Medical Consultant Job at WHO
Want to Work with WHO in Global Public Health Emergency Preparedness? If you have experience in public health, emergency preparedness, outbreak response, or health programme implementation, the World Health Organization (WHO) is hiring a Consultant for the Initial Implementation of the WHO Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Flagship Roadmap. This prestigious international Medical Consultant Job in South Africa offers an opportunity to support emergency response systems, workforce development, and public health preparedness.
About the World Health Organization:
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the specialized health agency of the United Nations dedicated to promoting global health, preventing diseases, and responding to public health emergencies. Working with governments, international organizations, and health partners, WHO strengthens healthcare systems and supports countries in implementing the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005). Through initiatives such as the Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Flagship Roadmap, WHO enhances national capacities for emergency preparedness, disease surveillance, outbreak response, and community resilience.
Job Details:
- Job Title: Consultant for the Initial Implementation of the WHO EPR Flagship Roadmap (NOC)
- Job ID: 2602922
- Location: Pretoria, South Africa
- Primary Duty Station: WHO Country Office, South Africa
- Employment Type: External Consultant
- Contract Duration: 3 Months
- Work Schedule: Full-Time
- Grade: No Grade (NOC Consultant)
- Department: Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR)
- Application Deadline: 31 July 2026
- Travel Requirement: Travel within and outside South Africa as required
- Remuneration: R93,566 (NO-C Level, Step 1) for the assignment (travel costs excluded)
Purpose of the Assignment:
The purpose of this assignment is to provide dedicated technical and operational support for the initial implementation of the South Africa EPR Flagship Roadmap. This includes coordinating priority preparedness and response activities such as facilitation of the implementation of AVoHC-SURGE, Emergency Medical Teams (EMT), and staffing needs assessments; and supporting activities related to the International Health Regulations (IHR), operations support, logistics, and Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE).
Objectives of the Assignment:
The Consultant will support the implementation of priority activities identified in the EPR Flagship Roadmap during the initial implementation phase. The assignment aims to:
• Support implementation of the EPR Flagship Roadmap by providing technical and operational support for the effective rollout of the South Africa EPR Flagship Roadmap.
• Facilitate implementation of SURGE-related initiatives by supporting the operationalization of AVoHC-SURGE, Emergency Medical Teams (EMT), and the conduct of staffing needs assessments to strengthen surge and routine operation capacity.
• Strengthen IHR-related capacities by contributing to the implementation of activities aligned with the International Health Regulations (IHR), enhancing compliance and core capacities.
• Enhance operational support and logistics systems by providing support to improve emergency operations, including logistics planning, coordination, and resource management.
• Support RCCE initiatives by assisting in strengthening Risk Communication and Community Engagement (RCCE) to ensure effective public communication and community involvement during emergencies.
Deliverables for the Medical Consultant Job:
The Consultant will be expected to deliver the following outputs during the three-month assignment period:
• AVoHC-Surge Training Manual adapted to South African context
• EMT Training manual adapted to South African context
• Conduct and support simulation exercises/tabletop exercises for AVoHC-SURGE personnel
• Conduct and support simulation exercises/tabletop exercises for EMT personnel
• Database of identified and trained AVoHC-SURGE personnel
• Database of identified and trained EMT personnel
• EPR staffing needs assessment report, including gap analysis and recommendations for surge and routine capacity
• Reports on IHR, operations support, logistics, and RCCE activities
• Stakeholder coordination and capacity-building/training reports
• Logistics planning and resource mapping reports to support emergency preparedness and response
• RCCE strategy documents, communication materials, and reports on community engagement activities
Qualifications Required for the Medical Consultant Job:
Educational Qualifications
- Essential: First university degree in Public Health, Medicine, Epidemiology, Microbiology, or a related field
- Desirable: Master’s in public health, an added advantage.
Experience
Essential
• At least five years of relevant professional experience in public health, emergency preparedness and response, outbreak response coordination or health programme implementation.
• Experience supporting implementation of emergency preparedness and response activities.
• Experience working with WHO or other UN Agency.
• Experience working on the WHO-AFRO-AFRICA CDC AVoHC-SURGE initiative.
Desirable
• Experience coordinating trainings, workshops or capacity building initiatives.
• Experience working with government institutions, international organisations or development partners.
• Experience in project coordination, stakeholder engagement and technical reporting.
• Experience supporting emergency response workforce coordination or deployment systems will be an added advantage.
• Experience working with the National Department of Health or Provincial Department of Health.
Skills/Knowledge Required for the Medical Consultant Job
• Strong coordination and organisational skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong technical writing and reporting skills.
• Ability to work effectively in multidisciplinary and multicultural environments.
• Good understanding of public health emergency preparedness and response systems.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks within tight timelines.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications including Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
Languages and level required
• Excellent written and spoken English is required.
Technical Supervision
• The consultant will report directly to the Emergency Preparedness and Response Team Lead (EPR-TL) as the first level supervisor with the WHO Country Representative as the second level supervisor.
• The Consultant will work closely with:
o National Department of Health
o Provincial Departments of Health
o WHO technical teams
o Relevant emergency preparedness and response stakeholders and partners
Location
The Consultant will be based in Pretoria, South Africa, with work undertaken in close collaboration with the WHO Country Office, the National Department of Health and relevant stakeholders. Travel within and outside South Africa may be required based on implementation needs.
Travel
Travel within and outside South Africa may be required based on implementation needs.
Remuneration and budget (travel costs excluded)
As full consideration for the services performed by the signatory under the terms of the Agreement, WHO shall pay the signatory the sum of R93 566.00 (at NO-C level, step 1).
