Individual Consultant on Proposal Development for South Sudan for Pandemic Preparedness, Prevention, and Response Consultancy

Background

The Pandemic Fund is a dedicated stream of additional, long-term funding for critical Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness, and Response (PPR) functions in International Development Association (IDA) and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) eligible countries, through investments and technical support at the national level, as well as at the regional and global levels. The Pandemic Fund has launched its second Call for Proposals (CfP) on December 22, 2023, with an envelope of US$500 million. The CfP will continue to prioritize high-impact investments in the following priority areas, in recognition of the high demand for funding in these areas: 1) early warning and disease surveillance systems, 2) laboratory systems, and 3) strengthening human resources/public health and community workforce capacity, including workforce capacity related to human and animal health, to help countries prevent, prepare for, and respond to health emergencies.

South Sudan through the Ministry of Health, WHO and partners, intends to apply building on lessons learned and feedback from similar application submitted in 2023. The stakeholders will include WHO, FAO, UNICEF and World Bank as the implementing entities partnering with Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries and the Ministry of Environment. Other partners include UNDP, IOM, UNFPA, ICAP, AFENET, AMFREF among others. On the 23^{rd of} February, a stakeholder consultative meeting was conducted in Juba by MoH and WHO where the CfP was shared with stakeholders and the stakeholder’s provided guidance, TWGs were also constituted in each of the technical areas: (I) surveillance and early warning, (ii) laboratory systems (iii) human resource/workforce strengthening and (iv) Crosscutting areas. So far, the TWGs are reviewing assessment information and the context looking at key documents from human, animal, and environment sectors. Some of the key documents include the Joint External Evaluation (JEE) report, National Action Planning for Health Security (NAPHS), Self-assessment Annual Report (SPAR) among others.

WHO is responsible for the overall coordination inception to the full implementation of the project and serves as the lead coordinating entity by bringing implementing entities and partners together to discuss, identify and agree on priorities. Support mapping of existing funding or capacity in country across Government and implementing entities, updating of risk assessment, prioritizing gaps, costing action plans and prioritize activities with high impacts that address critical gaps across the sectors.

In view of the above, WHO South Sudan is seeking for a highly skilled and experienced Proposal Writing Specialist with expertise in pandemic preparedness, prevention, and response to support the development and submission of a high-quality project proposal to the Pandemic Fund. The Proposal Writing Specialist will work closely with the different stakeholders mentioned above to ensure that the proposal is well-researched, compelling, and aligned with the requirements of the Pandemic Fund’s Results Framework in the context of South Sudan.

The goal of hiring of this additional human resource is to maximize chances of the South Sudan proposal winning by developing quality proposals that comply to WHO standard and regulations as well as adhering to the Pandemic Fund first call for Proposals.

Key Responsibilities

Under the supervision of Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Lead and the External Relations and Partnerships Officer of the WHO South Sudan Country Office, the consultant will support WHO South Sudan Office to apply to the Call for Proposals of the Pandemic Fund to:

1.Review all the Pandemic Fund call for proposal guidelines and templates.

2.Collaborate with all relevant stakeholders mentioned above in South Sudan to gather necessary information for proposal development.

3.Review key/relevant documents from the human, animal, and environment sectors to support in the development of the situation analysis.

4.Write clear, persuasive, and compelling proposal narratives that effectively communicate the organization’s mission, vision, and programmatic priorities related to pandemic preparedness, prevention, and response in South Sudan.

5.Develop the Theory of Change for how the grant resources requested in combination with co-financing and co-investments will strengthen pandemic preparedness, readiness, and resilience.

6.Review and consolidate the TWGs inputs into the main proposal template ensuring high-quality writing, accurate information, and consistency in style, tone, and language.

7.Review and consolidate the TWGs budgets into the main proposal template to ensure they are realistic and align with the proposed project activities and goals within the South Sudan context.

8.Monitor proposal submission deadlines and coordinate with relevant stakeholders to ensure timely submission of proposals.

9.Funding decision by the Pandemic Fund Board will be June 2024, based on feedback received from the Technical Advisory Panel, the consultant will coordinate with stakeholders to ensure timely response to queries as appropriate.

10.Produce end of assignment report

Key Deliverables and Timelines

Qualifications required:

University degree in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: social sciences and public health.

Experience required:

At least 5 years of relevant work experience in writing and monitoring reports. Experience in developing countries

Experience desired:

Experience with proposal writings in the context of UN Agencies, Non-Governmental organizations.

Experience with emergency environments.

Skills / Technical skills and knowledge:

The ideal candidate for the Proposal Writing Specialist position should possess the following:

1.Proven track record of successfully securing funding from diverse donors, including governments, foundations, and multilateral

2.Excellent writing, editing, and communication skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas in a clear and persuasive manner.

3.Strong research and analytical skills, with the ability to synthesize information from various sources. Ability to work effectively under tight deadlines and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

4.Experience working in diverse, cross-functional teams and collaborating with stakeholders at various levels, particularly in the context of South Sudan.

5.Familiarity with the specific challenges and context of South Sudan.

Competencies: Generic

a.Producing results

b.Moving forward in a changing environment

c.Fostering integration and teamwork

d.Communication

e.Promoting innovation and organizational learning

Language Skills

Excellent knowledge of English. Working knowledge of another WHO official language would be an asset.

Additional Information (For HR use only):

·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.
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Tagged as: South Sudan, WHO