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Purpose of consultancy  

Under the guidance of the technical officer - Capacity and Leadership Strengthening unit (CAL) - Data, Strategy and Innovation (DSI) Group, the consultant will provide technical support to Member States in strengthening capacity building system, leadership development, and regional collaboration, including innovative area such as artificial intelligence (AI) for health workforce.

Background

Achieving Universal health coverage (UHC) requires a capable, motivated and well-distributed health and care workforce. Countries in the Western Pacific Region face evolving demands due to demographic change, epidemiological transition, emergencies and rapid technological development. Strengthening the competencies of health workers, managers and policy-makers is therefore a core priority of WHO’s work in the Region.

Within the DSI Group, the CAL team works with Member States, WHO country offices, headquarters and partners to design and implement capacity-building initiatives for health workforce in the Region. This includes providing technical support for sustainable national and regional system for capacity and leadership strengthening, and advancing capacity building in innovatie areas such as AI. The consultant will work closely with the CAL team and other relevant WHO teams to support country-level implementation, strengthen the regional ecosystem for health workforce capacity building, and contribute to emerging and innovative areas aligned with regional priorities.

Deliverables

Output 1: Country Support in leadership and capacity strengthening of health workforce

Deliverable 1.1: Provide technical support to countries in strengthening their workforce capacity building system aligning with national health system. This includes support reviewing and drafting relevant documents, convening stakeholder discussion and meetings.
Deliverable 1.2 Prepare a regional synthesis report on continuous professional development system in the Region outlining the current status, key challenges, good practices, and priority next steps.
Deliverable 1.3: Support the design leadership program package or Pacific Island countries and implementation in collaboration with key partners and stakeholders

Output 2: Strengthened regional ecosystem for capacity building

Deliverable 2.1: Draft relevant documents for the establishment of regional experts' group on capacity building to promote evidence-based approaches, peer learning, and technical exchange.
Deliverable 2.2: Draft relevant documents and support for the regional meeting of national health academies/training institutions including agenda development, meeting materials, and documentation of outcomes.

Output 3. Capacity building in AI for health workforce
Deliverable 3.1: Prepare a paper on AI training programs and competencies of health workers in the AI era
Deliverable 3.2: Support the development of training programs on AI for Member States including policy makers, health workers and hospital managers through partnership with relevant agencies, academic institutions and technical experts. This includes draft relevant documents, design the programs in collaboration with partners.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:  

Essential: First university degree in public health, public policy, education, social science or related field from a recognized university

Desirable: Master's degree in public health, public policy, education, social science or related field from a recognized university. Relevant training in health workforce, health programme, health education, policy development/management and AI. 

Experience:

Essential: Five years of experience in capacity building, health workforce, public health and health policy
Desirable: Experience in working with international organization, desirably WHO and WHO Academy, or in a multicultural working environment

Skills/Knowledge:
 

• Good understanding of capacity building, health workforce and health systems issues in the Western Pacific Region.
• Knowledge of principles of adult learning, competency-based education and online/hybrid learning, and AI.
• Strong writing skills including developing concept notes, reports, and donor proposals
• Technical and diplomatic skills to engage and collaborate with WHO teams, ministry of health, experts and partners.
• Ability to think and work independently or with minor supervision to plan, design and implement a systematic approach to problem solving.
• 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

Desirable:

• Experience in designing and implementing adult learning or training programmes
• Experience in supporting countries in program/policy development

Languages and level required:

Essential: Expert knowledge of English

Location

Offsite: Home-based. The consultant should conform to working hours of WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific, in Manila, Philippines.

Travel

The consultant is expected to travel if it contributes to the deliverables of this TOR. The 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.

Visa requirements: It is the responsibility to fulfill visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.

Remuneration and budget

Remuneration: Pay band B, USD 7,000 - USD 7,500 (multiplied at 80% FTE, net rate of USD 5600-6000 monthly)
Expected duration of contract:  Part-time, 11 months, March 2026 to February 2027

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 re-port 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 inter-national travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.
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