Job Description
Purpose of consultancy
The consultant will provide technical guidance to the Clinical Management Team of the Health Care Readiness (HCR) Unit, on the Global COVID-19 Platform work, to enhance cooperative partnerships and reinforce existing capacities at all levels.
Background
Global understanding of the severity, clinical features and prognostic factors of COVID-19 in different settings and populations remains incomplete. WHO therefore invites Member States, health facilities and other entities to participate in the global effort to collect anonymized clinical data relating to hospitalized suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19 and contribute data to the Global COVID-19 Clinical Platform.
WHO will use the information to inform:
- Ch aracterization of the key clinical features and prognostic factors of hospitalized cases of suspected or confirmed COVID-19, thereby increase understanding of the severity, spectrum, and impact of the disease in the hospitalized population globally, in different countries.
- Characterization of clinical interventions, thereby facilitating global and national operational planning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Platform is a secure, limited-access, password-protected platform hosted on RedCAP. WHO uses the anonymized COVID-19 data solely for the permitted purpose(s) for which it is provided to WHO, and will protect the confidentiality and security of the Anonymized Data in accordance with the Terms of Use applicable to the Global COVID-19 Clinical Platform.
To harmonize data collection across diverse global settings, WHO has developed a standard Clinical Characterization Case Report Form (CRF). This contains a minimum set of key variables and forms the basis of three types of CRFs:
- Core CRF: to record data relating to hospitalized adults, children and pregnant women with COVID-19.
- Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome (MIS) in children and adolescents temporally related to COVID-19 CRF: to record data relating to suspected cases with this syndrome.
- Post-COVID-19 condition CRF: to assess mid- and long-term sequelae of COVID-19.
Deliverables
Activity 1: Monitor status of external data contributions to the Platform, proactively identify and manage invitations to new contributors, follow up and ensure smooth communication between WHO and data contributors. Agreements to Terms of Use for data sharing reviewed and classified.
Deliverable 1: Tracking sheet including all relevant actions and information as described in the activity 1 is regularly updated. Progress described in a monthly technical report.
Activity 2: Identify published studies assessing outcomes among hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and invite study authors to contribute data to the Platform. Facilitate data transfer.Develop and update tracking sheet.
Deliverable 2: Tracking sheet regularly updated, indicating study authors contacted, data contributed to the Platform. Progress described in a monthly technical report.
Activity 3: Prepare advocacy and technical documents related to the Platform. This includes web stories, updated case report forms, slide decks.
Deliverable 3: Technical and advocacy documents drafted. Progress described in a monthly technical report.
Activity 4: Support capacity building of data contributors on the platform through webinars and meetings.This includes the preparation of slide decks, note for the records of meetings and follow up on action points to ensure accurate and smooth implementation.
Deliverable 4: Monthly technical reports detailing the work undertaken.
Activity 5: Develop a road map for partnership and collaborations with key stakeholders. Support organization of clinical advisory group meetings by preparing background documents, slide deck and draft related meeting reports. Support organization of Clinical Platform Team meetings, with agenda and notes for the records.
Deliverable 5: Monthly technical report detailing the work undertaken and status of deliverables of grant collaborators.
Qualifications, experience, skills and languages
Educational Qualifications:
Essential:
First university degree in Medicine, Pharmacology, Heath or Social Science.
Desirable:
Advanced university degree in Public Health, Epidemiology or Medicine.
Experience
Essential:
- Minimum of 2 years’ experience in research and health sciences or other relevant field.
- Experience in data management.
- Experience in project management.
Desirable:
- Publication records experience.
- Experience in statistical analysis.
Skills/Knowledge:
- Excellent analytical and reporting skills.
- Statistical and epidemiology skills.
- Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office.
Languages required:
Essential:
Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable:
Intermediate knowledge of another UN language.
Location
Off-site - Home based.
Travel
Travel is not required as part of this assignment.
Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):
Remuneration:
Band level A - USD 3,955 - USD 6,980 per month depending on the consultant’s experience and educational background.
Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited):
N/A
Expected duration of contract:
11 months.
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
DEADLINE: Apr 19, 2022
