International Consultant for Iraq National Digital Health Strategy

Job Posting Organization:
The job posting organization is the World Health Organization (WHO), which is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. Established on April 7, 1948, WHO's mission is to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve vulnerable populations. The organization operates in over 150 countries and has a workforce of more than 7,000 employees. WHO's work encompasses a wide range of health issues, including disease prevention, health systems strengthening, and emergency response, with a focus on achieving universal health coverage and addressing health inequities globally.

Job Overview:
The consultancy aims to provide senior technical and strategic support to the Ministry of Health of Iraq through the WHO Country Office Iraq and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean. The primary objective is to develop the Iraq National Digital Health Strategy for 2027–2031, along with an integrated, prioritized, and costed implementation action plan. This role will build upon the unendorsed 2023 draft strategy and the digital health progress made during 2023–202

• The consultant will work to strengthen national ownership, governance, interoperability, sustainability, and alignment with Iraq’s health-system priorities and WHO's global and regional digital health frameworks. The consultant will be responsible for drafting the strategy, creating an implementation roadmap, and ensuring stakeholder engagement throughout the process.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will have several key outputs to deliver over the course of the consultancy. Output 1 involves drafting the Iraq National Digital Health Strategy 2027–2031, which includes reviewing and synthesizing the existing draft strategy, identifying strategic gaps, compiling international best practices, and preparing the first full draft of the strategy. Output 2 focuses on developing an integrated and costed implementation action plan and monitoring framework, which includes creating a prioritized action plan, estimating costs, and developing a monitoring and evaluation framework. Output 3 entails conducting technical consultations, validating the strategy and action plan, and submitting the final documents for national endorsement. The consultant will engage with various stakeholders, facilitate discussions, and ensure that the strategy aligns with national priorities and WHO guidelines.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires an advanced university degree (master’s level or above) in fields such as digital health, health informatics, health information systems, public health, health policy, information technology, or computer sciences. A doctoral degree or additional qualifications in related fields are desirable. Essential qualifications include 7 to 10 years of relevant experience in digital health and health-sector strategic planning, with a proven track record in developing national digital health strategies. International experience in low- and middle-income countries is also required. Desirable qualifications include experience in enterprise architecture, interoperability, data governance, cybersecurity, and monitoring and evaluation.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree (master’s level or above) in relevant fields such as digital health, health informatics, health information systems, public health, health policy, information technology, or computer sciences. A doctoral degree or additional qualifications in digital health or related fields are considered advantageous.

Experience:
The consultant should have between 7 to 10 years of relevant experience in digital health, health information systems, or health-sector strategic planning. This includes demonstrated experience in supporting the development of national digital health strategies and implementation plans for governments or international organizations. International experience, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, is essential for this role.

Languages:
The consultant must have expert written and spoken English skills. A working knowledge of Arabic is desirable but not mandatory.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy is remote, with the possibility of travel to Baghdad, Iraq, if required and agreed upon with the WHO Country Office Iraq. The contract duration is for 30 working days over a three-month period. The selected consultant will need to provide a medical certificate of fitness for work. Travel arrangements will be managed by WHO, and the consultant will receive a subsistence allowance in line with local UN DSA guidelines. It is the consultant's responsibility to fulfill visa requirements and request visa support letters if necessary.