International Consultant - NCD Surveillance (steps And P-COSI)

Organizational Context

The World Health Organization (WHO) supports Pacific Island Countries and Areas (PICs) in strengthening noncommunicable disease (NCD) surveillance. This role, within the WHO's Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO) for PICs, focuses on enhancing national capacity for NCD risk factor surveillance using the STEPS approach and the Pacific Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (P-COSI).

Job Purpose

The purpose of this consultancy is to bolster the capacity of Pacific Island Countries and Areas (PICs) in noncommunicable disease (NCD) surveillance. This involves providing technical and strategic support for the planning, implementation, data analysis, and reporting of WHO's STEPwise approach to NCD risk factor surveillance (STEPS) and the Pacific Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (P-COSI). The role will contribute to improving the availability, quality, and utilization of NCD risk factor data, ultimately informing policy and program actions to combat NCDs in the region. The consultancy aims to ensure that surveillance activities align with global standards and regional priorities, thereby strengthening the overall NCD prevention and control efforts.

Responsibilities

The consultant will be responsible for strengthening NCD surveillance in PICs. This includes finalizing STEPS and P-COSI implementation plans, developing questionnaires, and managing costing for surveys in multiple countries. The role involves conducting capacity-building training on STEPS and P-COSI protocols, data collection, and quality assurance. The consultant will also prepare STEPS and P-COSI datasets for analysis, perform data cleaning, validation, weighting, and analysis, including trend analysis where applicable. Developing analytical outputs such as draft tabulations, summary tables, fact sheets, and survey reports is a key responsibility. Additionally, the consultant will monitor and report on STEPS implementation progress, coordinate regional data management discussions, and support the development of context-specific approaches for NCD policy implementation.

Work Experience

Essential: Minimum of five years of professional experience in public health, epidemiology, disease surveillance, or NCD prevention and control. Experience in planning, implementing, analyzing, and reporting on population-based health surveys, including multi-country surveys. Desirable: Experience with WHO STEPS surveys, P-COSI, data analysis for NCD surveillance, and working with Ministries of Health in Pacific Island Countries.

Skills

Knowledge of NCD risk factor surveillance (tobacco, alcohol, diet, physical activity); epidemiology and statistical methods for surveys; data analysis, interpretation, and reporting; WHO STEPS methodology; survey design and sampling; data quality assurance and management; P-COSI methodology; monitoring and evaluation; public health systems in PICs.

Explore related opportunities