Scientist Methods (2 positions)

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The QNS Department sits within the Science Division. The overall mission of the Science Division is to harness the power of science and innovation in a systematic way, by ensuring the excellence, relevance and efficiency of WHO's core technical functions, including norms and standards and research.

Within this Division, the specific purpose of the QNS Department is to provide support to the Technical Departments, in close consultation with Regional Offices, by ensuring norms and standards are produced to a consistently high standard, in a timely way, driven by what Member States need, and designed and delivered to have a real impact on the health of people.

Its mandate is structured around four key roles\:

1. Ensure that all N&S products meet WHO highest quality standards by providing tailored, state of the art methodological support and guidance

2. Support project teams developing N&S products by ensuring the utmost efficiency of the N&S process

3. Secure maximum country impact by helping to develop fit for purpose N&S products

4. Advance and ensure timely, peer-reviewed, and accessible scientific evidence and information, through the WHO Library and Digital Information Outreach, and the WHO Press

The QNS Department is made up of 5 teams\: the Methods Quality teams, the Process Efficiency team, the Product Impact team, the Library and Digital Information team and the Office of the Publisher.

Within the department, the Methods Quality team is more specifically dedicated to\:

1. Producing and continuously update robust quality-assured methodologies, building upon best practices as well as internal and external expertise

2. Providing tailored methodological support and guidance to Technical Dept. project teams, and consultation with regions

3. Ensuring highest-quality services from technically skilled subject matter experts in a diverse array of standard-setting methods, including but not limited to public engagement, clinical and social epidemiology, modelling, and implementation studies.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

Provide tailored methodological expertise and guidance to technical department project teams, and on occasion Regional Office teams, in order to develop the quality assured N&S products, which will result in impact in countries, as measured in the Programme Budget monitoring process. These N&S products will meet country needs and priorities as defined the Global Public Health Goods Process.

Develop and establish new, innovative, and practical methodological solutions within the specialty area of expertise that will be required to ensure that the N&S products meet the needs of countries as definited through eth GPW13.

Engage in scientific and methodological debate with external experts as well as WHO staff and provide constructive critique of proposed N&S products to ensure advancement of methods / solutions for developing WHO norms and standards that meet the needs of end-users.

Establish new standards, methods for guideline and N&S product development at WHO that are consistent with the highest international standards and strengthen WHO's capacity to meet those standards and deliver the expected outputs of the GPW13.

Provide technical guidance into the development and revisions of The World Health Organization Handbook for normative and standard-setting development methods to guarantee the production of continuously updated robust quality-assured methodologies.

Assess the quality of the work of external Methodologists who are part of the Roster of external Methodologists, to ensure that they deliver the required expertise for the various N&S products as well as ensuring that the Roster contains the appropriate experts.

Evaluate the quality of WHO N&S products, identify gaps in knowledge and performance, and develop strategies to address those gaps.

Facilitate delivery of WHO GPW and program budget outputs.

Collaborate with the Roster of external Methodologists to identify and leverage best practices in N&S product development, that will position WHO as a global leader in N&S.

Promote effective relationships with other QNS Department teams, other HQ Department and regional counterparts, to ensure qualitative, efficient and impactful delivery of WHO Norms & Standards Contribute, as appropriate and in consultation with the Team Lead, Methods to support functions including resource mobilization, communication and advocacy.

Represent WHO to other organizations and institutions in the area of guidelines development, N&S products, and evidence-informed public health and policy development.

Conduct appropriate reporting, including to the WHO governing bodies on the above mentioned areas of work.

Undertake any other duties as required within field of competence.

Perform all other related duties as assigned.

Specific duties Continuous methodological advice, oversight, and iterative strengthening of N&S products through methods in his/her scope.

Review of N&S product proposals/plans and final N&S products concerned by methods in his/her scope.

Conduct assessments of the performance of external methodologists involved in the development of N&S products.

Deliver against plans for select methodological support on N&S product pipeline.

Finalize technical briefs and other related documents pertaining to methods review, solutions, and follow up

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential\: A first university degree in public health, medicine, epidemiology, behavioral science, social science, applied research, or other relevant subject, combined with an advanced university degree in research-field research methodology, evidence synthesis, policy research, program evaluation or other related field relevant to the position.
Desirable\: An advanced university degree such as MPH, MBA, doctoral degree in medicine, or doctoral degree in public health.

Experience

Essential\: A minimum of 10 years' experience in the field conceptualizing, planning, managing and implementing evidence-based practice guidelines/guidance, or in the context of health technology assessment programmes, national guidelines/norms/standards adaptation, programmes, or equivalent.

Experience in advancing innovative methodological solutions to fit new and emerging challenges.

Experience coaching and mentoring other peers as a subject matter expert and part of a project team, where others own the final product.

At least 5 years of this at an international level.

Experience working with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds and expertise.

Experience in developing clinical or policy guidelines/guidance/norms/standards for multiple audiences, including lower and middle income countries.
Desirable\: Experience within UN or other international or multinational organizations.

Experience in applying cross-cutting areas, e.g. gender or equity, to normative and standard setting products.

An established publication record in health sciences.

Skills

Strong knowledge of theory, principles, methods and techniques related to evidence-based medicine, systematic reviews, public engagement and consultation, and health intervention guidelines.

Strong skills in advising technical teams on how to implement methodologies in the context of public health normative and standard setting development. Comprehensive understanding of the methodological issues relevant to evidence-based decision making, critical appraisal, and scientific peer reviews. Concrete skills in coaching and mentoring peers as a subject matter expert and part of a project team, where others own the final product.

Expert skills in managing collaborations; knowledge of WHO or other UN Organization's procedures and processes for guidance or normative and standard setting product development.

WHO Competencies

Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
Moving forward in a changing environment
Creating an empowering and motivating environment

Use of Language Skills

Essential\: Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable\: Intermediate knowledge of French.

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 87,108 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 5764 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• This vacancy notice will be used to identify two Scientists (Methods); one in each of the following areas of expertise\:
• Clinical epidemiology, Classic epidemiology/surveillance;
• Social science, behavioral science, public engagement/consultation, medical anthropology
• This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.

• A written test may be used as a form of screening.

• In the event that your candidature is retained for an 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.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit\: http\://www.who.int.

• WHO is committed to workforce diversity.

• WHO's workforce adheres to the WHO Values Charter and is committed to put the WHO Values into practice.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• WHO has a mobility policy which can be found at the following link\: http\://www.who.int/employment/en/. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.