National Consultant - Digital Health Technical Integration Support

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Qualifications

      1.  Purpose of consultancy  

To provide specialized technical advisory and analytical support to the WHO Country Office JP Secretariat for the implementation of the Joint Programme "Bridging the Digital Health Divide" in the Kyrgyz Republic.

      2.  Background  

       The Joint Programme "Bridging the Digital Health Divide" (JP) is a 36-month initiative (June 2024 – June 2027) funded by the UN Joint SDG Fund and implemented jointly by WHO (Lead PUNO), UNDP, UNICEF, and UNFPA in the Kyrgyz Republic. The Programme aims to strengthen Kyrgyzstan's digital health information system (d-HIS) ecosystem across four sub-outputs: (i) Policy, Strategies and Regulations; (ii) Standards and Interoperability; (iii) Integrated Service Provision and Capacity Building; and (iv) Telemedicine Services. As Lead PUNO, WHO provides coordination and programmatic leadership throughout implementation and requires specialized technical advisory support to ensure effective delivery of the JP.

        3.  Deliverables

Deliverable 1: Inception report documenting assessment of current JP implementation status, key integration gaps, stakeholder landscape, and recommended approach for technical advisory support. Expected by:  20 September 2026

Deliverable 2: Analytical brief synthesizing JP implementation progress across all PUNOs for Q3 2026, identifying bottlenecks and providing evidence-based recommendations, including technical advisory notes prepared in response to UNRCO and Joint SDG Fund Secretariat requests. Expected by: 30 November 2026.

Deliverable 3: Complete set of technical materials for the annual JP Steering Committee meeting, including analytical background note, agenda, briefing documentation, and draft minutes, as well as technical advisory inputs to Operational Committee processes. Expected by: 31 January 2027

Deliverable 4: Analytical brief synthesizing JP implementation progress across all four sub-outputs for Q4 2026, with recommendations on priority actions for the final phase of JP implementation, including technical contributions to WHO Country Cooperation Strategy Strategic Priority Area 7 on Data, Digital Health and Delivery for Impact. Expected by: 31 March 2027

Deliverable 5: Comprehensive analytical report on JP implementation status covering the full contract period, synthesizing progress, outcomes, and recommendations for the remaining JP implementation phase, including technical inputs to Operational Committee processes and all outstanding advisory documentation. Expected by: 20 May 2027

      4. Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Essential:  University degree in public health, information systems, law, public administration, or a related field.

Desirable: Advanced degree (Master's level) in a relevant field.

       Experience 

       Essential

      ·     At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in digital governance, digital health, information systems, or related technical fields, including provision of technical advisory or analytical support in public sector or multi-stakeholder contexts.

     ·      Proven experience working with health information systems or digital health platforms at national level.

     ·     Prior experience working within national government institutions or public sector agencies in the health or digital sector.

     ·     Experience in development or implementation of national-level digital health programmes, information systems, or interoperability frameworks.

     ·    Experience in development or technical review of regulatory and policy documents in the health or digital sector, including laws, government decrees, ministerial orders, or related normative acts.

     ·      Demonstrated experience in a managerial or senior coordination role, including direct supervision of staff or units and coordination across multiple government or institutional stakeholders.

Desirable:

    ·      Experience working with international organizations (e.g., UN agencies, development partners).

Skills/Knowledge: 

Essential:

·        In-depth knowledge of national digital governance frameworks, including inter-agency document workflows, decision-making processes, and regulatory procedures for the preparation of laws, decrees, and ministerial orders.

·        Familiarity with Kyrgyzstan's national e-government ecosystem, including interoperability platforms and data exchange mechanisms between government institutions.

·        Knowledge of national strategies and priorities in the field of digitalization and digital health, with ability to identify and align programme activities with current government priorities.

·         In-depth understanding of stakeholder engagement mechanisms within the country's public administration system, including knowledge of how to effectively engage government institutions, ministries, and intergovernmental bodies.

·         Strong analytical and structured thinking skills.

·         Ability to synthesize and document findings from cross-institutional processes in a structured manner.

Desirable:

·         Understanding of UN programme management frameworks and reporting requirements.

Languages and level required (Basic/Intermediate/Expert):

Essential:

Expert knowledge of Russian

Intermediate knowledge of English

Desirable: 

Expert knowledge of Kyrgyz

     5. Location

On-site for insurance purposes only (Home based including travel within the country)

     6. Travel

The consultant is expected to travel within the country. 

     7. Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded

       Remuneration will depend on the nature of work including in terms of responsibilities, complexity, required degree of specialization by the work to be performed. It will also depend upon the knowledge, qualifications, experience and skills required. 

         Local consultant: USD 3,045/month as per the local rate in KGZ.

        Hiring Manager: Bakyt Dzhangaziev, Technical Officer (Data Science and Digital Health), WHO Country Office, Kyrgyzstan

       Collaborators: Amanda Shriwise, Health Policy Advisor, WHO Country Office, Kyrgyzstan, 

                                   Saltanat Moldosieva, Public Health Officer, WHO Country Office, Kyrgyzstan.

        Admin focal point:  Lucia Dell Amura, Administrative Officer, WHO Country Office, Kyrgyzstan

Additional Information:

         ·   This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.

• If your candidature is retained for 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.

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The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its workforce. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply for WHO jobs.

Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to  reasonableaccommodation@who.int

        ·    An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter (https://www.who.int/about/who-we-are/our-values) into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of short-listed candidates.
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• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.
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