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Qualifications

Background

Wastewater/environmental surveillance (WES) is recommended to track population-level epidemiological features of pathogens of epidemic and pandemic potential. These include the assessment of the disease burden in the community and the capability to monitor a large number of individuals through single-sample testing. Therefore WES will assist in identifying priority pathogens such as Ebola, Marburg, Lassa, Rift Valley viruses etc among the viral hemorrhagic fevers along with COVID-19, bacteria etc. These priority pathogens carry a variety of risks that have a significant impact on public health leading to outbreaks, pandemic as seen during COVID-19.

Therefore, it is crucial to monitor these pathogens in environmental settings to identify their presence and potential routes of transmission early to guide public health interventions. Hence, the main aim is to build or strengthen capacity and use innovative tools (by leveraging gains from the polio eradication programme) to detect and characterize priority pathogens through wastewater and environmental surveillance.

Deliverables

The WHO Regional Office for Africa is engaging international consultant to work on the following Terms of Reference (ToR):

A.            Assist the AFRO region to strengthen WES implementation in alignment with Global WES expansion plan and guidelines.

a.     Develop a concept note on implementation of wastewater/environmental surveillance (WES) in Africa

b.     Identifying and pursuing new opportunities for funding, partnerships, and innovation to advance the goals and objectives of WES in Africa.

B.         Provide technical guidance

Monitoring and evaluating the performance and impact of WES project

c.     Providing thought leadership and technical expertise on WES, diagnostics, genomics and data analysis

d.     Fostering a culture of excellence, learning, and collaboration within different Laboratory Networks

e.     Publish articles and reports on scaling up WES

f.      Develop and implement research projects in the areas of WES, genomics, bioinformatics, and computational biology across the continent. Environmental monitoring of media such as water, soil, and surfaces – routinely, during outbreaks, or as part of research studies – to identify environmental hazards (e.g., pathogens) and inform remediation efforts

g.     WES or fecally impacted surface waters to track the emergence and spread of diseases and targets of public health concern (e.g., antimicrobial resistance) in communities

C.         Technically support the AFRO region to develop or review countries’ National WES Plan and ensure all requirements are met with regards to WES implementation

a.       Identification of roles and responsibilities of  stakeholders

b.       Laboratory capacity, human resources, procurement  and managerial processes etc

c.       WES Site selection, frequency and timing of sample collection, opening and closure of sites.

D.         Provide field technical guidance based on Global guidelines to countries regarding:

a.     opening and closing of WES sites

b.     monitoring the performance of the WES system

c.     proposing corrective action when/where necessary

E.         Support countries to build capacity on WES

a.     In the field

b.     In the lab

c.     For data management

F.         Develop a work plan to strengthen WES in the Region

a.     create standard operating procedures (SOPs) for field visits

b.     assign members to specific countries for support

G.        Innovation Technology (working with WES data manager and Data Sphere team)

a.     Do a site assessment with the local team based on a standard protocol

b.     Conduct a training on the use of the data collection tools (site data form, blue lines, specimen collection)

c.     Develop a WES database and dashboard for ease of monitoring the implementation

Educational Qualifications

Essential  

ü  MSc/PhD in Virology or Microbiology.

Experience

Essential

ü  Seven 7 years of national and international experience of wastewater/environmental surveillance management, laboratory strengthening, as well as experience in the design, planning, monitoring and evaluation of research projects related to laboratories

Desirable

ü  Experience in technical support to countries and working with WHO would be an asset Experience in disaster/emergency management or planning (desirable).

Skills/Knowledge

Essential

ü  Environmental Surveillance/Wastewater, Monitoring & Evaluation, writing skills, Scientific Publications, Research skills, advance molecular skills etc

ü  An understanding of the role of the public health laboratory sector in the overall health system (essential)

ü  An awareness of emergency planning in relation to the health sector (essential)

ü  Excellent written and verbal communication skills (essential)

Languages required

• Expert knowledge of English and/or French

Location 

On-site – Dakar, Senegal

Travel 

The consultant is expected to travel.

The Consultant is expected to travel, including for deployments, technical support missions and training activities, according to relevant itineraries and schedules, based on country demand, as requested by Team Lead in the HIR/ Lab Diagnostics and Genomic Surveillance Unit.

All travel arrangements will be made by WHO – WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the express, prior authorization of WHO.  Visas requirements: it is the Consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.  While on mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive subsistence allowance in line with the instructions applicable locally, or up to the maximum of the UN DSA.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded):

Remuneration:

Band level B – USD – USD 8500-9980 per month

Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited)

A living expense is payable to on-site consultants

Expected duration of contract

3 months initially

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.