulletins and analyses in R using RMarkdown, Quarto, and/or Shiny.
• Setup and be a custodian for the project code management platform in GitHub.
• Lead own analyses of interest in consultation with the HSF Technical Adviser.
• Support MOH with other data-related activities as time and resources allow (activities listed above are clear priority).
• Meet briefly on a bi-weekly (to be confirmed based on need) basis with HSF team to discuss progress and challenges.
• Submit a summary report at the completion of the consultancy.
• Other responsibilities that may be required as the project evolves.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in epidemiology, public health, health information management, global health, biostatistics, computer science, or related discipline.

Desired

Masters degree in public health, health information management, epidemiology, biostatistics, computer science, or a similar field.

Experience

Required

• At least 5 years of experience managing information for complex health projects in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
• Demonstrated experience liaising and working closely with government agencies and partners on health information use in decision-making.
• Experience planning and facilitating multi-agency meetings.
• Demonstrated experience liaising and working closely with government
• Experience with data systems integration, facilitating smooth data transfer between systems.
• Demonstrated experience translating complex data from multiple sources into useful information, presentations, tools, etc..
• Experience acting as organizational representative in inter-agency coordination meetings.
• Extensive information management experience.

Desirable

• Prior experience at field level with WHO/UN agencies, health cluster partners, or international nongovernmental organization.
• Strong understanding of health service delivery systems
• Strong knowledge of health systems, disease surveillance, and epidemiology.
• Experience of health information management and data systems in resource-constrained settings.

Skills Required

• Strong command of R software and associated packages.
• Strong command of database architecture and data collection systems.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Exceptional interpersonal, coordination and collaboration skills.
• Excellent presentation and communication skills, including oral, electronic, and written.
• Proficiency in MS Office suite.
• Proficiency with GitHub.
• Proven ability to interact in a multi-disciplinarily environment involving technical, cultural and political elements.
• Ability to work in stressful environments while maintaining quality work.

Desired

• Proficiency in database and code management

Languages and level required

• Fluent in English.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• In the event that your candidature is retained for an 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.
• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.
• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.
• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.
• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• WHO's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

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