Consultant - Secretariat of WHO Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Research Network

Purpose of consultancy

To provide support to the work of the Secretariat of WHO Thematic Platform for Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management Research Network

Background

The WHO Kobe Centre (WKC) is part of WHO Headquarters, and its research focuses on the attainment of WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work, which aims to ensure healthy lives and well-being for all people at all ages through the achievement of universal health coverage (UHC), and to ensure that people are safe from health emergencies. As part of WHO, the Centre has the mandate to support its 194 Member States in generating evidence and promoting learning and innovation across WHO. At the same time, WKC also has a local function in working with researchers locally in Kobe, Hyogo, and the Kansai region of Japan more broadly.
WKC focuses on research and evidence synthesis about health systems and innovations to accelerate progress towards UHC in the context of population aging. Its three main research themes are services and financing, metrics and measurement, and health emergencies and disaster risk management (Health EDRM).
Health EDRM is an emerging research area that addresses broad health needs of prevention, preparedness, response and recovery for emergencies and disasters, which includes disaster medicine and nursing, epidemiology and public health. WHO has been working on the development of this research area since 2016 and established a global research network called WHO Thematic Platform for Health EDRM Research Network (Health EDRM RN) in 2018. Since 2019 WKC has been acting as the secretariat of this research network and facilitated global, regional and local research collaboration to systematically improve the scientific evidence of Health EDRM.
WKC seeks a full-time consultant to support the work of the secretariat of Health EDRM RN, which currently coordinate registration and regular communication for the research network participants, monitor and timely intervene multiple WKC funded international Health EDRM research projects, facilitate multiple global collaborative activities including establishment of Health EDRM Knowledge Hub, etc. Specifically, an individual with experience and knowledge of Health EDRM and related research areas, is sought to effectively manage and facilitate Health EDRM RN activities.
Given the WKC has a local mandate and facilitates the research collaboration between Kansai local research institutes and global research institutes, Japanese language is considered asset.

Deliverables

Under the guidance of the responsible technical officer, the consultant will:

Output 1

Coordinate the registration and regular communication of the Health EDRM RN participants:
Activity 1.1: Coordinate the registration of new participants and update the monthly list of participants.
Activity 1.2: Update the registration documents for Health EDRM RN as needed.
Activity 1.3: Draft monthly e-mails communication for the Health EDRM RN participants.

Output 2

Support monitoring the progress of WKC funded Health EDRM research projects.
Activity 2.1: Attend and take notes of the research team meeting of five ongoing and possible future WKC funded Health EDRM research projects.
Activity 2.2: Regular contacts with research teams and update the progress monitoring sheet of each research project.
Activity 2.3: Effectively categorize the deliverables and working documents of research projects and facilitate the timely implementation of the projects.

Output 3

Facilitate Health EDRM RN global collaborative activities.
Activity 3.1: Regular contacts/ meetings with the chairs of the WHO Health EDRM Knowledge Hub on four research areas to monitor and update the progress monitoring sheet of each hub project.
Activity 3.2: Support organizing, attending and taking notes of the meeting of the working group for WHO Global Research Agenda on Health EDRM and of the Core Group Meeting of Health EDRM RN
Activity 3.3: Draft meeting documents and working documents for the above activities.
Activity 3.4: Support finalizing a chapter of WHO Guidance on research methods for Health EDRM on Health EDRM research methods in the context of COVID-19, by updating the draft chapter and project monitoring sheet

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational qualifications:

Essential:

University degree in health sciences, public health, global health or related field.

Experience:

At least 3 years of relevant working experience in an academic/research institution.

Skills/Knowledge:

Demonstrated ability to facilitate international collaborative projects.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of Health EDRM research or related research areas.
• Familiarity with WHO/UN.

Languages required:

Essential:

Expert knowledge of English

Desirable:

Expert knowledge of Japanese

Location

This assignment is off-site.

Travel (If travel is involved, a medical certificate of fitness for work will be required.)

No travel is expected as part of this assignment.
Ad hoc travel may be required for task-related meetings, but not for the foreseeable future while all WKC staff work remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Travel Authorization to cover cost of ticket and per-diem will be arranged by WKC as necessary.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs excluded)

The applicable consultant pay band range is Band level A range: USD 3,960 -6,980 per month

This is a full-time consultancy contract for a 11 months period.

Planned Start date: 16/08/2021 End date: 15/07/2022

Additional Information section:

• 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's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.
• 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.
• Consultants working in Switzerland must register with the applicable Swiss cantonal tax authorities and social security authorities, within the prescribed timeframes (Guidelines issued by the Swiss Mission are available at: https://www.eda.admin.ch/missions/mission-onu-geneve/en/home/manual-regime-privileges-and-immunities/introduction/Manuel-personnes-sans-privileges-et-immunites-carte-H/Non fonctionnaires et stagiaires.html