Integrated Outbreak Analytics Consultant. Req#

UNICEF Health section seeks to engage a consultant to provide technical expertise and support on IOA to UNICEF (HQ and countries) as well as within the Global Outbreak Alerts Response Network (GOARN) and IOA Core Team.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, HOPE

Vacancy Announcement: Consultant

Consultancy Title: Integrated Outbreak Analytics Consultant

Section/Division/Duty Station: Health Section – PG - NYHQ

Duration: 13 May 2024 – 31 December 2024

Home/ office Based: REMOTE

About UNICEF

If you are a committed, creative professional and are passionate about making a lasting difference for children, the world's leading children's rights organization would like to hear from you. For 70 years, UNICEF has been working on the ground in 190 countries and territories to promote children's survival, protection, and development. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations, and governments. UNICEF has over 12,000 staff in more than 145 countries.

BACKGROUND

Purpose of Activity/Assignment:

Provide technical expertise and support on IOA to UNICEF (HQ and countries) as well as within the Global Outbreak Alerts Response Network (GOARN) and IOA Core Team. The PHE team does not have funding to cover all planned activities that continue until the end of 2024. Some deliverables are planned to be completed if additional resources become available.

Scope of Work:

All below outputs are under supervision of UNICEF IOA Lead (PHE)

Support coordination of UNICEF contribution to IOA core team

• Organise IOA Core Team calls.
• Support and organise Core Team workshops.
• Facilitate IOA Network sessions.

Support IOA Toolkit pilot in 3 countries

• Provide support and expert advice for the IOA toolkit pilot phase.
• Organise all orientations and workshops associated with toolkit and ensure these are in French and English.
• Support with adapted presentations and materials on the pilot and toolkit
• Ensure that all toolkit documents have been signed off by stakeholders aligning to UNICEF and BHA policy.
• Together with IOA lead, support incorporation of all reviewer feedback and finalisation of the IOA toolkit including (1)Guidance Notes; (2) SOPs and (3) associated tools

Contribute to global IOA knowledge management and communications.

• Participate in identified working groups to identify synergies for IOA (GTFCC, Applied Epi, REACH, Resolve to Save Lives, Global Health and WASH clusters)
• Support the development of an IOA website on the Drupal platform including supporting website design, creating and identifying all IOA content, liaising with different partners to ensure organisations are represented and aligned.
• Publish the quarterly IOA Field Exchange-identify topics and authors, review articles and disseminate.
• Support the development of IOA Animations
• Support the development of IOA trainings.

Develop IOA deployment and remote support strategy.

• Co-develop a strategy for deploying IOA experts to outbreaks and public health emergencies in collaboration with the Rapid Response Team partners.
• Co-design a roster of IOA experts that are able to deploy.
• Co-design an orientation/training schedule for those on the roster
• Co-design a remote support strategy for supporting teams performing IOA at the local level.

Provide interim epi support to PHE activities at global level.

• Gather, review, and analyse PHE signals or events of relevance to UNICEF and inform internal focal points and regional Offices.
• Support epidemics/PHE signals review meetings and follow-up on any action points
• Ensure the drafting, and dissemination of the PHE Newsletter
• Promote IOA work, achievement, recommendations, and next step plans to the GOARN OST meeting, and other partner meetings at global level.

Terms of Reference / Key Deliverables:

1. Support UNICEF contribution to IOA core team and Network

• 1 IOA Core Team workshop report completed. – By 31 August 2024
• 4 IOA Core Team meetings chaired, and notes disseminated. – By 31 August 2024
• 4 IOA Network sessions coordinated and facilitated. – By 31 August 2024
• 1 IOA Core Team workshop report completed. – By 31 December 2024
• 4 IOA Core Team meetings chaired, and notes disseminated. – By 31 December 2024
• 4 IOA Network sessions coordinated and facilitated. – By 31 December 2024

1. Support coordination of the piloting of the IOA Toolkit (2-3countries) – By 31 Aug 2024

• Package of IOA Toolkit pilot support documents produced (presentations, briefing notes, communication materials) in French and English.
• 3 IOA Toolkit pilots are implemented including steps documentation, collecting feedback, organizing calls with key actors.
• 1 IOA Toolkit with Guidance Notes, SOPs, associated tools and animations is reviewed to be aligned to UNICEF and BHA policies and disseminated in French and English.
• 1 communication piece for dissemination of toolkit completed (French and English)

1. Contribute to global IOA knowledge management and communications.

• 1 IOA website developed in Drupal and launched. - By 31 Aug 2024
• 1 IOA Field Exchange published. - By 31 Aug 2024
• 1 IOA animation produced. - By 31 Aug 2024
• 4 reports on updates of ongoing IOA collaboration with specific groups produced. - By 31 Aug 2024
• 1 Interactive IOA Toolkit incorporated into IOA website. – By 31 December 2024
• 2 IOA Field Exchanges published. – By 31 December 2024
• 2 IOA animations produced. - By 31 December 2024
• 5 reports on updates of ongoing IOA collaboration with specific groups produced. - By 31 December 2024
• 2 IOA trainings are facilitated. - By 31 December 2024

1. Develop IOA deployment and remote support strategy. – By 31 December 2024

• 1 workshop with Rapid Response. Team partners facilitated.
• 1 draft roster of IOA experts designed.
• 1 draft orientation/training schedule designed.
• 1 strategy created for supporting teams performing IOA at the local level supported.

1. Provide interim epi support to PHE activities at global level

• Handover report produced for interim activity May-Aug 2024. - By 31 Aug 2024
• Folder of training materials, presentations, recordings and reports integrating IOA into PHE for interim activity May-Aug 2024. - By 31 Aug 2024
• Handover report produced for interim activity Sep-Dec 2024. - By 31 December 2024
• Folder of training materials, presentations, recordings and reports integrating IOA into PHE for interim activity Sep-Dec 2024. - By 31 December 2024

Qualifications

Education:

An advanced master’s degree level.

 Enter Disciplines: epidemiology/ public health.

Work experience:

• Min 8 - 10 years’ experience in public health research and outbreak or public health response
• Min 8 - 10 years’ experience working in humanitarian/development settings.
• Experience managing diverse teams / different backgrounds and fields of work.
• Experience working within Integrated Outbreak Analytics required.
• Must have experience leading operational research for public health/outbreak.
• Experience writing academically (publications) required.
• Experience developing technical guidance and support for public health research/ outbreak response.
• Experience working for the UN / NGO required.

Competencies/Knowledge:

• Leadership and strategic development required.
• Working knowledge of French

Requirements:

Completed profile in UNICEF's e-Recruitment system and

• Upload copy of academic credentials
• Financial proposal that will include/ reflect:
  • the costs per each deliverable and the total lump-sum for the whole assignment (in US$) to undertake the terms of reference.
  • travel costs and daily subsistence allowance, if internationally recruited or travel is required as per TOR.
  • Any other estimated costs: visa, health insurance, and living costs as applicable.
  • Indicate your availability.
• Any emergent / unforeseen duty travel and related expenses will be covered by UNICEF.
• At the time the contract is awarded, the selected candidate must have in place current health insurance coverage.
• Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed satisfactory deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant.

U.S. Visa information:

With the exception of the US Citizens, G4 Visa and Green Card holders, should the selected candidate and his/her household members reside in the United States under a different visa, the consultant and his/her household members are required to change their visa status to G4, and the consultant’s household members (spouse) will require an Employment Authorization Card (EAD) to be able to work, even if he/she was authorized to work under the visa held prior to switching to G4.  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results. View our competency framework at: Here

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Individuals engaged under a consultancy will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants. Consultants are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.