PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY

The Mental Health Flagship (MHF) Programme of WHO Europe is looking for candidates at various level of seniority wishing to contribute to specific elements of MHF’s work. There are opportunities to participate in multiple projects, research and/or public health initiatives. The roster helps the MHF to meet its workplan commitments, support Member States and provide them with the evidence, policy options, service models, advocacy guidance needed to improve mental health systems frameworks and capacities.

The consultants supplement the strengths of the core team and expand the MHF’s capacity to cover critical areas. This includes:

  • Editorial work: The MHF is generating evidence through the work on the six working packages of the pan-European Mental Health Coalition and Policy Briefs that will require editorial work to be conducted by distinguished academics, policy makers and knowledge brokers.

  • Expert workshops: The MHF is delivering expert knowledge to Member States on different aspects of mental health systems and services that require at times massive mobilization of expertise delivered through online and in person workshops, webinars, training sessions.

  • Country work: the MHF is delivering in-country technical support to Member States on different aspects of mental health service development that require mobilization of expertise for country missions to formulate advice to ember States on transforming their mental health services, strengthening capacity of their mental health workforce, improving financing models, modernizing their policies and legislation in order to expand access and improve quality of mental health care delivery.

  • Mental Health Advocacy: the MHF is developing a toolkit on ending stigma and discrimination in mental health following the Lancet Commission report on the same topic published in October 2022. This will require mobilization of expertise, including of lived experience, to work with Member States, civil society organizations and other stakeholders across the region in utilizing the toolkit for concrete and measurable outcomes in addressing stigma and discrimination in mental health.

  • Conduct surveys with Member States and monitor evidence generated by mental health research globally in order to provide evidence informed advice on mental health governance, policies and legislation, services and workforce, financing and data.

  • Occasional symposia: Studies, policy advice, service models and tools may also be presented at symposia targeted explicitly at partners and their nominees with external experts taking part and supporting review and debate on technical and content issues

BACKGROUND

The Mental Health Flagship (MHF) initiative sits within the Division of Country Health Policies and Systems (CPS) within WHO European Regional Office. The unit is building a consultant roster of experts and talented individuals to support the Unit’s work.

Mental health is a priority of the WHO’s European Programme of Work, 2020–2025 (EPW). The EPW’s MHF initiative focuses on transforming attitudes around mental health, expediting mental health reforms and accelerating progress towards universal health coverage for people with mental health conditions. MHF works to implement the European Framework for Action on Mental Health 2021-2025 (EFAMH). The Pan-European Mental Health Coalition is the implementation vehicle of the EFAMH and centres around six working packages.

MHF works with units and divisions across the Regional Office, country representatives and a variety of stakeholders (including the Mental Health Coalition) to address mental health conditions through the following priority areas:

  • Mental health leadership, stigma and discrimination and capacity strengthening.

  • Mental health and well-being of children, adolescents and young people, prevention and promotion of child and adolescent mental health, and improving quality of care.

  • Mental health and well-being of older adults, dementia.

  • Mental health and well-being in the workplace.

  • Mental health in emergencies.

  • Mental health service transformation, human rights, suicide prevention, mental health frameworks (policy and legislation).

Description of tasks

The MHF is recruiting external consultants who have a track record of specialist skills through either formal academic qualifications or expertise by lived experience, to provide in-depth technical inputs for specific tasks.
The deliverables of the network of experts will be included in the individual terms of reference at the time of the contract.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education Qualifications

Essential: University degree in a mental health related area, including psychiatry, psychology, mental health nursing, social work, public health (Bachelor’s degree for pay band A and Master’s degree for pay band B & C).
Desirable: A post graduate degree relating directly to the technical mental health systems and services areas above.

Experience

Band B/C - Expert

Essential

10 years and above of professional experience in the field of mental health policy and governance, service delivery, workforce, advocacy, financing. Proven track record in international mental health systems and policies and a demonstrated focus on evidence - based support to meet policy makers’ needs.
A proven ability to take a senior role in international and comparative mental health policy development, mental health service implementation, mental health workforce strengthening, mental health advocacy and communication, and mental health research.

Desirable
A minimum of 7 years’ knowledge brokering experience and, in the shaping and provision of evidence to policy makers as demonstrated by participation in dialogues and / or advice to decision makers and / or international organizations and / or advisory boards.

Band A/B - Specialist

Essential

Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in the field of mental health policy and service development. Proven track record in international mental health health systems and policies, including generation and utilization of evidence based mental health interventions. A proven ability to take a senior role in international and comparative mental health policy development, mental health service implementation, mental health workforce strengthening, mental health advocacy and communication, and mental health research.

Desirable
A minimum of 7 years’ knowledge brokering experience and, in the shaping and provision of evidence to policy makers as demonstrated by participation in dialogues and / or advice to decision makers and / or international organizations and / or advisory boards.

Languages

Essential: Advanced knowledge of English

Desirable: Other official languages of the WHO European Region

Functional Knowledge and Skills

Essential
a Mental Health Governance (at provider, policy, inter-sectoral and European level and including mental health policy, mental health legislation, mental health financing, mental health workforce and mental health care delivery).
b Mental Health Policy Implementation and Monitoring (including setting mental health indicators, monitoring of good practices, management of knowledge communities, and implementation evaluation).
c Mental Health Service delivery (including all elements of a mental health service network, not limited to but including inpatient care, community based mental health care, mental health at primary health care, supported accommodation and employment, mental health at work, at schools, mental health across. the life course).
d Mental Health Advocacy and communication (including networking, active representation and participation of lived experience, anti-stigma messaging, evidence-based interventions in promotion of mental health and prevention of mental ill health).
e Knowledge brokering (including working face to face with senior decision makers in governments and agencies, providing advice on evidence-based options, providing training on mental health related issues, writing, editing and publishing on mental health health systems and services issues).

Desirable
f. Innovation in organization and technologies and implementing change (innovation strategies; scaling up and rolling out; the transferability of policy options).
g. Mental Health financing (including the economics of mental health, paying for services, instruments and mechanisms, mental health investment case, and sustainability).

CONTRACT DURATION

The duration of the contracts will depend on the individual TORs and may vary.

LOCATION

This vacancy notice will include consultancies delivered on-site (WHO Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen / Denmark and in any of the 53 Member States of the WHO European Region) and remote consultancies (working from home).

TRAVEL

This vacancy notice will require travel for delivering country support in any of the countries of the WHO European region.

REMUNERATION

The remuneration will depend on the individual contracts and on the complexity of the tasks, following WHO policy on remuneration.

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 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.

At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.