National Consultant - Data Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
The World Health Organization (WHO) 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 aims to ensure that all people can attain the highest possible level of health, focusing on health systems strengthening, disease prevention, and health promotion.

Job Overview:
The National Consultant - Data Specialist position is designed to provide operational support in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and data management for the WHO M&E team in the Philippines. The consultant will play a crucial role in enhancing the capacity of the Department of Health (DOH) to make evidence-based decisions, track health outcomes, and align with Universal Health Care (UHC) priorities. The consultant will be involved in various activities, including data product development, routine monitoring, and analytical workstreams. The role requires a hands-on approach to manage, process, and analyze health data from multiple sources, ensuring that the data is consistent, high-quality, and usable for reporting and monitoring purposes. The consultant will also support subnational data initiatives, including the development of health profiles and data products for health summits, as well as work on improving data quality and reliability for key health indicators.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The consultant will be responsible for a wide range of duties, including but not limited to:

• Providing operational M&E support for strategic monitoring and reporting of 60 SDG indicators, 82 provincial data profile datasets, and over 400 M&E portal datasets.
• Developing data quality control mechanisms and frameworks.
• Assisting in routine analysis and updating of monitoring datasets, including preparation of tables and summaries.
• Submitting a complete reproducible code package that includes scripts, assets, and documentation.
• Conducting consultations with key stakeholders to validate findings and gather insights on LGU data-use practices.
• Drafting analytical reports that synthesize findings from various sources.
• Preparing methodologies and analysis plans for target population estimation in two municipalities.
• Coordinating meetings and maintaining trackers for data group coordination.
• Facilitating stakeholder consultations and feedback sessions with DOH, LGUs, and partners.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires several essential qualifications, including:

• An advanced degree (master’s or higher) in Biostatistics, Health Statistics, Epidemiology, Public Health, or a closely related quantitative health field.
• A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in health data analysis, statistical modeling, or epidemiological analytics.
• Demonstrated experience in producing decision-ready data products such as factsheets and dashboards.
• Proficiency in R or Python, SQL, and data visualization tools.
• Strong analytical and statistical skills, with the ability to communicate complex results to non-technical audiences.
• Familiarity with health information systems in the Philippines is desirable.

Educational Background:
Candidates must possess an advanced degree (master’s or higher) in a relevant field such as Biostatistics, Health Statistics, Epidemiology, or Public Health. Additional formal training in data science, statistical modeling, or health informatics is desirable. Coursework or certification in data visualization or advanced analytics will be an added advantage.

Experience:
The ideal candidate should have a minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in health data analysis, statistical modeling, or epidemiological analytics. Experience working with WHO, UN agencies, or government health programs is desirable, as is familiarity with applying statistical methods to local government unit (LGU)-level or subnational data.

Languages:
Expert knowledge of English is mandatory, including reading, writing, and speaking. Proficiency in other languages may be considered an asset but is not required for this position.

Additional Notes:
The consultancy is expected to last for 10 months, from November 2026 to September 2027, with a remuneration range of PHP 110,000.00 to 120,000.0

• The consultant will be required to travel within the country as needed, with prior approval from supervisors. The WHO is committed to diversity and inclusion, encouraging applications from women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of underrepresented Member States. Candidates must provide proof of vaccination as required by WHO before undertaking assignments.