Consultant Risk Communications and Infodemic Management (Country Health Emergency Preparedness and IHR {CPI})

Purpose of consultancy

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical support to risk communication and community engagement areas of work with a focus on infodemic management.

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, listening to and working with communities to understand and respond to concerns has been paramount. With the proliferation of social media, the infodemic accompanying the COVID-19 pandemic has seen misinformation and disinformation spread at an alarming rate, and professionals and civil society have been faced with an overabundance of information.

EMR is currently suffering from different emergencies and health risks, according to lessons learnt from COVID-19, Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) core capacities including infodemic management should be strengthened in countries to optimally respond to current outbreaks and health risks.

“Infodemiology” is defined as the science of managing infodemics through the employment of relevant research and effective practices. The WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is seeking to strengthen and deepen its capacity and commitment to providing scientifically sound, timely and relevant information on mitigation and prevention measures through listening to populations’ questions, concerns and comments. The ultimate goal is to promote behavioural change to ensure populations make the correct decisions to keep themselves safe, limiting by that the impact on health systems.

Member States continue to seek the Regional Office for support with risk communication, community engagement and infodemic management.

This 11-month consultancy will support the RCCE and infodemic management activities, based in Cairo, Egypt and/or remote, with travel to support the Member States of the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

Deliverables

Output 1: Social listening and integrated analysis

Deliverables:

–Develop or adopt a taxonomy of classification for the specific health risks

–Conduct regular social listening utilizing the different online and offline platforms and produce reports based on current outbreaks/health risks in EMR during the consultancy.

–Suggest and draft evidence-informed recommendations for priority follow-up actions on detected high-risk signals

–Co-conduct training to country offices and ministries of health on how to conduct social listening to inform public health interventions including messaging via using social listening tools available in EMR

Output 2: Support risk communication activities for health emergency preparedness and response.

Deliverables:

–Provide technical input to the development, identification and implementation of interventions that address individual, community, cultural and societal-level factors affecting trust and resilience

–Identify appropriate partners and stakeholders to coordinate and streamline the implementation of the other public health interventions

–Develop a mechanism for responding quickly to community questions and concerns

Co-conduct training to country offices and ministries of health on the different elements of risk communication and community engagement.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: First-level university degree in social sciences, health science or another relevant field.

Desirable:

Experience

Essential: At least 2 years of progressively responsible work experience in the field of risk communication or behavioral science.

Desirable:

Skills/Knowledge

·ability to recommend risk communication or advocacy initiatives, using appropriate tools and channels; and to achieve results

·Ability to maintain networks of people across a range of risk communications-related disciplines;

·Demonstrated ability to work with people from different cultures.

·Ability to coordinate the work with others including WHO country and regional offices and with HQ

Languages

Excellent knowledge of English and Arabic language.

Location

Cairo, Egypt (Off-Site)

Travel

No Travel is expected

Medical clearance

The selected Consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

a.Remuneration: Payband level NOB

b.Expected duration of the contract: Start date: 01/01/2024- End date: 30/11/2024.

WHO Competencies

Enhanced WHO Global Competency Model: https://www.who.int/employment/WHO_competencies_EN.pdf?ua=

Interested candidates are strongly encouraged to apply on-line through Stellis. For assessment of your application, please ensure that:

a)Your profile on Stellis is properly completed and updated.

b)All required details regarding your qualifications, education and training are provided.

c)Your experience records are entered with elaboration on tasks performed at the time.

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 putthe 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.