SSA – Climate Informed Early Warning and Response System (CI-EWARS)

About the job

Job Description - SSA – Climate Informed Early Warning and Response System (CI-EWARS) (2602426)

SSA – Climate Informed Early Warning and Response System (CI-EWARS) - (2602426)

Grade: No grade

Contractual Arrangement: Special Services Agreement (SSA)

Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 12 months

: Jun 17, 2026, 3:57:22 AM

: Jul 1, 2026, 9:59:00 PM

: Vanuatu-Port Vila

: WP_VUT Vanuatu

: Full-time

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications indicated above reflects your personal device's system settings.

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Background

Vanuatu is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change in the Pacific. The adverse impacts of global warming, sea level rise, and anticipated increase in intensity of hydrological events and heat waves pose a direct threat to the health and livelihoods of in- Vanuatu. There are also direct and indirect health impacts in the Islands, which are diverse and serious, including waterborne, foodborne and vector-borne diseases, zoonotic diseases, undernutrition, and the mental and physical effects of extreme weather and climate events. Extreme weather and climate events also disrupt the delivery of health care services.

With this background, the GEF LDCF project “Building resilience of health systems in Pacific Island LDCs to Climate Change” was designed to increase the capacity of national and sub-national health systems and institutions and actors to manage long-term climate-sensitive health risks in Vanuatu.

As part of project implementation, WHO has been providing support to Vanuatu through the Ministry of Health to enhance adaptive capacities through integrating climate-related risks into health interventions to control the current and projected future burden of climate-sensitive health risks and diseases. The development of a climate-informed health early warning and response system (CI-EWARS) has been considered under outcome 2 of the project as one of the key adaptation measures for strengthening national health surveillance for climate-sensitive health outcomes. The targeted interventions will be implemented to effectively manage the health risks of climate change through the integration of meteorological and climate information into the Health Information System (HIS) to develop a climate-informed health early warning system. Activities corresponding with this output include i) strengthening partnerships for information sharing across ministries; ii) the provision of technical support and needed equipment to develop the system; iii) supporting the development of SOPs for reporting and responding to climate-sensitive health outcomes at the national level and sub-national level, as well as enhancing the capabilities of public health laboratories.

The current status of disease surveillance in Vanuatu is based on incidence and case reporting of nationally recognized notifiable diseases and syndromes, but all are yet to be linked with climate information. The climate-informed EWARS is an important tool for timely detection and response to climate-sensitive diseases, with due consideration of climate and weather patterns.

To facilitate the development of this system, local experienced personnel are needed, who will provide support, in close coordination with the WHO PMU and Vanuatu Ministry of Health, and other key partners, including Vanuatu Meteorological and Hydro-Meteorological Services (VMHS)..

Job Description

The local SSA will support the design and development of climate-informed health early warning and response systems (CI-EWARS), including leading the implementation of project outcome 2-related activities in the country, in close coordination with the WHO DPS PCE team and an International Consultant. The specific outputs and deliverables include:

Output 1: Support for Review and Stocktake

Collect and compile information on Vanuatu’s existing health surveillance and/or meteorological data systems.

Map existing HIS and evaluate reporting and response channels for climate-sensitive diseases

Support to establish the national list of climate-sensitive diseases in Vanuatu

Facilitate meetings with the Ministry of Health, Vanuatu Meteorological and Hydro-Meteorological Services (VMHS), and other stakeholders.

Provide contextual insights on priority climate sensitive diseases in Vanuatu.

Output 2: System Development and Training

Support customization and adaptation of CI EWARS architecture and infrastructure to Vanuatu’s needs.

Facilitate procurement and installation of ICT equipment for hosting climate and disease data for the early warning system

Assist in organizing workshops, training sessions, and stakeholder consultations.

Support to develop training materials and adapt them into Bislama if required, and organize trainings at national and sub-national levels.

Provide support to organize training for integrated communicable disease management of climate-sensitive diseases (Malaria and NTD) in two provinces.

Output 3: Operationalisation and Sustainability

Provide continuous technical support for the operationalization of CI-EWARS and liaison between the Ministry of Health, WHO, and the international consultant.

Support the preparation of EWARS bulletins and user friendly health early warning products.

Contribute to the final completion report with recommendations for sustainability and scale up.

Educational and experience requirements:

Education

Essential: Bachelor’s degree in public health, environmental science, meteorology, or related field.

Desirable: Postgraduate qualification (master’s degree) in public health, environmental science, meteorology, or related field.

Experience

Essential:

Technical skills and knowledge

• Strong coordination and facilitation skills.
• Ability to compile and analyse health or climate data.
• Experience in training and capacity building.
• Good communication and report writing skills.

Competencies

• Teamwork and collaboration
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communicating in a credible and effective way.
• Producing results

Languages

Essential: Fluency in the English and Bislama language.

Details of the proposed position:

• Salary for this role will start from VT 1,620,111 to VT 1,917,000 per year. (equivalent to the Vanuatu Govt. Band E, T2.1 - T2.4), subject to qualifications and experience.
• Duration of contract: 12 months initially, with potential extension.
• This role is subject to local recruitment and will be filled by Vanuatu nationals recruited in the local commuting area of the duty station.
• Alternatively, applicants who face technical issues accessing the portal can submit a cover letter and a detailed CV, with the subject line “2602426: SSA – Climate Informed Early Warning and Response System (CI-EWARS)” via email to E-Mail schreiben, addressed to:

The WHO Country Liaison Officer

WHO Country Liaison Office

Port Vila

Vanuatu

Additional Information

• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test/interview 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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• SSAs shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority.
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