Consultant - Planning for Access, Allocation and Deployment of Pandemic Influenza Products (global and national workstreams)

Purpose of consultancy

To contribute to the effective delivery of key activities and deliverables for several projects related to planning for access, allocation, and deployment of pandemic influenza products.

Background

The Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework’s Partnership Contribution Preparedness High-Level Implementation Plan (II) encompasses six outputs aimed at establishing and strengthening influenza surveillance systems, knowledge, and capacities for a timely and appropriate response to pandemic influenza. One of the six outputs is planning for deployment (DEP) which “supports the development and periodic review of global and national plans for pandemic product deployment, works with global stakeholders to improve deployment systems, and assists countries in developing and sustaining vaccine procurement and production practices”.

The consultant will be tasked to contribute to activities related to the following workstreams:

• Ensuring a common approach to global deployment operations is developed and regularly tested with stakeholders and deployment partners.
• Facilitate the revision and updating of national deployment planning processes.

Deliverables:

• Output 1: Contribute to the update of the existing operational framework for access, allocation and deployment for pandemic influenza products.
  • Activity 1.1: Contribute to conducting mapping and literature review exercises to identify lessons learned, best practices etc, to enable evidence-informed document development.
  • Activity 1.2: Facilitate the organization of relevant meetings/workshops/consultations with various stakeholders.
  • Activity 1.3: Serve as rapporteur for relevant meetings.
  • Activity 1.4: Write first drafts of relevant documentation to achieve this output.

• Output 2: Workshops for national deployment and vaccination planning.
  • Activity 2.1: Contribute to the organization of planned regional/country workshops including by drafting/updating/ tailoring workshop materials.
  • Activity 2.2: Serve as rapporteur to these workshops.

• Output 3: Contribute to communication and dissemination activities.
  • Activity 3.1: Contributes to drafting the webpage of the PIP output and develops relevant content in agreement with the technical focal point.
  • Activity 3.2: Undertakes data analysis and preparation of slides/ visualizations in support of workshops/ meetings preparations.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages.

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

• Advanced university degree in public health or equivalent field.

Desirable:

• Advanced university degree or professional training in public health emergency management or other emergency management fields.

Experience

Essential:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience working in developing infectious diseases relevant resources (or other relevant technical areas such as access to medical countermeasures, stockpiling).
• Track record of publication in scientific literature and/or relevant technical reports and/or similar outputs.

Desirable:

• Prior experience in health emergencies preparedness and response at the national and/or international levels.

Skills/knowledge

Essential:

• Excellent writing skills proven by contributions to various publications, preferably peer-reviewed.
• Skills to analyze and synthesize public health information and developing materials for different audiences.
• Knowledge of technical issues relevant for pandemic preparedness.
• Excellent abilities to communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Strong organizational skills, including efficient time management, rapid reactions to tasks and shifting priorities.
• Ability to deliver high-quality work under tight deadlines, to multitask, manage competing priorities and be flexible.
• Strong computer skills in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

Languages required:

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable:

• Intermediate knowledge of another WHO official language.

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:

6 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