Roster of Consultants – Clinical (Child Health) and digital adaptation

Purpose of consultancy

WHO is building a roster of consultants to provide technical expertise and contribute to the translation of narrative guidelines (L1 content) into digital adaptation kits (DAK) (L2 content). The consultant will report to the MCA Em Care focal point and liaise closely with other project team members and with the wider clinical reference group for the project.

Background

Approximately 50% of maternal, newborn and under-5 mortality occur in humanitarian emergencies. The increasing number of mothers and children affected by emergencies, and their higher mortality risk, highlight the need for accessible, adapted WHO guidance on newborn and child health. These will also contribute to WHO’s first billion targets for UHC and second billion targets for health emergencies.

Using the WHO SMART guidelines approach, Em Care is a WHO initiative to improve health outcomes among populations in humanitarian emergency settings. The aim is to develop a digital solution to support the implementation of WHO recommendations. The initiative is starting with guidance related to newborn and child health in humanitarian emergency settings. It will provide decision-support to frontline health workers in humanitarian emergencies while preserving the fidelity of, and increasing accessibility to, WHO recommendations. It will improve interpretation of guidance and the speed and accuracy of diagnosis at the point of care. It follows WHO’s SMART guidelines approach to advance the adoption of the best clinical and data practices.

Phase 1 of the project will focus on humanitarian emergency settings in the Africa and Eastern Mediterranean regions, with the key deliverable of developing and piloting a reference application at field level in 2022.

Deliverables

Specific deliverables will be pre-defined for each consultancy. The consultant is expected to perform a variety of tasks, including but not limited to the following:

• Provide technical expertise to develop and translate narrative content related to WHO child health clinical guidance into business processes, decision logic, data dictionary components and if required clinical terminology in collaboration with clinical terminologist.
• Prepare and review other DAK deliverables, including user scenarios and indicators.
• Provide technical input for testing, validation and project quality control.
• Contribute to reviewing the methodology, monitoring and evaluation of framework for the Em Care field pilots in AFRO and EMRO.
• Provide remote and/or on-site field guidance, training and monitoring during pilots of prototype applications.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

First-level university degree in Medicine, Epidemiology or Public Health.

Experience

Essential:

• At least 5 years’ experience working on international health projects in LMICs.
• At least 3 years’ experience working on projects to digitalize and implement clinical decision support solutions related to child health interventions in LMICs.
• At least 3 years’ experience in developing digital decision logic and business processes.

Desirable:

• Experience of child health or nutrition in low/middle income settings.
• Previous experience working with WHO, other international organizations and/or major institutions in child health clinical decision pathways.

Skills/Knowledge:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with the WHO SMART Guidelines portfolio of work and approach.

Languages required:

Essential:

Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable:

Basic knowledge of French.

Location

Off-site – Home based.

Travel

To be determined.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

Remuneration:

Band level B - USD 7,000 – USD 9,980 per month.

Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited):

N/A

Expected duration of contract:

Minimum 2 months and up to 11 months. Duration and remuneration will be determined for each consultancy according to tasks included in the final terms of reference.

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.
• 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
• The purpose of this vacancy is to develop a list of qualified candidates for inclusion in this advertised roster. All applicants will be notified in writing of the outcome of their application (whether successful or unsuccessful) upon conclusion of the selection process. Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently may be selected for consultancy assignments falling in this area of work or for similar requirements/tasks/deliverables. Inclusion in the Roster does not guarantee selection to a consultant contract. There is no commitment on either side.