International consultant to support automation of information products

1. Purpose of consultancy

The purpose of the consultancy is to support the detection, verification, risk assessment and communication of acute public health events. The consultant will also support the implementation of the automation plan of the WHE Daily and Weekly bulletins and other information products, including Rapid Risk Assessment (RRA), Public Health Situational Analysis (PHSA), Event Information Site (EIS), situation reports. The consultant in collaboration with the bulletin automation focal person, will travel to participate in trainings to WHO Country Office (WCO) staff involved in public health intelligence (PHI) or surveillance.

2. Background

The WHO Health Emergencies Programme (WHE) is mandated to enhance WHO’s capacity for the rapid detection, assessment, and follow-up of all public health risks. This provides the opportunity to establish a framework that facilitates the implementation of a common approach to public health intelligence and public health event management across all levels of the organization.

The Health Emergency Information and Risk Assessment (HIM) Unit is responsible for identifying new public health events, assessing risks to public health, conducting epidemiological surveillance and field investigations, monitoring public health interventions, and communicating public health information to technical partners.

Under the HIM Unit is the Public Health Intelligence (PHI) Team which is at the forefront of rapidly identifying emerging public health threats, assessing the risks and communicating them. This enables timely response and strategies to address critical needs and avoid further morbidity and mortality. The key to deliver this crucial task is to identify signals within 24 hours, verify, risk assess and communicate and manage these acute public health events. The team systematically uses the Epidemic Intelligence from Open Source (EIOS) and social media platforms in collecting relevant information that may have potential to international public health. The team works 24/7 and produces results with a very tight deadline.

Technical support is needed to provide assistance in automating the daily, weekly bulletins and other information products like RRA, PHSA, EIS, situation reports. Support is also needed to scale up the collection of information from the WHO country offices, Ministries of Health (MOH), UN agencies and other agencies.

3. Work to be performed

Output 1: Support EMRO-HIM on strengthening the automation of WHE bulletins and information products

Deliverable 1.1: Collect epidemiologic bulletins from WCO, MOH, UN agencies and other partners on a weekly basis

Deliverable 1.2: Support the bulletin automation focal person in developing the SOP of the automation plan

Deliverable 1.3: For the duration of consultancy, encode the information on developed database systematically

Output 2. Support EMRO-HIM on training HIM, relevant WHE and WCO staff

Deliverable 2.1: Develop training plan and needs on data collection and analysis relevant to the WHE bulletins

Deliverable 2.2: Conduct trainings and refresher courses relevant to the automation plan of the WHE bulletins

Output 3. Support EMRO-HIM in strengthening linkage with Berlin hub

Deliverable 3.1: Participate in regular calls (at least quarterly) and one in-person meeting with the WSE Division.

Deliverable 3.2: Collaborate with the other regional teams and regularly share updates and progress of the work they are delivering

Deliverable 3.3: Help teams in the other regions to adopt or implement the technical solutions developed.

Deliverable 3.4: Contribute to the annual reporting requirements of the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence

4. Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: Minimum first university degree for lower end of range, an advanced university degree for mid and high end of range in Public Health, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy or other related field

Experience:

5 to 10 years’ of progressive professional experience in public health, epidemiology, or information management either in public or private sector including at least one-year experience in conducting EI, risk assessment, or surveillance.

Desirable: Experience in production of information products

Skills/Technical skills and knowledge:

-- Demonstrated knowledge of public health, emergency response, communicable disease control, and risk assessment.

- Demonstrated skills in R program for analysis.

- Good knowledge of WHO mandate and goals and UN programmes.

- Proven ability to communicate effectively. Excellent communication and writing skills.

- Ability to work effectively in a cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary environment.

- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work under pressure.

- Tact, discretion, and diplomacy

Other Skills (e.g. IT)

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

Knowledge of R software, power BI Languages and level required: Essential: Excellent Knowledge of English.

Desirable: Good knowledge of Arabic Language

5. Location

Cairo, Egypt

6. Planned timelines (Subject to confirmation) Start date: 03/03/2024 End date: 31/12/2025

7. Medical clearance

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

8. Travel

It depends on the identified need to support WCOs in orienting the countries on the automation of information products

All travel arrangements will be made by WHO – WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the express, prior authorization of WHO. While on mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive subsistence allowance.

Visas requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

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.

· The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits workforce regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply for WHO jobs.

Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int

· An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. 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 (https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/our-values) 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 short-listed candidates.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.
• WHO shall have no responsibility 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.
• Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at [email protected].
• In case the recruitment website does not display properly, please retry by: (i) checking that you have the latest version of the browser installed (Chrome, Edge or Firefox); (ii) clearing your browser history and opening the site in a new browser (not a new tab within the same browser); or (iii) retry accessing the website using Mozilla Firefox browser or using another device. Click the link for detailed guidance on completing job applications: Instructions for candidates .