BACKGROUND

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) which was first reported in China and has now spread and continues to evolve. Since the first notification of a cluster of pneumonia of unknown etiology in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China, all levels of WHO have been working closely with relevant government counterparts. WHO teams have been working non-stop to develop the interim guidance and facilitate obligations under the International Health Regulations (2005). As cases continue to be reported from new areas, additional preparedness and response efforts are required. To cope with the situation, the team in the WHO Office is being strengthened, in order to provide technical assistance for preparedness and response efforts. The WHO Representative Office to Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore is providing support to preparedness and response activities and will continue to do so as the event evolves.

The EU is a major development cooperation partner of ASEAN and its Member States. In the period 2014-2020, the EU supported the ASEAN Secretariat and ASEAN regional integration with over €250 million, while bilateral EU support to ASEAN Member States amounted to €2 billion. As part of Team Europe’s global response to the coronavirus pandemic, the European Union announced a new €20 million programme to support the preparedness and response capacities of our partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The South-East Asia Pandemic Response and Preparedness programme will be implemented by the World Health Organization, working closely with national authorities and the ASEAN Secretariat. It will enhance regional coordination of the COVID-19 response and strengthen the capacity of health systems in South-East Asia, while paying special attention to vulnerable populations. The programme will strengthen the monitoring and testing capacities of ASEAN Member States, as well as the capacity of their health institutions and workers to manage the caseload while maintaining essential health services. The programme will also support timely and transparent communication about the pandemic, and help reach people living in rural and remote areas with information about the preventive measures, symptoms and risks.

WCO will use the EU contribution to support the Government’s response to COVID-19 around the following key areas:

1. Surveillance, risk assessment and contract tracing strengthened
2. National laboratories strengthened
3. Risk communication and community engagement
4. COVID-19 vaccine readiness enhanced
5. Maintaining Essential Health Services and Systems

PURPOSE/SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE OF THE ACTIVITY

The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical support to the WHO Country Office in Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore towards effective planning and management, results-based budgeting, monitoring and evaluation of collaborative programmes, resource mobilization, reporting and communication. The consultant is also expected to provide technical support to partnerships and emergency operations for WHO Country Office, in particularly for the COVID-19 pandemic preparedness and response activities as part of the EU ASEAN grant planning and implementation in Malaysia.

DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITIES TO BE CARRIED OUT

Under the supervision of the WHO Country Representative and in close collaboration with the Programme Officer and the COVID-19 Incident Manager of Malaysia, the consultant is assigned all or part of the following responsibilities:

Partnerships:

1. Establish and maintain relevant partnerships in support of WHO programs with state authorities, UN agencies, NGOs, private sector, civil society organizations, and academia to support implementation of the EU ASEAN grant
2. Elaborate relevant documents, workplans and reports for Health Cluster & UN country team
3. Participate in the Inclusivity and Wellbeing Results Group (IWRG) for the development of a joint work plan in health
4. Work closely together with UN and NGO partners in the planning, elaboration, implementation and monitoring of joint programs including the multisectoral national strategic COVID-19 response and recovery plan
5. Collate relevant inputs from UN and NGO partners on government policies, including the draft national health service strategic response plan

Programme Management  

1. Facilitate and support the EU ASEAN Grant implementation, management, and guide administration:
   1. Support establishment of country working group, finalize terms of reference, establish list of stakeholders and take minutes of meetings
   2. Provide day-to-day facilitatation in the planning and implementation of the EU-ASEAN grant 
   3. Write situation analysis for the EU ASEAN grant and work with the data manager and GIS managers to establish data base as part of the information management team focusing in particular on activities related to the planning and implementation of the EU ASEAN grant
   4. Support the IMT to regularly monitor the implementation of the technical pillars as well as follow up with administrative staff on the status of financial planning for the grant.
   5. Coordinate the implementation of the EU-ASEAN grant with the various short term consultants and technical officers in the Country Office and the UN  country team
   6. Liaise with the relevant counterparts in MOH Malaysia and NGOs to facilitate the implementation of the grant
   7. Lead the Malaysia EU ASEAN country working group meetings to discuss the implementation and to monitor the progress of financial implementation in detail and prepare meeting notes and develop first progress report to EU
   8. Support the Administrative Assistant in establishing a technical and financial M&E arrangement to monitor all progress reports, prepare templates for technical reports and guide admin staff on financial statements to be submitted to the donor (as and when requested), in line with the provisions of the WHO General Conditions of the Contribution Agreement
2. Support effective programme planning, budget monitoring and reporting of WHO collaborative programmes related to including award management and support the WHO representative in HR budget mapping as and when needed and perform all other duties as assigned.

METHODS TO CARRY OUT THE ACTIVITY

Provide in-office technical support at WHO Subregional Office for Malaysia focussing on partnerships in health and the planning of implementation of the COVID 19 EU ASEAN grant and related data needs

Deliverables

• • Mid-term progress report
• • Final technical report at the end of contract
• • Report on other duties

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

EDUCATION

Essential: University degree in public health or related field from a recognized university

Desirable: Advanced university degree (Masters level or above) in the area of public health or related field 

EXPERIENCE

Essential: A minimum of five years’ experience working with public health programmes providing technical support on programmatic issues with at least one member state.

Experience in dealing with large projects and good understanding of field operations is a must

Desirable: Experience working in an international organization

TECHNICAL SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

Excellent communication skills and proven writing skills in English.

Capacity to collaborate and coordinate across multiple agencies.

Ability to work in multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary environments.

Strong organizational skills.

Strong presentation and public speaking skills.

LANGUAGES

Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English.

COMPETENCIES

Teamwork

Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences

Communication

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

Place of Assignment: Remote and in-country work (travel will be restricted due to COVID-19, may be required to travel within the Pacific depending on restrictions)

Medical clearance:  The selected consultant will be expected to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work. A medical certification of fitness is valid for one year unless new event has occurred.

Remuneration:  National consultant (NOC level)

Duration of contract: 2 months starting 16 June 2021

APPLICATIONS

Qualified and interested specialists should submit their CV {for individual contractors} or Company Profile {for institutional applications} and Expression of Interest {cover letter} to the Supply Officer through WP RO UNGM at < [email protected] > by 27 May 2021. 

The cover letter should outline how their experience and qualifications make them a suitable candidate for this position and should include their proposed daily consultancy fee and availability.

Please use Tender Notice No. 128889 as subject to all submission. Only successful candidates will be contacted.