EuFMD Technical specialists on foot-and-mouth disease and similar transboundary animal diseasesJob Posting: 17/Jul/2022
Closure Date: 30/Sep/2022, 10:59:00 PM
Organizational Unit: NSAH
Job Type: Non-staff opportunities
Type of Requisition: Consultant / PSA (Personal Services Agreement)
Grade Level: N/A
Primary Location: Various Locations
Duration: Up to 11 months on a WAE basis (with possibility of renewal)
Post Number: N/A
IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device .
FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO’s values
FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
Organizational Setting
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 agri-food systems to threats and crises through improved animal disease prevention, early warning, and management of risks. EuFMD has established a globally respected capacity for efficient delivery of training, in-country and online support to emergency preparedness, risk reduction and progressive control of FMD with and through the decentralised offices. Most recently, the HOLD-FAST strategy adopted by EuFMD continues to 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 (Lumpy Skin Disease, Peste des Petits Ruminants, Rift Valley Fever, Sheep Pox and Goat Pox) which pose an immediate threat to EuFMD 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 in its 39 Member Nations, further 20 European neighbourhood countries, and in 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 Technical Specialist profiles:
Technical, Scientific, Regulatory, Manufacturing, Biosafety Specialists in FMD vaccines
Laboratory and Epidemio-Surveillance specialists (FMD and similar TADs)
Risk assessment and risk management specialists on FMD and similar TADs
FAST diseases modelling experts
Socio-economist
Preparedness Planning experts
Public private partnerships (PPP) experts in the field of animal health
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.
Reporting Lines
The incumbent will work under the technical supervision of the Legal counterparts in FAO, UNEP, WHO and WOAH, the operational supervision of the FAO Representation in Zimbabwe and in close coordination with the International Legal consultants in FAO, UNEP, WHO, WOAH, and other members of the project team.
Technical Focus
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 Europe as a whole. The Prequalification of FMD vaccines (PQv) project falls within this Pillar.
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 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.
Tasks and Responsibilities:
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, any 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 (ToR) 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 supervisors 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 (online and face-to-face) under different components of the workplan, ensuring activities and inputs are provided on time and supervising the work of other national and international consultants;
Support the implementation of a system for the Prequalification of FAST vaccines (PQv) through the development of administrative and technical guidance and policy objectives of a sustainable business model
Assist the implementation of a Prequalification system for veterinary medicines (PQm)
Provide expert guidance to the Secretariat and, where required, to the EuFMD member nations, relating to prevention, emergency preparedness and response to FAST threats;
Participate in and provide technical support, as facilitator and/or evaluator, to organize national and multi-country simulation exercises
Provide expert guidance to endemic countries in the European neighbourhood and other regions for the progression along the Progressive Control Pathway for FMD
Support the risk reduction programme and the programme to sustain the FMD Global Control Strategy established within the EUFMD workplan
Support the development of disease spread models and risk monitoring tools that can assist the Secretariat, the EuFMD member nations and their neighbouring countries to improve their contingency plans and their level of preparedness against FAST diseases;
Assist the establishment and improvements of research networks for FAST diseases through the use of digital platforms, promoting the establishment of new research partnerships
Assist the development of diagnostic capacities for FAST diseases and biosafety/biosecurity skills in laboratories of Member Nations and neighbouring countries.
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 one or more of the following:
Evaluation of veterinary vaccines to national and international standards
Emergency preparedness and control of FAST diseases (Laboratory Epidemio-Surveillance specialist, FAST Diseases Emergency Preparedness specialist, Preparedness Planning expert);
Risk assessment and/or management (FAST Risk assessment and risk management specialists, PPP experts);
Socio-economic science applied to animal health
Mathematical modelling of biological processes, application of computer sciences to modelling
Working knowledge (Level C) of English and limited knowledge (Level B) of one of FAO’s Official languages: French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian.
For PSAs:
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 one year of relevant work experience in one or more of the following:
Evaluation of veterinary vaccines to national and international standards
Emergency preparedness against FAST diseases (Laboratory Epidemio-Surveillance, FAST Diseases Emergency Preparedness Specialist, Preparedness Planning Expert);
Risk assessment and/or management (FAST Risk Management Specialist, PPP Expert);
Socio-economic science applied to animal health
Mathematical modelling of biological processes, application of computer sciences to modelling
Working knowledge (Level C) of English.
FAO Core Competencies
• Results Focus
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Building Effective Relationships
• Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement
Selection Criteria
Post-graduate experience in the regulation of veterinary vaccines in the field of quality, safety and efficacy requirements for obtaining registration with national and/or regional regulatory authorities;
Post-graduate experience in the manufacture and testing of veterinary vaccine to the principles of Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and/or other standards of Quality Assurance (e.g., Good Laboratory Practice [GLP], Good Clinical Practice [GCP]);
Post-graduate experience in FAST diagnosis and/or biosafety/biosecurity standards for managing FAST disease pathogens in a laboratory and/or manufacturing setting;
Post-graduate qualification in epidemiology or in a discipline relevant to the management of FMD and similar TADs 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 or risk monitoring (for specialist in modelling);
Post-graduate experience in socio-economic studies applied to the control of FMD and similar TADs will be considered an asset (for socio-economist)
For Senior positions: at least twelve years of post-graduate of relevant experience is required;
Knowledge of more FAO’s Official languages 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 will be considered as an asset;
Experience managing capacity building projects at national or international level;
Strong communication skills in English.
Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
– FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing)
– Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help please contact: Careers@fao.org
– Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted
– Please note that FAO 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 at http://www.whed.net/
– For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.
HOW TO APPLY
– To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile.
– Only applications received through the recruitment portal will be considered
– Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile.
– If you need help, or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
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