National consultant for operational and technical support for SAFER Nepal Roadmap implementation

Purpose of consultancy

This contract is to provide support the SAFER Nepal Roadmap for Alcohol Interventions, a partnership led by the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen implementation of effective and cost-effective interventions to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. The contract includes provision of operational and technical support on a fulltime basis (100% FTE) at the earliest till 31 December 2023, including project management of the SAFER Nepal implementation roadmap; research, analysis and development of SAFER Nepal technical documents; convening stakeholder engagement; and development of SAFER policy and advocacy briefs.

Background

In 2018, the World Health Organization, in collaboration with international partners, launched the SAFER initiative at the United Nations. The objective of the initiative is to provide support for Member States in reducing the harmful use of alcohol by strengthening the ongoing implementation of the Global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. The SAFER initiative focuses on five effective and cost-effective alcohol policy interventions: 1) restrictions on alcohol availability; 2) drink-driving countermeasures; 3) access to screening; brief interventions and treatment; 4) bans or restrictions on alcohol advertising, sponsorship and promotion; and 5) taxes and pricing measures.

The Ministry of Health and Population, Government of Nepal formally launched its partnership with WHO and other partners to implement SAFER initiative in April 2022, becoming the second country globally that committed to scale up action to implement high-impact and cost-effective strategies and interventions.

At the request of the MoHP, WHO coordinated a joint mission of SAFER partners from 17-21 October 2022. The mission proposed a 24-month multiagency and multisectoral draft roadmap for SAFER initiative in Nepal. In February 2023, the national SAFER committee reviewed and endorsed the SAFER Nepal Roadmap for Alcohol Interventions: January 2023 to December 2024. The roadmap charts the way forward for the government of Nepal to implement the SAFER package of high impact and proven interventions to prevent and reduce alcohol-related harm in the country in which 39 activities are identified which are linked to below seven action areas.

· Action area 1: Strengthen political leadership and multisectoral coordination and capacity on alcohol control and SAFER implementation in line with MSAP (2021-2025) on NCDs

· Action area 2: Strengthen restrictions on availability of alcohol

· Action area 3: Facilitate access to screening, brief interventions, and treatment (SBIT)

· Action area 4: Strengthen drink-driving countermeasures

· Action area 5: Strengthen the ban alcohol advertising, sponsorship and promotion

· Action area 6: Increase alcohol prices through excise tax policies

· Action area 7: Monitoring and evaluation

The implementation will be supported by the SAFER Secretariat, which will be established at the MoHP to oversee implementation of roadmap actions.

Work to be performed

A consultant will be hired to support the WHO Country Office to facilitate the SAFER Nepal Secretariat, liaise with the Global SAFER initiative and to support the implementation of the SAFER Nepal Roadmap. The contract includes the following work:

Operational outputs:

• SAFER Nepal roadmap managed including providing operational support for the SAFER Nepal Secretariat; coordination between implementing partners; and tracking and reporting on implementation
• Events and stakeholder engagement convened, as provided for in the SAFER Nepal roadmap
• Technical outputs:
• Technical documents including the landscape analysis report reviewed and process for publication, investment case and policy and advocacy briefs for SAFER are contextualized and developed

Deliverables

Consultant will work under the supervision of the NCD and Mental Health Team Lead, WHO Country Office of Nepal and under the overall guidance of WHO Representative for Nepal producing below deliverables:

• Contributed to technical documents including finalization of the landscape analysis report, preparations for investment case, and drafting of SAFER policy and advocacy briefs – Expected by: November 2023
• Multiple stakeholder engagements convened through meetings and workshops – Expected by: December 2023
• Project management and monitoring of the SAFER Nepal roadmap provided – Expected by: December 2023

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: Master’s in Public Health or equivalent degrees in public health sciences

Desirable: DrPH/PhD in Public Health

Experience:

Essential: At least 5 years of demonstrated experience in the relevant public health area, some of which is in alcohol policies and programmes.

Specifically, the consultant should have:

• Strong organizational and project management skills and experience managing similar activities
• Familiarity with the political, legislative and economic contexts in Nepal, particularly in relation to alcohol control or similar public health policy
• Experience facilitating multisectoral stakeholder engagement

Desirable: Prior work in similar field such as tobacco control will be an added value.

Skills/Knowledge:

• Basic skills in use of statistical packages and ability to synthesize evidence and conduct literature review.
• Ability to produce high quality
• Strong research and analytical skills, particularly in relation to alcohol control or similar public health policy

Languages and level required (Basic/Intermediate/Advanced):

Consultant will need to have advance level of proficiency in written and spoken English and Nepali.

Location

On site: Kathmandu, Nepal

Travel

The consultant is expected to travel within Nepal and interact with relevant stakeholders during the assignment. International travel may be required depending on needs.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

• Remuneration: Monthly salary of NPR 2,20,000 – 3,21,200 depending on the education, experience and expertise relevant to the purpose of the
• Expected duration of contract: Till 31 December 2023.

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) in English 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 are 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.
• This assignment is subject to local recruitment and will be filled by persons recruited in the local commuting area of the duty station/assignment location.