Consultant at World Health Organization (WHO)

World Health Organization (WHO) is the directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system. It is responsible for providing leadership on global health matters, shaping the health research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries and monitoring and assessing health trends.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Consultant - Facilitate Coordination of Implementation Research for Newborn Health

Ref No: 2207944
Location: Nigeria
Schedule: Part-time
Organization: HQ/NBH Newborn Health
Contractual Arrangement: External Consultant
Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 11 months

Purpose of Consultancy

• The consultant will contribute to the newborn implementation research project, immediate Kangaroo Mother Care Study (i-KMC).  
• He/she will facilitate the setup of implementation research in each phase to ensure mother and baby receive high quality care, and provide technical guidance to the WHO study coordination team to monitor the implementation of the study. 

Background  

• New evidence from a WHO-coordinated multi-country randomized controlled trial showed clear evidence that KMC (continuous skin to skin contact) initiated immediately after birth with a mother or surrogate reduces neonatal mortality in LBW infants by 25%.
• WHO recommendations have been updated using all the new evidence on KMC (scale-up of facility-KMC, community-initiated KMC and immediate KMC).
• The evidence is still lacking about the optimal ways to scale up immediate KMC and its potential impact on key outcomes in the target population under program conditions.  
• MCA coordinates a multi-country implementation research on immediate Kangaroo Mother Care in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India and Nigeria, funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.  
• The objectives of this implementation study include:
  • Developing an adaptable implementation model to add immediate KMC to a functional system of care of preterm and LBW infants. 
  • Optimizing the model to achieve at least 80% immediate KMC coverage among eligible babies born or referred to the included health facilities.
  • Scaling up the optimized model to multiple administrative areas in a stepped wedge manner and evaluate its impact on neonatal mortality, breastfeeding, and clinical sepsis.
  • To promote and support the government to scale up immediate KMC at provincial and national level. 
• The study is in the protocol development phase and is expected to be complete in 48 months. WHO provides overall technical coordination and oversees the implementation of the study. 

Deliverables

• Output 1. Provide technical expertise to develop study materials. 
  • Deliverable 1. Contribute to the development study protocol, case report forms, consent form. Expected by 31 December 2022.
• Output 2. Provide technical input for the site to set up implementation research 
  • Deliverable 1. Help study sites and their government to set up Special Newborn Care Unit (SNCU) in i-KMC implementing facilities. Expected 31 March 2023.
  • Deliverable 2. Prepare webinars to improve quality of care in proposed i-KMC implementing facilities. 
• Output 3. Provide technical input to ensure the quality of study 
  • Deliverable 1: Site monitoring report sent to WHO for each of the 6 sites. 

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

• Advanced Degree in Paediatrics.

Desirable:

• Doctoral Degree in Neonatology. 

Experience:
Essential:

• Over 10 years of relevant clinical experience in paediatrics/neonatology.
• Experience in newborn health research, in particular implementation research. 

Skills / Knowledge:

• Excellent knowledge in the area of newborn health and newborn health research
• Skills in research methodology
• Expert knowledge of newborn health and its public health aspects. 
• Strong research, analytical and scientific writing skills, as evidenced by publication in peer-reviewed scientific journals in the topic area.
• Strong planning and organizational skills demonstrated ability to manage converging priorities and deliver high-quality products under tight deadlines. 
• Ability to present clearly in oral and written presentations.

Languages required:
Essential:  

• Expert knowledge of English

Travel: 

• The consultant is expected to travel.

Expected duration of contract: 

• 11 months – part-time at 50%.
• Additional contracts may be offered based on programme needs and satisfactory performance.

Remuneration
Band level C: USD10,000 - USD12,500 Monthly.

Application Closing Date
27th September, 2022 (10:59:00 PM)

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

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 in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.