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Qualifications

Background

Countries have made uneven progress in reducing modifiable risk factors for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), particularly unhealthy diets and insufficient physical activity. A significant barrier to implementing effective interventions has been the lack of regulatory and fiscal capacity. To address these challenges and foster long-term change, the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) and the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), developed and launched the Global Regulatory & Fiscal Capacity Building Programme: Promoting Healthy Diets and Physical Activity (Global RECAP).
The first phase of the Programme (Global RECAP I) was launched in January 2019. It was implemented by IDLO and WHO, in coordination with IDRC and with financial support from the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) and SDC and was completed on June 30th, 2022. This phase focused on five selected countries, including Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda in the African region. The Programme aimed to support these countries in creating enabling environments for evidence-informed, coherent, and equitable public policies and government interventions to promote healthier diets and active living, complementing WHO’s ongoing efforts.
The project targeted five main policy areas: i) Restrictions on the marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages to children; ii) Fiscal policies for diet, particularly effective sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxation; iii) Nutrition labelling; iv) Reformulation of food products to contain less salt, sugars, and fats; v) Physical activity promotion.
Building on the achievements of the first phase, the Programme has now entered its second phase, adding two more countries, Ghana and Mauritius. This phase continues to build regulatory and fiscal capacity, focusing on developing, adopting, implementing, and monitoring policy interventions. It also aims to support the achievement of policy outcomes through evidence-based approaches and public and political advocacy campaigns to address unhealthy diets and insufficient physical activity.
In this second phase, WHO provides technical and financial support for implementation. WHO country offices are leading national-level coordination in accordance with the agreed-upon work plans.

Deliverables

The incumbent will be expected to:

• • Overall coordination:
• Provide overall coordination for the RECAP programme at the regional level;
• Develop and implement regional work plans and strategies in collaboration with key stakeholders.
  • Stakeholder engagement and collaboration: 
• Organize regional meetings, workshops, and consultations to ensure stakeholder engagement and collaboration.
• Foster strong relationships and maintain effective communication channels among all stakeholders.
  • Capacity building:
• Support capacity-building initiatives to enhance the ability of country stakeholders to implement their work plans.
  • Reporting and documentation:
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting of all program activities, achievements, and challenges.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation of all processes, meetings, and consultations.
• Prepare regular progress reports and updates for internal and external stakeholders.
  • Coordination with WHO Country Offices:
• Work closely with WHO country offices to ensure alignment and coordination of activities at the national level. Provide technical support to RECAP countries through country offices as needed.
• Monitor closely the financial and technical implementation.
• Ensure effective communication and collaboration between regional and national levels.
  • Policy development and implementation:
• Support the development, enhancement, and implementation of regulatory and policy tools, such as nutrient profile models for various applications (e.g., marketing, sales, and promotion of foods in and around schools, nutrition labelling, taxation, health claims), and guiding principles on front-of-pack labelling.
•  Participate in policy dialogues within and outside the Organization, including with partner agencies and stakeholders, to promote and implement evidence-informed policy and legislative actions to promote healthy diets and physical activities.

Undertake other relevant duties as may be assigned by the supervisor, including supporting the development of fundraising proposals.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:

Essential: A first university degree in public health, nutrition policy studies, or any other related field.
Desirable: Certification in project management, public policy, policy analysis, health taxes, or other related public health-related specialities, including regulation and fiscal policy to prevent NCDs or promote nutrition or physical activity legislation, is desirable.

Experience:

Essential:

• Demonstrated experience in the development of regulations and implementation of policies to promote healthy diets and prevent NCDs
• At least five years of relevant professional experience in policy development and implementation in relation to NCDs, nutrition or other areas of public health, public health, or nutrition.
• Proven experience in managing and coordinating large-scale health or nutrition programmes at the regional or international level.
• Experience working with international organizations, governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders in the health sector.
• Strong understanding of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the role of diet and physical activity in preventing them.
• Knowledge of global best practices in promoting healthy diets and physical activities.
• Experience in capacity-building initiatives, stakeholder engagement and technical support to countries on healthy diet and physical activities.

Desirable: Experience in developing evidence-informed guidance and recommendations on health taxes, policies and legislations related to diet/nutrition and health.

Skills/Knowledge:

• Excellent project management skills, including planning, execution, and monitoring;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team; -Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and maintain relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders;
• Proficiency in conducting and facilitating meetings, workshops, and consultations.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and other relevant software;
• Familiarity with monitoring and evaluation frameworks and tools.

Languages and required level:

Essential: Proficiency in English, both written and spoken and working knowledge of French or Portuguese.

Location

On site for insurance purposes: The consultant will largely work from home but with duty travel to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania if needed.

Travel

Most of the work will be done remotely, However, the consultant will travel to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania if needed.
A living expense is payable to on-site consultants – please refer to Information Note 08/2019 for details on eligibility.

Remuneration

Band level B – Monthly rate USD 7,000 per month.

A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited.

Expected duration of contract:

Three 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.
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• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. 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 (https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/our-values) 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 short-listed candidates.
• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.
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• Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.
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Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: No requirements