Consultant for Interoperability Assessment between UNRWA Digital Health System and Jordan

Job Posting Organization:
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) was established in 1949 to provide assistance and protection to a population of over 5 million Palestine refugees. UNRWA operates in five fields: Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank, and Gaza. The agency's mission is to help Palestine refugees achieve their full potential in human development, while providing them with essential services such as education, healthcare, and social services. UNRWA employs approximately 30,000 staff members and is committed to promoting peace and stability in the region through its various programs and initiatives.

Job Overview:
The consultant will conduct a comprehensive technical assessment aimed at evaluating the interoperability and integration of UNRWA's upcoming Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system with Jordan's national health information ecosystem. This role involves a thorough review of UNRWA's existing digital health architecture, analyzing national health information systems and interoperability capabilities, and assessing applicable international digital health standards. The consultant will also provide technical inputs on legal and regulatory considerations related to data governance and information sharing. The position requires a combination of document reviews, technical analyses, stakeholder consultations, workshops, validation sessions, and comparative assessments of international best practices, ensuring that evidence-based recommendations are made. The consultant will be expected to engage with relevant external stakeholders in a professional and discreet manner, emphasizing that such engagements are for information-gathering purposes only.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant's duties will include conducting a comprehensive technical assessment of the interoperability and integration of UNRWA's EMR system with Jordan's national health information ecosystem. Specific tasks include:

• System Landscape Assessment: Reviewing UNRWA’s current digital health system architecture, workflows, and reporting mechanisms; analyzing the proposed design of the upcoming EMR system; and documenting current reporting requirements to national health authorities.
• Host Country HIS/HMIS Analysis: Assessing the national health information ecosystem in Jordan, identifying systems used by relevant stakeholders, and documenting system architecture, data standards, APIs, interoperability capabilities, and data governance structures.
• Interoperability and Standards Review: Evaluating international digital health interoperability standards, data exchange mechanisms, health information architecture compatibility, patient identity management considerations, and data quality requirements.
• Legal and Regulatory Assessment: Providing technical inputs and coordinating with the legal department on data governance and confidentiality regulations, data protection requirements, and institutional agreements for system integration.
• Risk and Feasibility Analysis: Identifying technical, operational, and institutional risks, proposing mitigation strategies, and preparing a costed implementation roadmap that aligns with UNRWA’s EMR implementation phases.
• Methodology: Applying a mixed methodology that includes desk reviews, technical architecture analysis, stakeholder consultations, workshops, and comparative analysis of international best practices.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires a Master's Degree in Health Informatics, Public Health, Information Systems, Digital Health, Health Policy, Business Administration, Management, International Development, or a related discipline. Candidates must have a minimum of ten years of relevant professional experience, particularly in digital health systems or health information systems. Demonstrated experience in EMR implementation or interoperability projects is essential, along with experience working with government health systems or international organizations. Familiarity with Jordanian health systems, including key national platforms such as Hakeem and the Jordan Center for Disease Control, is crucial, as is the ability to collaborate effectively with legal departments on data governance and compliance requirements. Knowledge of health data standards and interoperability frameworks is also required.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess a Master's Degree in a relevant field such as Health Informatics, Public Health, Information Systems, Digital Health, Health Policy, Business Administration, Management, or International Development. This educational background is essential to ensure that the consultant has the necessary theoretical knowledge and practical skills to effectively assess and recommend improvements to the interoperability of health information systems.

Experience:
The consultant should have a minimum of ten years of relevant professional experience in the field of digital health systems or health information systems. This experience should include demonstrated involvement in EMR implementation or interoperability projects, as well as experience working with government health systems or international organizations. Familiarity with Jordanian health systems, including key national platforms, is highly desirable, as is experience conducting technical feasibility studies and working with legal departments on data governance and compliance requirements.

Languages:
Fluency in both Arabic and English is required for this position, as these are the working languages of UNRWA. Proficiency in these languages is essential for effective communication with stakeholders and for conducting assessments and consultations in the context of the assignment.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy is based in UNRWA HQA Amman and is intended for local candidates. The selected candidate will receive a monthly remuneration of JOD 2,120.0

• The duration of the contract is for six months, with the possibility of extension subject to the availability of funds, continuing need, and satisfactory performance. The consultant will work under the overall supervision of the Senior Project Manager (Health Info Sys) and will require close coordination with various UNRWA departments, including the Legal Office, Health Information Systems teams, and Programme management units. It is important to note that the United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process.