PAHO Consultant - Consultancy to provide Technical Cooperation related to Snakebite and Venomou[...]

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT

This is a requisition for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Contractual Agreement: Non-Staff - International PAHO Consultant

Job Posting: agosto 26, 2024

Closing Date: setembro 11, 2024, 11:59 PM Eastern Time

Primary Location: Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Organization: AFT Centro Panamericano de Fiebre Aftosa (PANAFTOSA)

Schedule: Full time

PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY

A PAHO Consultant may be engaged on a full-time or part-time basis for the purpose of performing a specific time-limited piece of work for PAHO in a technical advisory capacity or consultative capacity. Examples of the type of work for which a consultant contract should normally be issued are: analysis and advice on public health, medical, scientific or other health and related technical issues in countries, including the analysis of the national health situation, evaluation of national health programs, the establishment of local alliances and networks; direct technical assistance to address a particular health issue in countries (including disease outbreaks, response to emergencies, specialized training, research, development of policies, norms and protocols).

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES:

Background

The mission of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is to guide strategic collaborative efforts among Member States and other partners to promote health equity, combat disease, improve quality of life, and increase life expectancy for the people of the Americas. PAHO aims to be the primary catalyst for ensuring that all people in the Americas enjoy optimal health and contribute to the well-being of their families and communities.

Snakebite and other venomous animals envenoming exerts a heavy toll in Latin America. Over decades, the region has undertaken relevant efforts to confront this neglected tropical disease through the production and distribution of antivenoms and training of public health staff in the diagnosis and management of envenoming, among other fields. Following up some regional projects carried out under the auspices of JICA, CYTED and the OAS, the Pan American Center for Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Veterinary Public Health (PANAFTOSA/VPH) – Specialized center for veterinary public health of PAHO – established the Latin American Network of Public Antivenom Manufacturing Laboratories (RELAPA, Spanish acronym). RELAPA has implemented several initiatives to improve the regional landscape of antivenom manufacture and quality control and initiated activities to improve epidemiological health surveillance with the focal points in charge of snakebite envenoming at the ministries of health in the region, consolidating these concerted regional efforts in a manner fully aligned with the WHO strategy for the prevention and control of snakebite envenoming.

Objectives and scope

The present Term of Reference aims to contract a technical professional specialized in snakebites and other venomous animals to provide technical cooperation, within PANAFTOSA/VPH-PAHO/WHO framework, with a technical role of supporting the coordination and management of the Project entitled “An integrative approach to improve the management of snakebite envenoming in Latin America”, aiming to improve access to antivenoms, strengthen antivenom production and distribution capacities, improve clinical diagnosis and envenoming treatment, and enhance the national epidemiological health surveillance programs in the region.

Activities

• Provide technical and administrative management to achieve the goals of the Project, integrate into the project coordination team at PANAFTOSA/VPH-PAHO/WHO, including support for planning, organization, management, and optimization of resource utilization;
• Support the provision of inputs for the development and periodic revision of semiannual or annual Work Plans of the project, including budget programming and control, financial and work reports according to deadlines;
• Carry out activities committed to the objectives of the project, managed by PANAFTOSA/VPH-PAHO/WHO, to be executed within established deadlines and in accordance with work plans;
• Produce reports, oral presentations, support the preparation of technical documents, participate in meetings and technical events where the presence of professionals from this Coordination is necessary;
• Collaborate with the Public Veterinary Health Technical Team of PANAFTOSA/VPH-PAHO/WHO in implementing technical cooperation activities for the prevention and control of accidents caused by venomous animals and zoonoses.

Requirements

Education:

Essential: A bachelor’s degree in health, such as pharmaceutical science, chemistry, biotechnology, nursing or medical science, logistics, or another related field.

Desirable: A master’s degree in public health would be an asset.

Professional experience:

Essential: At least 07 (seven) years of relevant professional experience in national or international organizations in the field of public health to manage accidents by venomous animals.

Desirable: Experience in at least five different countries of the Americas region and in different areas of public health is desirable; Clinical experience in attention to accidents by venomous animals is desirable.

Language: Excellent written and spoken English and Spanish. Working knowledge of Portuguese would be an asset.

Location: Off-site or Hybrid (according to availability). International travel is required in order to complete the position’s expected deliverables. This consultancy is expected to entail a full-time commitment.

Compensation: USD $5,166.00. Travel and costs associated with the provision of technical cooperation will be covered by PAHO. This consultancy is expected to entail a full-time commitment.

Ownership: All products and other materials resulting from this consultancy will be the property of the PAHO/WHO and subject to the rules and regulations governing copyrights. The Consultant may not make use of information gathered during this consultancy without the written consent of PAHO/WHO.

Contract duration: 12 months.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Successful candidates will be placed on the roster and subsequently may be selected for consultancy assignments falling in this area of work or for similar requirements/tasks/deliverables. Inclusion in the Roster does not guarantee selection to a consultant contract. There is no commitment on either side.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• All applicants are required to complete an online profile to be considered for this consultancy. For assessment of your application, please ensure that your profile in Stellis is updated; all experience records are entered with elaboration on tasks performed at the time. Kindly note that CV/PHFs inserted via LinkedIn are not accessible.
• 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. PAHO/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/.
• PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation http://www.chea.org/search/default.asp and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to support the validation process. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO/WHO Regulations, and e-Manual.
• For information on PAHO please visit: http://www.paho.org.
• PAHO/WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
• PAHO/WHO is an ethical organization that maintains high standards of integrity and accountability. People joining PAHO are required to maintain these standards both in their professional work and personal activities.
• PAHO also promotes a work environment that is free from harassment, sexual harassment, discrimination, and other types of abusive behavior. PAHO conducts background checks and will not hire anyone who has a substantiated history of abusive conduct.
• PAHO personnel interact frequently with people in the communities we serve. To protect these people, PAHO has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. People who commit serious wrongdoing will be terminated and may also face criminal prosecution.
• PAHO/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.
• 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 PAHO and the Consultant.
• PAHO/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 PAHO/WHO.