EuFMD – Technical Specialist (Various profiles)

The European Commission for the Control of Foot and Mouth Disease (EuFMD) plays a significant role in the animal health part of FAO’s programme to increase resilience of livelihoods to food and agriculture threats and crises (SO5). EuFMD has established an globally respected capacity for efficient delivery of training, in-country and online support to emergency preparedness, and Progressive Control Programmes is working in over 80 countries with and through the decentralised offices. Most recently, the HOLD-FAST strategy continues the focus upon Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) risk reduction but extends the scope of the preparedness and risk reduction activities to similar Transboundary Animal Diseases (TADs) which pose an immediate threat to the Member Nations (hereafter FAST is used for Foot-and-mouth and similar transboundary animal diseases).

The EuFMD is an Article XIV body responsible to its Member States and donors to deliver an extensive work programme on FMD emergency preparedness, response and control, to its 39 Member Nations, to a further 20 European neighbourhood countries, and to other regions through its arrangement with FAO decentralized offices. It manages the largest capacity-building programme in animal health in FAO with over 10,000 trainees recently taking its training courses. Technical input as well as operational delivery are entirely managed by the Commission Secretariat. Full details are available in the EuFMD work programme.

FAO International Consultant and Call purpose

A consultant/PSA is engaged by the Organization to provide expertise, skills or knowledge for the performance of a specific task or piece of work, which would be short-term by nature. The assignment may involve full-time or part-time functions.

The purpose of this Call is to identify suitably qualified and experienced consultants and/or PSA subscribers to populate a roster for the following profiles\:

• Laboratory Epidemio-Surveillance Specialist (FMD or other infectious diseases of livestock)
• FAST Risk Management Specialist (Delivery of national disease control programmes)
• FMD and other FAST Diseases Emergency Preparedness Specialist
• FAST disease quantitative modelling expert
• Preparedness Planning Expert
• Public private partnerships (PPP in the animal health field) Expert
• Primary animal health care expert (sustainable delivery systems and training of paraprofessionals)
• Project Manager (Virtual Learning Training programmes)

Candidates may be involved in more than one orientation and may be invited to undertake short-term assignments ranging in duration from a few days or weeks to a maximum of 11 months. The possibility of extension is subject to satisfactory performance and depending on the resources and needs of the Organization.

The consultant/PSA, in close collaboration with the Communications and Networks Manager, reports directly to the Pillar Managers and to the EuFMD Executive Secretary for functional and policy guidance.

Support to delivery of donor-funded work programmes of the EuFMD Commission at global, regional, sub-regional and country level.

The EuFMD workplan develops in three Pillars\:

Pillar I – Improving preparedness for management of FMD and similar TADs (‘FAST disease’) crises by Members and across

Pillar II – Reduced risk to Members from the FAST disease (FMD and similar TADs) situation in the European neighbourhood.

Pillar III – Sustaining and enhancing progress in the roll out of the GF-TADs Global Strategy for control of FMD, and on increasing security in the supply of effective FMD vaccines.

The EuFMD provides on-line and face-to-face courses and, considering the level of the progression along the FMD Progressive Control Pathway (PCP), identifies specific needs in the regions and the opportunities of making the best use of national and international expertise to assess the effectiveness of Risk Based Strategic Plans (RBSP), improve disease risk information and assist in the design, implementation and evaluation of risk based surveillance and risk based control measures.

The consultant/PSA will provide support to the implementation of the EuFMD work programme at global, regional, sub-regional and country level. This includes, but it is not limited to, the surge of support required for managing the changing priorities following disease emergencies and changes in programme decided by the Executive Committee and the major donors.

Following are the generic functions for which candidates are sought. Specific tasks and responsibilities will be defined in Terms of Reference prepared for different assignments, according to\:

• the profile orientation required and
• the selected candidates’ experience, qualifications and expertise.

The key functions will be as following (tasks will be assigned according to the specific profile)\:

• Support the Pillar supervisor by managing or assisting the implementation of component work plans, including, undertaking missions to advise on FAST diseases’ management, the development and delivery of workshops and training courses under the component, ensuring activities and inputs are provided on time and supervising the work of other national and international consultants;
• Provide expert guidance to the Secretariat and, where required, the EuFMD member nations, relating to prevention, emergency preparedness and response to FAST threats;
• Support the implementation of the work programme by developing and improving a disease spread modelling tool that can assist the Secretariat and the EuFMD member nations to improve their contingency plans and their level of preparedness against FAST diseases;
• Support capacity building of official veterinary services for prevention and control of FAST disease through support to development or delivery of on-line training as an expert trainer;
• Support consultations with target countries and partners, national and regional organizations in order to assess specific training needs, priorities and gaps relevant to the control of transboundary animal and FAST diseases;
• Participate in and provide technical support, as facilitator and/or evaluator, to organize national and multi-country simulation exercises in liaison with the involved countries and working in close cooperation to develop the scenarios, injects, presentations and any other required supporting training materials and job aids;
• Manage the VLC ensuring the programme develops in a coherent manner with efficient use of human, financial and training resources, reporting on the progress made and guiding on future development;
• Provide subject matter expertise in the development or adaptation of e-learning courses and co-ordinate with international experts to ensure they provide relevant input to development and delivery of e-learning courses;
• Manage the learning infrastructure development, ensuring access of learners to the resources available in the knowledge bank and actively supporting the advocacy efforts to ensure this is globally used and recognized.

CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

Minimum Requirements

Depending on the Profile and orientation\:

For Consultants\:

• University degree in a discipline relevant to the duties listed or otherwise related to FAO’s Programme of Work, including technical field disciplines;
• At least five years of relevant work experience in\:
• emergency and response preparedness against FAST diseases (Laboratory Epidemio-Surveillance, FAST, FMD and other FAST Diseases Emergency Preparedness Specialist, Preparedness Planning Expert);
• risk assessment surveillance and/or management (FAST Risk Management Specialist, PPP Expert);
• resources and project management for the implementation of training programmes (Risk Management Specialist, Virtual learning centre project manager, PPP Expert, Primary animal health care expert);
• mathematical modelling of biological processes, application of computer sciences to modelling or in a discipline relevant to disease spread modelling (for FAST disease quantitative modelling expert);
• Working knowledge (Level C) of English and limited knowledge (Level B) of one of FAO’s Official languages\: French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian.

• University degree, technical specialization or equivalent in a discipline relevant to the duties listed or otherwise related to FAO’s Programme of Work, including technical field disciplines;
• At least one year of relevant work experience in\:
• emergency and response preparedness against FAST diseases (Laboratory Epidemio-Surveillance, FAST, FMD and other FAST Diseases Emergency Preparedness Specialist, Preparedness Planning Expert);
• risk assessment surveillance and/or management (FAST Risk Management Specialist, PPP Expert);
• resources and project management for the implementation of training programmes (Risk Management Specialist, Virtual learning centre project manager, PPP Expert, Primary animal health care expert);
• mathematical modelling of biological processes, application of computer sciences to modelling or in a discipline relevant to disease spread modelling (for FAST disease quantitative modelling expert);
• Working knowledge (Level C) of English is required.

FAO Core Competencies

• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

Selection Criteria

• Post-graduate qualification in epidemiology or in a discipline relevant to the management of FMD, and/or experience in working in the official veterinary services is preferable (for Specialist in Laboratory Epidemio-Surveillance, Risk Management and Emergency Preparedness);
• Post-graduate qualification in computer science or in a discipline relevant to disease spread modelling tools (for Specialist in modelling);
• For Senior positions\: at least twelve years of post-graduate of relevant experience is required;
• Knowledge of more FAO’s Official languages or of Portuguese, Bulgarian, Turkish, Bosnian, Serbian, Kiswahili, Italian or working knowledge of the national language if focusing on a specific national or regional activity will be considered an asset;
• Familiarity with liaising with FAO central and decentralized offices as well as the knowledge of protocol procedures will be considered an asset;
• Experience developing and delivering online or face-to-face training through a range of online and other modalities; expertise in veterinary education theory to veterinarians on FMD and a high level of technical knowledge of “FMD and other similar transboundary diseases (FAST)” and of relevant management and control plans will be considered as an asset;
• Experience managing capacity building projects at national or international level;
• Strong communication skills in English.