Innovation and Research consultant

Contract

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BACKGROUND The WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific’s For the Future provides the strategic direction to create a healthier, safer region and future. It lays out a framework for four strategic priorities to guide the work of WPRO over the course of 2020-2024: health security, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR); noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and healthy ageing; environmental health and the health impact of climate change; and reaching the unreached. These are all complex challenges that are unlikely to be addressed effectively without innovation, the first of seven operational shifts to help accelerate the achievement of For the Future.

Innovation is especially important now as our region begins a slow but sure recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and its societal, economic, and SDG-related shocks, beyond just the health toll. At the same time, WHO must catalyse culture change from within in order to better support Member States in this mission. Innovation, therefore, is our fundamental approach for dealing with the challenges we face and transforming and future-proofing countries’ health systems. It requires working together in new ways, breaking out of silos and measuring progress towards the goals we set. It is seen in the adaptation of health systems to the COVID-19 “new normal” through rapid adoption of new technologies. It also engages itself in “grounds up” social and organizational changes, often in resource-constrained settings.

From early 2020, the innovation function for the WHO Western Pacific Region (WPRO) was initiated through a series of key events: the Western Pacific Region Health Innovation Agenda-Setting Meeting and the First Western Pacific Region Health Innovation Forum. The innovation team initiated a regular newsletter and webinar series and began to design a portal that would serve as a map and collaboration mechanism for innovation stakeholders, activities, and thematic priorities. It also engaged on highly visible issues of the COVID-19 response, such as through the release of guidance on digital contact tracing and telemedicine. The team also co-designed and implemented concrete innovation projects with other technical units.

Implementing the operational shift remains a long journey ahead, and the direction has been set with clear milestones towards 2023. We wish to build upon the momentum from the first year to further embed and mainstream innovation mindsets and skillsets within more/all technical programmes across regional and country levels to go beyond “business-as-usual”.

First, the innovation team will need to continue to advocate for innovation, and the centrality of WHO’s role within the innovation ecosystem, such as through a high-level regional innovation forum, and continue to explore external partnerships. Second, we need to develop a regional innovation strategy to guide activities in the coming years and continuously monitor progress. Third, we need to build upon internal momentum for innovation through capacity-building and accelerate culture change. Fourth, we need to begin focusing on empowering Member States “to stand on their own feet”, with WHO at their side, in harnessing, assessing, adapting, and evaluating innovations for all four thematic priorities from the private sector.

PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY To support WHO in driving the innovation agenda forward following its inaugural year and accelerating implementation of the innovation operational shift across all four thematic priorities from For the Future and in concert with the other six operational shifts.

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

Lead development of the Western Pacific Region Health Innovation Strategy

• Commission, guide, and integrate input via think pieces, think tanks, expert consultations, etc.
• Schedule and conduct consultation process involving WHO Representatives, Directors, Coordinators, and other WHO staff
• Support technical units in leveraging and accelerating innovation within their respective workplans

• Draft the innovation strategy document, including high-level workplan and M&E framework

  Organize the 2nd Western Pacific Region Health Innovation Forum

• Liaise on content and logistics with speakers, moderators, and panellists

• Design and schedule sessions and activities
• Draft notes and speeches where necessary

• Support outreach and communications

  Scale up the Western Pacific Region Health Innovation Platform

• Lead procurement, design, development, and evaluation of the Innovation Portal for the cataloguing and visualization of innovation activities and stakeholders

• Support conceptualization and content development of innovation webinars and newsletters

  Sustain and strengthen the Western Pacific Region Health Innovation Labs – a network of innovation focal points and their projects

• Build capacity and foster innovative mindset of focal points through workshops, meetings, and other activities

• Lead and/or support innovation projects and innovation knowledge products in coordination with other technical units, country offices, and external partners

  Conduct any and all activities necessary to sustain and bolster the Innovation Team

• Respond to and carry out ad-hoc innovation-related requests

• Present at and moderate at webinars and other events when invited
• Act as focal point for the Western Pacific Region in meetings with counterparts at headquarters and other regional offices, as well as external partners

• QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Specific requirements

- Qualifications required:

Essential: Degree in medicine, business administration, public health, economics, behavioural science, international relations, life sciences and social sciences.

Desirable: Master’s degree in the above disciplines

- Experience required:

At least seven years’ experience in positions in public health, social entrepreneurship, and/or innovation including within an international context. Experience in innovative health approaches and/or health research. Experience in managing consultative processes in the health area. Evidenced experience in effective communication with governments, communities and technical experts.

- Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

Outstanding ability to understand and critically appraise technological and social innovation and research; Demonstrated project management skills; Excellent written and verbal communication skills and advocacy skills; Good knowledge of the dynamics of the international public health work; Ability to plan, design and implement a systematic approach to problem solving; Ability to provide technical support to countries; Management skills; Ability to work harmoniously as a member of the team, adapt to diverse cultural and educational backgrounds and maintain a high standard of personal conduct.

- Language requirements:

English (Read - Write - Speak / Expert or Intermediate)

• Competencies

• Able to complete the task in the given time frame

• Producing results

• Communication

• Teamwork

Place of assignment

Manila, Philippines / remote. Travel will depend upon the country's restrictions.