Job Openings at World Health Organization (WHO)

Job ID: 2409090

Purpose of consultancy

• The World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO Europe) is seeking qualified consultants to provide technical support to Risk Communication, Community Engagement and Infodemic Management (RCCE-IM) capacity building within the relevant Risk Communication and Information (RCI) Unit. 
• The consultant(s) will be responsible for designing, delivering, evaluating, and documenting capacity building activities.
• This may include trainings, workshops, simulation exercises, and on-the-job coaching to strengthen the RCCE-IM capabilities of health authorities, partners, civil society organizations, professionals, and other relevant stakeholders, as well as WHO staff. 
• The purpose of this vacancy notice is to establish an active roster  of qualified candidates for future consultancy assignments.
• Successful candidates will be included in the roster and may be selected for consultancy assignments based on the specific needs of WHO Europe and its partners.
• Inclusion in the roster does not guarantee selection for a consultant contract. 

Background  

• WHO Europe is dedicated to protecting people during health emergencies. Effective Risk Communication, Community Engagement, and Infodemic Management (RCCE-IM) implementation plays a central role in controlling health emergencies and building resilience. RCCE-IM empowers communities to make informed decisions to protect themselves and supports public health efforts during crises.
• In the context of health emergencies, RCCE-IM is essential for increasing health-seeking behaviors, and dispelling false information that can contribute to ill-health in emergencies.  
• Effective RCCE-IM is also crucial for building trust and partnerships between communities and health authorities, which can positively influence health outcomes and enhance the overall response to a health emergency. 
• For RCCE-IM to be truly effective, it must be integrated into the planning and response efforts of health authorities and organizations throughout the entire emergency cycle. This integration requires building the capacity and capabilities of RCCE-IM practitioners, equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to communicate effectively and engage meaningfully with communities during health emergencies. 
• The role of the RCCE-IM Capacity Building Consultant is to support and broaden capacity-building efforts of WHO Europe’s Risk Communication, Community Engagement and Infodemic Management Unit in the Health Emergencies Division (WHE/RCI). The consultant will help to strengthen the capacity and capabilities of health authorities and partner organizations.

Deliverables 

• Under the oversight of the RCCE-IM Capacity-Building Officer the consultant will:
• Co-design and co-deliver RCCE-IM capacity building activities, including workshops, simulation exercises, and training programs, tailored to the specific needs of requestors and audiences, across a variety of formats.
• Contribute to the evaluation of the effectiveness of capacity-building activities, and help build the RCCE-IM evidence base, providing recommendations for improvement and future initiatives.
• Follow up on capacity-building activities in collaboration RCI Unit’s team members and countries, to support the ongoing development of RCCE-IM plans, and assist within the establishment of structures, systems, and skills necessary for their effective implementation.
• Prepare and present regular reports on the progress and outcomes of the capacity-building activities, while supporting the visibility of these efforts through WHO Europe’s communication channels.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages
Educational Qualifications:
Essential:

• Advanced degree (Master´s degree) in public health, risk communication, community engagement, behavior change, curriculum and training, social sciences, capacity building, or a related field 

Experience:
Essential:

• 5 to 10 years of relevant  experience in the developing and implementing  capacity-building programs for governments, civil society organizations, UN agencies (including public communicators, health promoters, community workers) and other relevant stakeholders .
• At least 5 years of relevant experience in designing and delivering capacity-building activities 

 Desirable:

• Experience working with WHO or other UN and international organizations in risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management.
• Experience in managing health emergencies
• Proven experience in evaluating  RCCE-IM programs and providing actionable  recommendations for improvement

Skills/Knowledge:
Essential:

• Strong analytical, organizational and project management skills 
• Experience in creating and delivering professional training, workshops and simulation exercises
• Overall knowledge of and experience in RCCE-IM 
• Excellent training and facilitation skills, including the ability to adapt training materials to different cultural and language contexts 

Desirable:

• Specialized knowledge and experience in one of the RCCE-IM sub-domains: Infodemic Management, Risk Communication, Community Engagement, or RCCE-IM Operational Management
• Languages and level required (Basic/Intermediate/Expert):

Essential:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Desirable:

• Fluency in at least one other UN language is an advantage, especially Russian.

go to method of application »

Job ID: 2408722

Purpose of consultancy

• The objective of this consultancy is to contribute towards the development of the contact tracing implementation guidance.

Background

• The overarching project goal is that contact tracing strategies are determined, adapted and set up in a timely manner during outbreaks limiting the spread of outbreaks. 

The objectives are:

• To develop and disseminate an evidence-based disease-agnostic contact tracing guideline  
• To facilitate the application of contact tracing strategies through the development of implementation guidance

To support the development of this guidance, the project team is looking for a consultant who will conduct a comprehensive review. This review will include:

• a review of guidelines and guidance documents (including those included in the systematic literature review conducted in 2023), as well as the collection of data used in contact tracing as well as performance indicators
• the consultation of various stakeholders involved in contact tracing, to identify methods used to identify and monitor contacts, and evaluate the contact tracing performance, in alignment with the recommendations of the guideline.
• A semi-structured questionnaire will have to be developed, based on findings from the review of guidelines and guidance, and key informant interviews conducted with stakeholders at regional and country office levels.
• In addition, a technical working group of experts including but not limited to WHO (including regional and country representatives) will be convened to guide the review methodology and input technically into the guidance sections. In between monthly meetings, the TWG will be requested to review draft sections. 

Deliverables

• Deliverable 1: Comprehensive review report on methods for contact person identification, monitoring and contact tracing data and performance indicators used.
  Expected by: 31 August 2025
  • Develop a methodology for the comprehensive review
  • Develop and complete a database and analytical plan of information collected
  • Develop a short concept note and contact regional and country offices to identify 10-15 stakeholders to be interviewed
  • Develop a semi-structured interview guide
  • Collect feedback from TWG
• Deliverable 2: Minimum set of variables to collect for contact tracing.
  Expected by: 31 August 2025
  • Develop a methodology to define the minimum set of core contact tracing variables using an electronic Delphi process (based on the methodology used by WHO to define the EpiCore variables)
  • Collect feedback from TWG
• Deliverable 3: Write, review, and collect feedback from the TWG on the Implementation guidance (based on deliverables 1 and 2).
  Expected by: 31 August 2025
  • Guidance on identifying contacts
  • Guidance on monitoring contacts
  • Guidance on measuring the performance of contact tracing strategies 

Qualifications, Experience, Skills and Languages
Educational Qualifications:
Essential:

• Minimum first university degree in International Health, Public Health, or Global Health.
• Field Epidemiological Training Program (FETP) graduate.

Desirable:

• Advanced university degree in International Health, Public Health, Global Health.

Experience:
Essential:

• 5 to 10 cumulative years of experience in any or all of the below:
  • Experience in conducting systematic reviews.
  • Experience in qualitative research (specifically with key informants).
  • Experience in investigating outbreaks.

Desirable:

• Experience in low- and middle-income country settings.
• Experience in Contact tracing.
• Experience with WHO Regional and/or Country office.

Skills/Knowledge:
Essential:

• Ability to work independently and produce timely deliverables
• Strong writing skills
• Strong analytical skills and capacity to synthesize complex information

Languages and levels required:
Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English
• Intermediate knowledge of another official UN language

Desirable:

• Expert knowledge of another official UN language.