International Consultant - Advancing Tobacco Control

Overview

Provide technical support for tobacco control initiatives in the Eastern Mediterranean.

You have:

• First university degree in Public Health and/or related field including economics
• Up to 5 years’ experience working in tobacco control and supporting the implementation of the WHO FCTC
• Expert knowledge of English (spoken and written)
• Intermediate knowledge of Arabic
• Postgraduate certificates/studies in public health programs, economics, research, data analysis, and health promotion or any related field
• International experience/exposure is an advantage

Purpose of consultancy

This consultancy aims to provide technical and regional support for advancing tobacco control initiatives in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, with a focus on advertising bans, taxation, healthy cities, packaging and labelling, and implementation of WHO FCTC/MPOWER measures.

Background

Following the signature of the new grant agreement between the No Tobacco Unit (TFI) at WHO HQ and Bloomberg, a dedicated allocation will fund this Short‑Term Consultancy (STC). This consultancy is designed to provide targeted technical expertise and coordination to strengthen tobacco control in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. Specifically, the consultant will support Bloomberg‑funded initiatives, regional efforts to establish a tobacco‑free TAPS environment, enhance taxation policies, expand healthy cities programmes, advance packaging and labelling standards, and reinforce implementation of WHO FCTC and MPOWER strategies through advocacy, capacity building, and intercountry collaboration.

Deliverables

The consultant is expected to: Support technically the implementation of the Bloomberg funded initiative including:

• Tobacco-free Tobacco Advertising Promotion and Sponsorship region.
• Tobacco taxes work in Pakistan.
• Healthy cities initiative in Jordan and Tunisia focusing on tobacco free cities.
• Expansion of Bloomberg Initiative activities in both Jordan and Tunisia.

Output 1: Provide support at regional level for the implementation of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship free region initiative, including:

Activity 1.1 Develop materials related to the above initiative including advocacy material, best practices, key indicators, model legislations.

Activity 1.2 Provide administrative support to the EMR countries in implementing the above initiative through conducting country specific trainings plaining and implementation (this will involve working with countries to plan the implementation of the initiative, and its full implementation which will include communicating with WCO offices, MOH focal points, and other sectors, to make sure that the selected country is ready and taking the initiative up).

Activity 1.3 Develop advocacy activities and materials related to the above initiative.

Activity 1.4 Prepare the background documents for both the national and intercountry meetings on the above initiative.

Activity 1.5 Develop the final reports for all activities related to the initiative.

Activity 1.6 Prepare the technical country missions for the implementation of the above initiative, which will involve meeting stake holders, training specific groups on the different elements of the initiative and agree with countries on way forward.

Output 2: Act as the focal point for strengthening regional work related to strengthening tobacco and nicotine products packaging and labelling including:

Activity 2.1 Support in the development of a new set of Graphic Health Warnings, including, developing the technical specification of the GHW, provide administrative and technical support on the selection of agency that will develop the GHW, review the final submitted product with the aim of increasing the EMR’s related packaging health warnings in the global data base.

Activity 2.2 Prepare a model plain packaging specification document for the use of the EMR Member States.

Activity 2.3 Support technical national and regional level meetings related to this component.

Output 3: S****upport the technical work of Tobacco Free Initiative (TFI) in different initiatives related to the implementation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the MPOWER policy package based on existing gaps and on-going work.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications

Essential: First university degree in Public Health and/or related field including economics

Desirable: Post graduate certificates/studies in public health programs, economics, research, data analysis, and health promotion or any related field.

Experience

Essential: Up to 5 years’ experience working in tobacco control and supporting the implementation of the WHO FCTC.

Desirable: International experience/exposure is an advantage.

Skills/Knowledge

· Research/Economics background and ability to summarize and systematize complex information and follow up with countries

· Quantitative and qualitative data analysis

· Writing reports and case studies.

Languages and level required (Basic/Intermediate/Expert)

· Essential: Expert knowledge of English (spoken and written)

· Desirable: Intermediate knowledge of Arabic.

Location

On site: EMRO – Cairo, Egypt

Travel

TBD

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded)

· Remuneration: Pay band level A

· Expected duration of contract (Maximum contract duration is 11 months per calendar year) expected: start date: 1 March 2026 - 28 February 2027

Medical clearance

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

Hiring Unit

Health Promotion, Disease Prevention & Control Department (HPD)

WHO Competencies

Enhanced WHO Global Competency Model: https://www.who.int/employment/WHO_competencies_EN.pdf?ua=

Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to apply on-line through Stellis. For assessment of your application, please ensure that:

· Your profile on Stellis is properly completed and updated.

· All required details regarding your qualifications, education and training are provided.

· Your experience records are entered with elaboration on tasks performed at the time.

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 in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.

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Potential interview questions

Added 4 months ago - Updated 4 months ago - Source: who.int