Consultant – Global health diplomacy and policy dialogue

Purpose of consultancy

To provide high-level strategic and technical expertise to the GNP Department in driving public health impact in the Eastern European and Central Asian (EECA) countries based on WHO’s core country-support functions:

• building sustainable institutional capacity for partnership-building and assisting in convening partners at regional, national and local levels;
• building technical capabilities for effective national multisectoral and multistakeholder responses;
• providing technical support for the adoption, implementation and dissemination of WHO norms and standards, evidence-based interventions, and best practices.

Background

Cost-effective, evidence-based interventions to prevent and control NCDs have long been established. However, countries continue to battle the growing health, social, and economic costs of NCDs. Scaling up cost-effective, evidenced-based interventions for NCDs requires collaboration across government sectors to ensure a ‘whole-of-government’ approach. In addition, effective control of NCDs requires integrated action across all major areas of society that influence health – the ‘whole-of-society’ approach. This approach calls for effective, coordinated, and coherent engagement with non-State actors, including civil society, private sector entities and people living with or affected by NCDs and mental health conditions.

The purpose of the Global NCD Platform is to coordinate and mobilize meaningful and effective commitments and contributions from UN organizations, NGOs, academic institutions, philanthropic foundations and the private sector to support the overall strategic directions and priorities of WHO’s work on SDG target 3.4 and other NCD-related SDGs.

The Secretariat of the WHO GCM/NCD constitutes one of the Department’s Units which implements the departments purpose of facilitating and enhancing the coordination of activities, multi-stakeholder engagement and action across sectors at the national, regional and global levels, while avoiding duplication of efforts, using resources in an efficient and results-orientated way, and safeguarding WHO and public health from any undue influence by any form of real, perceived or potential conflicts of interest.

The 74th WHA confirmed “the role of the GCM/NCD in WHO’s work on multistakeholder engagement for the prevention and control of NCDs”, through decision WHA74(11) that extends its TORs until 2030, including the confirmation by Member States of 5 priority areas of work for the GCM, a renewed vision, a theory of change and a detailed Workplan for 2022-2025, with clear priorities, activities and performance indicators, decision WHA75(11). The expected impact in countries is increased awareness, commitment, and capacity of Member States and relevant non-State actors to implement multisectoral and multistakeholder responses to achieve the objectives of the WHO Global NCD Action Plan 2013-2030 and related frameworks and to accelerate progress towards SDG 3.4.

WHO engages in country support, tailored to country needs and context, as the basis for the Organization’s collaboration with countries and as the means of ensuring that WHO’s normative work is implemented by countries. The Consultant will focus on providing strategic support to help assess demand and capacity gaps in EECA countries in relation to the normative guidance developed by the GNP Department to support multisectoral and multistakeholder engagement and collaboration for NCDs, including the following technical products (TPs) and guidance:

• Framework for the meaningful engagement of people living with NCDs and mental health conditions;
• Health literacy development for the prevention and control of NCDs;
• Guidance framework for national multisectoral and multistakeholder coordination mechanisms for the prevention and control of NCD’;
• Tool to support Member States in their decision-making on engaging with private sector entities for the prevention and control of NCDs;
• Case studies on experiences of multisectoral action to strengthen collaboration for the prevention and control of NCDs and Mental Health.

Deliverables:

Output 1: Contribute to the contextualization of GNP Technical Products (TPs) and guidance for EECA countries through relevant and appropriate knowledge-sharing and communication materials.

1.1: Provide a mapping of prioritized and relevant GNP TPs that will be promoted across EECA countries, by engaging, consulting and building consensus across GNP teams.
1.2: Contribute to the preparation and development of EECA-relevant knowledge-sharing and communication materials, such as one-pagers, policy briefs, PPTs, briefing sessions, webinars, etc, that can contextualize and disseminate selected GNP TPs to EECA countries
Expected completion date: 28 February 2023.

Output 2: Assist with the establishment and engagement of a network of focal points from WHO Regional Office for Europe, EECA countries, UN agencies and relevant non-State-actor partners identified, that can disseminate, promote and support current GNP technical products.

2.1: Provide a document that maps relevant focal points, including contact and areas of work across relevant TPs.
2.2: Contribute to the development of a strategic plan for sustained engagement with network of focal points.
Expected completion date: 31 March 2023.

Output 3: Ensure the alignment of GNP TPs and guidance with priorities and demands from EECA countries.

3.1: Establish a network of focal points from WHO Regional Office for Europe, EECA countries, UN agencies and relevant non-State-actor partners through virtual platforms to discuss and align TPs with demands and gaps in EECA countries.
3.2: Prepare a concept note of a potential GNP mission in selected EECA countries (3-5) with the aim of articulating the demand and capacity needs to pilot country-prioritized GNP TPs.
3.3: Provide a mapping report that identifies and aligns TPs with EECA country needs and identifies possible bottlenecks for effective implementation.
Expected completion date: 30 May 2023.

Output 4: Contribute to improve the understanding of the benefits, gaps and opportunities for multisectoral and multistakeholder engagement and collaboration for NCDs in EECA countries, through the implementation of the GNP technical products.

4.1: Develop an assessment report of findings from countries, including a brief description of the benefits, gaps, opportunities and best practices for multistakeholder engagement and collaboration for NCDs in EECA countries, and how GNP TPs can support capacity building in this area.
4.2: Create an agenda for 2023-2025 to contextualize and pilot GNP TPs across EECA countries.
Expected completion date: 31 July 2023.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages.

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

• Master’s degree in public health, business, global health, international development, political sciences, health policy and management or relevant discipline.

Desirable:

• Doctorate degree in public health, business, global health, international development, political sciences, health policy and management or relevant discipline.

Experience

Essential:

• 10 years of relevant experience working with international organizations (regional and global) and/or nongovernmental organizations working in global health.
• 5 to 10 years relevant experience working with national focal points in EECA countries, Ministry of Health, and beyond, and non-State actors at the national level.
• 5 to 10 years relevant experience in an academic or professional setting focused on writing, content creation and project management in health policy or health implementation.
• Proven experience in global health diplomacy.
• Experience in working in NCDs - Health Policy, Stakeholder analysis and NCD program design and implementation.

Desirable:

• Experience in advocacy and strategic communications.
• Experience working and building partnerships with diverse stakeholders groups across income settings.

Skills

• In-depth understanding of the NCD agenda (global, regional and national).
• Understanding of NCD advocacy and global health civil society movements.
• Knowledge of WHO policies and procedures and of the Organizational mandate and structure.
• Strong writing, communication and presentation skills in English.
• Technical knowledge of global public health.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet short deadlines.
• Ability to work harmoniously as a member of a team, adapt to diverse educational and cultural backgrounds and maintain a high standard of professional conduct.

Languages required:

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English and Russian.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of other UN languages.

Location

Off-site: Home based.

Travel

The consultant is expected to travel.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

Remuneration:

Band level B-USD 7,000 – 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:

7 months.

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 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