Consultant – Development of technical products and contribute to grant proposals for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs)

Purpose of consultancy

To provide technical expertise to WHO cardiovascular disease team.

Background

The World Health Organization (WHO) is dedicated to reducing the global burden of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) through comprehensive strategies aimed at prevention, management, and care. As part of its global health mandate, WHO’s cardiovascular work encompasses a wide range of initiatives that address the multifaceted nature of these diseases, which are the leading cause of death worldwide.

Key Areas of Focus

Technical Product Development WHO produces technical documents and guidelines to support healthcare providers and policymakers in the prevention and management of CVDs. These products include clinical guidelines, training manuals, and policy briefs that are based on the latest scientific evidence and best practices.

Access to Essential Medicines and Health Technologies Ensuring access to essential medicines and health technologies is critical for effective CVD management. WHO works to improve the availability, affordability, and quality of these resources, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Prevention and Health Promotion Preventing CVDs involves addressing key risk factors such as unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco use, and harmful use of alcohol. WHO leads initiatives to promote healthy lifestyles and create supportive environments through public health campaigns and community-based programmes. The CVD programme works and supports these departments to develop and finalize technical products.

Research and Innovation WHO supports research and innovation in cardiovascular health to identify new and effective interventions. This includes promoting the use of digital health technologies and encouraging the development of new diagnostic tools and treatments.
Country Support and Coordination WHO provides technical assistance to Member States to help them strengthen their health systems and integrate CVD services into existing healthcare frameworks. This includes conducting situational analyses, developing operational strategies, and facilitating stakeholder coordination.

Partnerships and Governance WHO engages with a broad range of partners, including governments, non-governmental organizations, academia, and the private sector, to foster collaborative efforts in the fight against CVDs. Effective governance and strategic partnerships are key to aligning global efforts and maximizing impact.

Member States have shown support to prioritize cardiovascular diseases through various initiatives and resolutions, including the Global Plan of Action for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases.

Deliverables

• Deliverable 1: Technical products (e.g. guidance documents, publications, meeting reports).
  • Develop and monitor project management plan for technical product development.
  • Facilitate preparation of meetings for technical products (draft agenda, mails, approvals, etc.).
  • Facilitate meetings with expert networks to receive inputs into technical products.
  • Draft WHO technical products.
  • Provide technical edits of WHO documents.
  • Edit technical products based on inputs from expert reviewers and/or meeting reports.
  • Undertake and/or organize the editing process prior to submission.
  • Provide input toward product launches and support dissemination of technical products as requested.
• Deliverable 2: Technical guidance to Member States.
  • Conduct situational analysis of cardiovascular disease control in selected Member States including contributing to technical inputs.
  • Develop and write reports documenting current status and recommendations for strengthening cardiovascular disease control programme for selected Member States in line with WHO guidance.
  • Draft brief operational strategy to contribute to implementation of recommendations including roles and opportunities for internal and external partners active in cardiovascular disease control.
  • Facilitate preparations of country missions (country situational analysis, agenda, etc.).
  • Draft reports of country meetings.
• Deliverable 3: Contribute to the achievement of cardiovascular disease coverage targets.
  • Provide guidance on the design, implementation, and coordination of national cardiovascular disease control plans in line with WHO recommendations.
  • Provide technical and programmatic advice on the development, update, and implementation of cardiovascular disease policies and activities.
  • Provide guidance on the use of tools to allow governmental stakeholders to finalize cardiovascular disease plans and define and implement priority interventions.
• Deliverable 4: Grant proposals relating to cardiovascular diseases.
  • Coordinate inputs from WHO staff and combine into donor template.
  • Draft proposal narrative and/or budget for review based on guidance from WHO staff.
  • Draft technical and financial reports to donors.
  • Draft supporting materials such as slide decks or written summaries for meetings with donors.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential:

• Advanced university degree in public health, medicine, epidemiology, pharmacology, or any related discipline.

Desirable:

• Advanced university degree in a CVD-related field from a recognized institution.

Experience:

Essential:

• At least 10 years of relevant experience in cardiovascular diseases and public health.
• Proven track record for professional delivery of high-quality products.
• At least three peer-reviewed publications or book chapters in cardiovascular disease-related fields.
• Experience with country work in low- and middle-income countries.

Desirable:

• Relevant work experience with WHO and/or UN agencies, health cluster partners, or relevant non-governmental organizations.
• Experience in programme/project management.

Skills:

Essential:

• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
  Ability to prioritize and manage work to critical project timelines in a fast-paced environment.

Languages required:

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable:

• Intermediate knowledge of other WHO languages.

Location

Off site: Home-based.

Travel

The consultant is expected to travel.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

Remuneration:

Band level C – USD 10,000 – 12,500 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 contracts may be offered based on programme needs and satisfactory performance.

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