Consultant – Global Cost-Benefit Analysis for Environmental Health

Purpose of consultancy

To establish and manage databases, build health economic statistical models, produce estimates of health impacts, costs, economic benefits, and cost-benefits of six prioritized intervention packages, document methods and estimates, and contribute to publications of methods, estimates and the broader investment case.

Background

The mission of WHO’s UHC/Healthier Populations Division is to contribute to reducing health inequalities and reducing preventable disease and injury caused by environmental, social, and economic determinants of health. This is achieved through a coordinated inter-sectoral approach aimed at enabling all people to enjoy better health and well-being, in line with the Organization’s 13th General Programme of Work (GPW13) and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The role of the Department for Environment, Climate Change and Health (ECH) within the overall work of WHO is to promote a healthier environment, intensify primary prevention, and influence public policies in all sectors to address the root causes of environmental threats to health. ECH develops and promotes preventive policies and intervention packages based on an understanding and an in-depth scientific analysis of the evidence base for environmental determinants of human health.

The ECH Department has established a new and dedicated work stream of environmental health economic evaluation and analysis, which will culminate in the publication of the WHO Investment Case for Health, Environment and Climate Change. This work stream seeks to develop a standard approach for conducting and reporting environmental health economic evaluations and analyses, produce a set of official environmental health economic estimates, and make the case for global investment in health, environment, and climate change. This will include the conduct of six global cost-benefit analyses of prioritized packages of interventions, such as improved infrastructure for water, sanitation and hygiene; cleaner cooking stoves; phase out of selected fossil fuel subsidies; and regulation of working time to healthy limits.

Deliverables

• Deliverable 1 – Month 1.
  • 1.1 Identify relevant global official datasets of costs, health impacts and economic benefits of prioritized individual or packages of interventions from the perspectives of the health sector and broader society (e.g., environment, climate and productivity).
  • 1.2 Build or expand existing WHO global databases of input data sets for the cost-benefit analytic models of the prioritized intervention packages 1 and 2.
  • 1.3 Build basic standard cost-benefit analytic model for application to all prioritized intervention packages, implementing the standard WHO approach for environmental health economic evaluation and analysis.
  • 1.4 Rigorously document the databases and statistical models for WHO and external publications reporting the cost-benefit analyses of the intervention packages 1 and 2.

• Deliverable 2 – Month 2.
  • 2.1 Build or expand WHO global databases of input data sets for the cost-benefit analytic model of the intervention packages 3 and 4.
  • 2.2 Build basic cost-benefit analytic model for the intervention packages 1 and 2.
  • 2.3 Contribute to the finalization and publication of estimates of costs of inaction to address the burden of cardiovascular disease attributable to exposure to long working hours.
  • 2.4 Rigorously document and update prior documentation of the databases and statistical models for WHO and external publications reporting the cost-benefit analyses of the intervention packages 1-4.

• Deliverable 3 – Month 3.
  • 3.1 Build or expand WHO global databases of input data sets for the cost-benefit analytic model of the intervention packages 5 and 6.
  • 3.2 Build basic cost-benefit analytic model for the intervention packages 3 and 4.
  • 3.3 Rigorously document and update prior documentation of the databases and statistical models for WHO and external publications reporting the cost-benefit analyses of the intervention packages 1-6 and the broader investment case.

• Deliverable 4 – Month 4.
  • 4.1 Further develop and update the global databases for all intervention packages.
  • 4.2 Build basic cost-benefit analytic model for the intervention packages 5 and 6.
  • 4.3 Develop the basic models for prioritized intervention packages 1-4 to advanced models adapted to the specificities of the individual intervention packages.
  • 4.4 Document and update prior documentation of the databases and statistical models for WHO and external publications reporting the cost-benefit analyses of the intervention packages 1-6 and the broader investment case.

• Deliverable 5 – Month 5.
  • 5.1 Systematically search for and scoop open global or other datasets to further improve, expand and update the global databases for all intervention packages with view to have final databases for the final analysis.
  • 5.2 Produce first visual graphs and other statistical presentations of the coverage and other characteristics of the global input databases.
  • 5.3 Further develop and advance the models for prioritized intervention packages 1-6 and produce first complete set of estimates of costs, health impacts, economic benefits and cost-benefits for all six individual intervention packages.
  • 5.4 Document and update prior documentation of the databases and statistical models for WHO and external publications reporting the cost-benefit analyses of the intervention packages 1-6 and the broader investment case.

• Deliverable 6 – Month 6.
  • 6.1 Further develop the models for intervention packages 1-6 and finalize them.
  • 6.2 Produce the final set of estimates of costs, health impacts, economic benefits and cost-benefits for all six individual intervention packages.
  • 6.3 Produce first basic scenario analysis for all six individual intervention packages.
  • 6.4 Finalize visual graphs and other statistical presentations of all global input databases for use in WHO and external publications.
  • 6.5 Document and update documentation of the databases, statistical models and scenario analyses for WHO and external publications reporting the cost-benefit analyses of the intervention packages 1-6, as well as the broader investment case.

• Deliverable 7 – Month 7.
  • 7.1 Finalize scenario analyses for all six intervention packages.
  • 7.2 Produce first basic exploratory analysis that brings together the final estimates of costs and economic benefits of all individual intervention packages delivered in different combinations for the purpose of determining the most cost-beneficial individual package and set of packages, amongst others at the levels of country, WHO region and world.
  • 7.3 Produce first visual graphs and other statistical presentations of the results of the cost-benefit, scenario and exploratory analyses.
  • 7.4 Document and update documentation of the databases, statistical models, and scenario and other analyses for WHO and external publications reporting the individual or collective cost-benefit analyses, as well as the broader investment case.

• Deliverable 8 – Month 8.
  • 8.1 Finalize the analysis bringing together the final estimates of costs and economic benefits of all individual intervention packages when delivered in different combinations and determine the most cost-beneficial individual package and set of these packages.
  • 8.2 Finalize all visual graphs and other statistical presentations of the results of all analyses for use in WHO and external publications.
  • 8.3 Compile all computer code used in the analyses into one Word document.
  • 8.4 Contribute to the writing of WHO and external publications that present the cost-benefit analyses and the broader investment case.

• Deliverable 9 – Month 9.
  • 9.1 Make any final updates to estimates and analyses.
  • 9.2 Contribute to the writing of WHO and external publications that present one or more of the cost-benefit analyses and the broader investment case.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

• First university degree in data science, statistics, mathematics, data modelling, or a related field, ideally with application in Health Economics.

Desirable:

• Advanced university degree in data science, statistics, mathematics, data modelling, or a related field, ideally with application in Health Economics.

Experience

Essential:

• 5 to 10 years’ experience in the application of data science, statistics, mathematics, data modelling, or a related field, preferably in the field of health economics and ideally in environmental, climatic or occupational health.

Desirable:

• Practical experience in establishing and managing global and large databases for parameterizing statistical models, developing methods and computer code for statistical models, and producing and reporting estimates, ideally in the field of Health Economics within environmental or occupational health and for WHO or another United Nations agency or national government.

Skills/Knowledge:

Essential:

• Excellent organizational and analytical skills.
• Excellent knowledge of mining, management, and statistical modelling of large and complex global data, ideally including the application of machine learning methods and preferably in the field of Health Economics.
• Ability to meticulously describe and document data and statistical models to effectively report and present diverse data and models with suitable tools and products.
• Excellent command of computational coding using the computer software R, including ideally R shiny app.
• Ability to move forward in a changing environment.
• Understanding of official data and statistics.
• Good writing skills, with a track record of publication in academic journals.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

Languages required:

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English.

Location

Off-site – Home based.

Travel

The consultant is not 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:

9 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