Consultant Roster – Risk Communication, Community Engagement and Infodemic Management - Capacity Building

Purpose of consultancy

The World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO Europe) is seeking consultants to provide technical support in Risk Communication, Community Engagement and Infodemic Management (RCCE-IM) capacity building.

The consultants will be responsible for designing, delivering, evaluating and documenting capacity building activities, including trainings, workshops, simulation exercises, on-the-job coaching etc., aimed at strengthening the RCCE-IM skills 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 develop a list of qualified candidates for inclusion in this roster. Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently may be selected for consultancy assignments falling in this area of work or for similar requirements/tasks/deliverables. Inclusion in the Roster does not guarantee selection to a consultant contract.

Background

WHO Europe is committed to protect people from health emergencies. Effective RCCE-IM is central to controlling health emergencies effectively and building resilience. It helps communities take informed decisions to protect themselves.

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 have a positive impact on health outcomes and the overall response to a health emergency.

However, for RCCE-IM to be effective, it must be integrated into the planning and response efforts of health authorities and organizations across the entire emergency cycle. This requires building the capacity of RCCE-IM practitioners, both in terms of knowledge and skills, to be able to effectively communicate and engage with communities in health emergencies.

The role of the RCCE-IM Capacity Building Consultant is to support WHO Europe Risk Communication, Community Engagement and Infodemic Management Unit in the Health Emergencies Division (WHE/RCI) strengthening the capacity of health authorities and organizations to effectively.

Deliverables

• Design and deliver RCCE-IM capacity building activities, including workshops, simulation exercises, and training programs in line with the needs of requestors and audiences.

• Evaluate the effectiveness of the capacity building activities and make recommendations for improvement.

• Follow up on capacity building activities with countries to support the development of RCCE-IM plans and the establishment of structures, systems and skills for their implementation.

• Prepare and present regular reports on the progress and outcomes of the capacity building activities and support CB visibility through WHO Europe’s channels.

Qualifications

Educational Qualifications

Essential:

• Advanced degree (Master´s degree) in public health, risk communication, community engagement, social science, capacity building or a related field.

Experience

Essential:

• At least 5 years of relevant experience in designing and delivering capacity building activities .
• Demonstrated experience in the development and roll out of capacity building programs for governments, civil society organizations, UN agencies (public communicators, health promoters, community workers) and other relevant stakeholders.

Desirable:

• Experience working with WHO or other UN and international organizations in risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management.
• Experience in health emergencies.
• Experience in conducting evaluations of RCCE-IM programs and making recommendations for improvement.

Skills/Knowledge

Essential:

• Strong analytical, organizational and project management skills.
• Experience in creating and delivering professional training, workshops and simulation exercises.
• Strong 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:

• Specific knowledge and experience in one of the RCCE-IM sub-domains; Infodemic Management, Risk Communication, Community Engagement, RCCE-IM Operational Management.

Languages

Essential:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

Desirable:

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

Location

The consultant will primarily work remotely. Travel is required for country missions. WHO will cover the cost for official duty travels (onsite for insurance purposes).

Travel

Travel will be required for country missions. WHO will cover the cost for official duty travels.

Remuneration

a. The proposed fee: USD 8000 (monthly) equal to Band Level B.

b. Expected tentative duration of contract: 15 February – 30 June 2024.

Additional Information

• The purpose of this vacancy is to develop a list of qualified candidates for inclusion in the advertised roster. Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently may be selected for consultancy assignments; however, contracting of rostered candidates is not guaranteed.

• 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.

• The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits workforce regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.

• The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply for WHO jobs. Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int

• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. 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 (https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/our-values) 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 short-listed candidates.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.

• WHO shall have no responsibility 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.

• Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.

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