Roster of International consultant – Antimicrobial Use (AMU), Access and/or Stewardship

Area of expertise

Roster of International consultant – Antimicrobial Use (AMU), Access and/or Stewardship

Purpose of consultancy

The WHO South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) seeks to establish a roster of qualified consultants to provide technical support to Member States in strengthening antimicrobial stewardship, improving access to quality-assured antimicrobials, optimizing antimicrobial use, strengthening pharmaceutical governance and regulatory systems, monitoring antimicrobial consumption, and implementing One Health approaches to address antimicrobial resistance.

Selected consultants may be engaged to support regional and country-level activities aligned with the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance, the 2024 United Nations General Assembly Political Declaration on AMR, the WHO SEARO Regional Roadmap on AMR 2025-2030, WHO AWaRe guidance, Universal Health Coverage goals, national AMR action plans, and relevant WHO guidance, standards and toolkits on antimicrobial use surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship, equitable access to quality-assured antimicrobials, and responsible antimicrobial use across human health and One Health contexts.

Background

AMR continues to threaten public health and health system resilience across the WHO South-East Asia Region. Despite progress in implementing national action plans, countries continue to face challenges in responsible antimicrobial use, equitable access to quality-assured antimicrobials, stewardship capacity, AMU surveillance, regulatory oversight and pharmaceutical governance. Strengthening AWaRe implementation, stewardship programmes, surveillance systems and One Health collaboration remains a regional priority under the WHO SEARO Regional Roadmap on AMR 2025–2030. A roster of technical experts will help WHO rapidly support Member States with specialized expertise as needs arise.

Deliverables

Under the overall guidance of the WHO technical unit, consultants may be requested to perform one or more of the following assignments. A more specific Terms of Reference, including exact deliverables, duration, and place of assignment, will be issued at the time of contracting.

Deliverable 1: Antimicrobial Use (AMU) Surveillance and Analytics

Establish or strengthen AMU surveillance systems, including methods, protocols, data collection, analysis, reporting, dashboards, multisectoral integration, and technical recommendations.

Deliverable 2: Antimicrobial Stewardship Programme Development and Implementation

Develop and implement AMS strategies, programmes, tools and quality-improvement measures, including AWaRe implementation and interventions to improve prescribing practices.

Deliverable 3: Access to Antimicrobials and Shortage Management

Assess antimicrobial availability, affordability, accessibility, quality, shortages, procurement and supply-chain systems, and develop strategies to improve access, prevent stockouts, strengthen supply security, and ensure equitable access to essential antibiotics.

Deliverable 4: Regulatory Systems and Pharmaceutical Governance

Review antimicrobial regulatory and policy frameworks, assess prescribing, dispensing, sales and marketing practices, and support stronger regulations, quality assurance, licensing, prescription-only policies and implementation recommendations.

Deliverable 5: One Health Antimicrobial Use Optimization

Support One Health approaches to optimize antimicrobial use across human, animal, food production and environmental sectors, including multisectoral coordination, integrated monitoring, consultations, and implementation of responsible-use strategies and action plans.

Deliverable 6: Capacity Development

Develop and deliver AMS/AMU training, mentoring, awareness and behaviour-change activities, and strengthen institutional capacity for stewardship, surveillance, regulation and access programmes.

Deliverable 7: Monitoring, Evaluation and Programme Performance Assessment

Monitor and evaluate AMS, AMU, access and governance programmes, including indicators, reporting systems, performance reviews, lessons learned and recommendations for strengthening and sustainability.

Deliverable 8: Technical Guidance, Research and Knowledge Products

Develop technical guidance, reports, evidence summaries, research and knowledge products to support policy, investment, implementation and dissemination.

Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational qualifications

Essential

For Band level B: A first university degree or medical degree in one or more of the following fields: Medicine, Pharmacy, Public Health, Infectious Diseases, Clinical and/or Infectious Disease Pharmacology, Epidemiology, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Policy and Management, Health Systems Strengthening, One Health, and Related disciplines.

For Band level C: An advanced university degree or medical degree with postgraduate specialization in one of the fields listed above or another field relevant to the assignment.

Desirable

• Doctoral degree

• Board certification or postgraduate specialization relevant to the technical profile

• Professional certification related to AMS, public health, epidemiology, health systems, medicines regulation, pharmaceutical policy, or monitoring and evaluation.

   

   

Experience

Essential

For Band level B:

• At least five years of of progressively responsible experience in one or more of the advertised technical profiles.

• Experience supporting AMS programmes, antimicrobial use monitoring, pharmaceutical systems, policy development, surveillance, or public health programmes.

   

For Band level C:

• At least ten years of progressively responsible experience in one or more of the advertised technical profiles.

• Demonstrated expertise in antimicrobial stewardship, antimicrobial use surveillance, pharmaceutical governance, access to medicines, regulatory strengthening, policy development, or One Health implementation.

Desirable

• Experience supporting programmes in low- and middle-income countries.

• Experience in WHO South-East Asia Region Member States.

• Experience working with WHO, UN agencies, governments, development partners, professional societies, academic institutions, or medicines regulatory authorities.

• Experience facilitating multidisciplinary and multisectoral initiatives.

• Publication record in peer-reviewed journals or technical guidance documents.

   

   

Skills/Knowledge

Essential

• Expertise in one or more of the advertised technical profiles.

• Knowledge of WHO AWaRe classification and implementation approaches.

• Knowledge of antimicrobial stewardship and rational use of medicines.

• Knowledge of pharmaceutical systems and medicines regulation.

• Experience with antimicrobial use and consumption monitoring.

• Ability to apply WHO standards, methods, and tools.

• Strong analytical, technical writing, and communication skills.

• Ability to analyse complex information and develop practical recommendations.

• Experience facilitating stakeholder consultations and technical discussions.

Desirable

• Experience in behavioural science and behaviour change interventions.

• Knowledge of digital health solutions and data analytics.

• Knowledge of forecasting, quantification, and supply chain management.

• Experience in training, facilitation, mentoring, and adult learning approaches.

Languages and level required

Essential: Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable: Intermediate or expert knowledge of another official United Nations language or a language used in a WHO South-East Asia Region Member State, where relevant to the assignment.

Location

• Consultancies may be: Home-based, Country-based, Regional Office-based,, or a combination of remote and in-country support.

• The duty arrangement for each consultancy will be specified in the individual Terms of Reference.

Travel

The consultant may be expected to travel to one or more WHO South-East Asia Region Member States for country assessments, technical consultations, training or other assignment-related activities. Travel dates, locations and purpose will be specified in the individual Terms of Reference and arranged in accordance with applicable WHO policies.

Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded)

Remuneration: Band level B and/or Band level C, as applicable to the assignment. The daily or monthly rate will be established in accordance with the applicable WHO consultant remuneration guidance and stated in the individual Terms of Reference.

Living expenses: Not applicable for home-based work. When an assignment requires on-site presence or travel, applicable travel and subsistence arrangements will be specified separately in accordance with WHO policies.

Expected duration of contract: Roster assignments may range from short inputs to several months, up to a maximum of 11 months per calendar year. Each individual Terms of Reference will specify the contract duration, number of working days and, for part-time assignments, the expected percentage or level of effort.

Additional information

• This vacancy notice is being issued for establishing Roster of International consultant – Antimicrobial Use (AMU), Access and/or Stewardship.

• 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.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.

• WHO shall have no responsibility for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.

• Please note that WHO’s contracts are conditional on members of the workforce confirming that they are vaccinated as required by WHO before undertaking a WHO assignment, except where a medical condition does not allow such vaccination, as certified by the WHO Staff Health and Wellbeing Services (SHW). The successful candidate will be asked to provide relevant evidence related to this condition. A copy of the updated vaccination card must be shared with WHO medical service in the medical clearance process. Please note that certain countries require proof of specific vaccinations for entry or exit. For example, official proof /certification of yellow fever vaccination is required to enter many countries. Country-specific vaccine recommendations can be found on the WHO international travel and Staff Health and Wellbeing website. For vaccination-related queries please directly contact SHW directly at shws@who.int.

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