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International Consultant - Climate-Resilient Health Infrastructure

1.Purpose of the Consultancy

The Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) is undertaking a strategic initiative to enhance the climate resilience of its healthcare infrastructure. three selected facilities in the Solomon Islands in Guadalcanal, Temotu and Makira provinces. The consultant will provide technical expertise to high-level technical support in resource planning, logistics coordination, and supply chain management to enable the successful retrofitting of healthcare facilities and the development of contingency plans aligned with climate resilience goals.

The consultancy will also facilitate contingency planning and emergency preparedness, embedding climate resilience into operational protocols to ensure continuity of essential health services during climate-related hazards. It will also support capacity building for healthcare workers and community stakeholders, fostering long-term sustainability and local ownership of resilience measures. In addition, the consultant will strengthen resource planning and supply chain management, with a particular focus on improving access to essential supplies and services in remote and vulnerable locations. Through this integrated approach, the consultant will contribute to the broader Safe, Green, and Climate-Proof Healthcare Facility Initiative, supporting the Solomon Islands’ efforts toward climate-adaptive health systems.

2.Background

The World Health Organization (WHO) in the Solomon Islands is supporting the Ministry of Health and Medical Services (MHMS) to strengthen the resilience of the national health system in line with the National Health Strategic Plan (NHSP) 2022–2031. The strategic plan emphasizes the importance of investing in the “hardware” components of the health system—such as infrastructure, water, energy, and waste systems—as essential to achieving universal health coverage, particularly in the face of climate-related hazards.

Solomon Islands faces multiple climate and disaster risks, including tropical cyclones, sea level rise, flooding, and seismic activity, which pose serious threats to healthcare service delivery. Many health facilities lack adequate structural resilience and access to safe water, making them vulnerable to disruption during hazard events.

Enhancing the ability of healthcare facilities to maintain and quickly restore essential services during and after such events is therefore critical. This requires proactive planning, infrastructure upgrades, and strengthened operational capacity. WHO provides technical expertise, tools, and guidance to MHMS to support climate risk-informed infrastructure development, building on the Safe, Green, and Climate-Proof Healthcare Facility Initiative which used tools such WASHiT and CRESHF to guide initial assessments to identify target sites retrofitting and contingency planning.

3.Scope of duties, work to be performed & Method(s) to carry out the activity.

Scope of Duties:

Under the direction of the WHO Technical Officer Health Emergencies, the Consultant will work closely with the Project Officer – Climate Change and Health.

4.Deliverables:

Output 1: Health Facility Risk Informed Resource Plans

The consultant will provide technical assistance to develop comprehensive resource allocation strategies for target healthcare facilities. This includes supporting the design and implementation of supply chain management systems, developing procurement and inventory management protocols, and establishing resource distribution frameworks based on risk profiles and climate vulnerability assessments.

Deliverable 1.1: Comprehensive report detailing current facility conditions, service gaps, and climate-related vulnerabilities with supply chain accessibility analysis; individual facility profiles summarizing geographic, demographic, and service-level data logistics corridors and transportation constraints, including; a stakeholder consultation summary capturing insights from interviews and workshops with healthcare staff, supply chain personnel, and community representatives; and standardized assessment tools or checklists incorporating supply chain feasibility criteria used to guide and document the evaluation process.

Output 2: Risk informed Supply Chain Management

Support the Ministry of Health and Medical Services through the WHO to lead development of risk-informed supply chain management guide for remote islands vulnerable to climate and seismic hazards involves integrating resilience, adaptability, and local context into every stage of the supply chain—from procurement to last-mile delivery.

Deliverable 2.1:design supply chain action strategy for climate-resilient retrofitting materials and medical equipment as a guiding document detailing sourcing, logistics, and sustainability considerations. In addition, supplier mapping and evaluation matrix identifying vetted suppliers based on climate resilience criteria; climate-resilient procurement guidelines specifying standards for material and equipment selection; and an implementation timeline with key milestones to guide phased rollout

Output 3: Contingency Planning and Capacity Building

Support the Ministry of Health and Medical Services through the WHO review existing healthcare facility plans and contingency plans.

Deliverable 3.1: Facility-specific contingency plans for climate-related disruptions, integrating logistics and supply chain considerations into emergency preparedness frameworks, and offering technical input into stockpile management and emergency response protocols. In parallel, capacity building efforts will include training for facility staff and logistics personnel on equipment maintenance, supply chain tools, and emergency logistics, along with the development of refresher modules tailored for Biomedical Engineering Technicians (BMETs)

Output 4: Lead Technical Assessments for Climate-Resilient Retrofitting

Support the Ministry of Health and Medical Services integrate supply chain logistics into infrastructure design by leading and coordinating multidisciplinary infrastructure team.

Deliverable 4.1: Lead and coordinate a multidisciplinary technical team to conduct on-site assessments of healthcare facilities, evaluating structural integrity, medical equipment needs, supply chain accessibility requirements, and climate vulnerability. The assessment will identify retrofitting requirements for infrastructure and biomedical systems, including oxygen generation, power supply, water and sanitation, and cold chain equipment, with design specifications informed by maintenance supply availability, spare parts logistics, and equipment serviceability constraints, and result in detailed technical reports outlining prioritized actions that optimize both, performance and supply chain sustainability.

Output 5: Climate-Resilient Equipment and Infrastructure Asset Management Framework

The Consultant working close with Biomed Unit and Infrastructure Unit will support Ministry of Health and Medical Services through the WHO to develop a comprehensive package that includes both strategic documentation and operational tools.

Deliverable 5.1: Comprehensive Climate-Resilient Equipment and Infrastructure Asset Management Framework comprising seven key components: a governance and strategic alignment guide to define roles and responsibilities including supply chain coordination; a facility-level asset inventory and classification system with supply chain complexity scoring; a lifecycle and maintenance planning schedule optimized for local supply chain capabilities; climate risk assessment and integration guidelines; digital systems and data management tools for asset tracking and visualization; a capacity building and SOP toolkit for technical staff; and a monitoring, evaluation, and reporting mechanism to support continuous improvement and resilience in healthcare service delivery with supply chain performance indicators.

5Specific requirements

Education

Essential: Advance degree or equivalent in business administration, management and their application to procurement, logistics, transport or supply chain management or related field.

Work Experience:

Essential: Minimum 10 years of experience in international logistics and supply chain management. Proven expertise in emergency response coordination and medical equipment deployment in resource-constrained environments. Extensive experience integrating supply chain considerations into infrastructure planning and biomedical systems design.

Desirable: Experience with ERP systems (Odoo), Power BI, and Studio Looker for asset management and supply chain optimization. Strong background in capacity building and stakeholder coordination across technical and non-technical audiencesPrior experience in climate-resilient infrastructure or humanitarian operations, or healthcare facility development preferred.

Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

• Infrastructure and biomedical systems design informed by supply chain logistics and maintenance requirements

• Emergency logistics and supply chain management

• ERP implementation (Odoo), Power BI, Studio Looker for integrated asset and supply chain management

• Training and facilitation in technical and operational contexts

• Climate resilience and environmental health integration with supply chain continuity planning, and incorporation of vulnerability assessments

Language requirements:

·A high level of written and spoken proficiency in English

6Place of Assignment

Onsite: WHO Country Office, Honiara, Solomon Islands

7Travel

The Consultant is expected to travel according to the activity specification, as especially to the priority provinces for the project.

8Remuneration

a. USD 9,000 per month

b. 11 months contract