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Consultant: Managing Seasonal, Zoonotic and Pandemic Influenza by Strengthening Surveillance
To provide countries in Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) with specialized technical expertise for managing seasonal, zoonotic and pandemic influenza by strengthening surveillance, monitoring and data utilization.
A robust and well-designed epidemiological and virological surveillance system is a cornerstone of national, regional, and global capacities to detect, assess, and respond to seasonal, novel, and pandemic influenza, as well as other high impact respiratory viruses. Building on the long-standing Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO) will continue to support Member States in strengthening, expanding, and sustaining integrated sentinel surveillance systems, laboratory networks, and data sharing mechanisms for influenza and other respiratory pathogens with epidemic and pandemic potential.
Recognizing that future pandemics caused by emerging or re-emerging respiratory viruses are inevitable, EMRO will actively promote the integration of surveillance for influenza, SARS CoV 2, respiratory syncytial virus, and other priority respiratory pathogens, in line with WHO global standards and operational guidance. This integrated approach aims to enhance early warning, risk assessment, and situational awareness, while ensuring that surveillance systems are fit for purpose to inform evidence based public health action, vaccine policy, and emergency preparedness and response. Strengthening these capacities is essential to reinforce national and regional preparedness, resilience, and rapid response to disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies in the Eastern Mediterranean Region
Output 1: Provide technical guidance to EMR countries in managing seasonal, zoonotic and pandemic influenza by strengthening surveillance, monitoring and data utilization.
Deliverable 1.1: Provide high level advisory and technical guidance to national teams for calculating baseline and threshold values using the updated Pandemic Influenza Severity Assessment (PISA) methodology using national influenza surveillance data.
Deliverable 1.2: Build and enhance countries’ capacities to calculate baseline and threshold values for influenza disease burden estimation and publish their findings.
Deliverable 1.3: Provide technical guidance to countries in estimating the burden averted through vaccination for those who completed burden of disease estimates for influenza, utilizing population-based rates and the Pyramid Tool.
Deliverable 1.4: Provide technical expertise to countries in the EMR to strengthen, monitor, and evaluate surveillance systems for influenza, COVID-19, MERSCoV, RSV, zoonotic influenza, and other unusual respiratory events at national and local levels.
Deliverable 1.5: Provide technical expertise and lead national counterparts in the development and revision of data collection protocols for respiratory disease surveillance at the country level.
Deliverable 1.6: Lead and guide the regional consolidation of epidemiologic and virologic surveillance data on influenza, COVID19, RSV, zoonotic influenza, and other unusual respiratory events.
Deliverable 1.7: Develop and facilitate pandemic preparedness and response evaluations, focusing on zoonotic influenza, including lessons learned workshops, simulation exercises, and intra-action reviews.
Deliverable 1.8: Facilitate technical cooperation with National Influenza Centers; promote the creation of new National Influenza Centers and analyse and evaluate regional data entered into EMFLU-2, FluNet to strengthen influenza surveillance in the Region.
Deliverable 1.9: Lead the preparation of regional EMR Respiratory Virus Activity Bulletin, newsletters, and meetings on zoonotic influenza and other unusual respiratory diseases.
Deliverable 1.10: Develop, expand and strengthen strategic partnerships and networks, throughout the Region, related to influenza and emerging respiratory infections, including GISRS, PIP and PIVI.
Educational Qualifications:
Essential: Advanced university degree (Master’s level or above) in public health, epidemiology, biostatistics or data science.
Experience
Essential:
• At least 5 to 10 years of progressive experience in public health, epidemiology, or infectious disease surveillance, with a strong focus on influenza or respiratory disease surveillance.
• Demonstrated expertise in analysing surveillance data, calculating epidemiological thresholds, and applying severity assessment frameworks (such as PISA) in national or regional contexts.
Skills/Knowledge:
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English language.
• Excellent writing and analytical skills to draft synthesis, documents, and/or reports.
• Excellent basic computer skills.
• Data Management skills.
• Organization and efficiency skills.
• Interpersonal and collaboration skills.
• Proven experience in developing and delivering training and capacity-building workshops, preferably in the EMR or similar settings.
• Ability to adapt technical materials to local contexts and communicate complex concepts clearly to diverse audiences.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, to effectively convey technical concepts to diverse audiences, including policymakers, healthcare professionals, and researchers.
• Cultural sensitivity and adaptability to work effectively in diverse cultural and geographic contexts, collaborating with stakeholders from different countries and regions.
• Strong project management skills to coordinate technical assistance activities, manage timelines and deliverables, and ensure the successful implementation of consultancy tasks.
• Ability to engage with stakeholders at various levels, including government agencies, international organizations, and non-governmental organizations, to facilitate collaboration and knowledge exchange.
• Track record of publications in disease burden estimation, vaccine effectiveness and vaccine impact.
Languages and level required (Basic/Intermediate/Expert):
English expert level required, French is an asset.
Virtual and travel will be required for one month to the Regional Office to work closely with the Responsible Officer
From 15/04/2026 to 15/05/2026, Cairo, Egypt
All travel arrangements will be made by WHO – WHO will not be responsible for tickets purchased by the Consultant without the express, prior authorization of WHO. While on mission under the terms of this consultancy, the Consultant will receive subsistence allowance.
Visas requirements: it is the consultant’s responsibility to fulfil visa requirements and ask for visa support letter(s) if needed.
a. Remuneration Band level B- USD – Daily range USD 350 – 499, Monthly range USD 7,000 - 9,980
b. Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited.
c. Expected duration of contract (Maximum contract duration is 11 months per calendar year): 3 months
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· A written test may be used as a form of screening.
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