Head of Markets

ATscale, the Global Partnership for Assistive Technology is a cross-sectoral partnership with the goal of reaching 500 million additional people with assistive technology by 2030 to support them in participating in education, work, and everyday life. ATscale is hosted by UNOPS.

Today, over 1 billion people need at least one form of assistive technology (AT), such as wheelchairs, eyeglasses, or hearing aids, but over 900 million people (90%) do not have access to the assistive technology they require. The number of people who need assistive technology is expected to grow to more than 2 billion people by 2050.

Access to appropriate assistive technology enables persons with a loss of function, impairments, non-communicable diseases, and the aging population to participate in education, work, family, and community life. Lack of access to assistive technology has significant consequences for individuals, their families, and the wider society. Without assistive technology, individuals may experience isolation and exclusion from education, the labour market, and civic life. Lack of access to appropriate assistive technology causes poorer health outcomes including premature death, deteriorating mental health, and increased risk of chronic health conditions and secondary complications, all of which lead to a higher burden on health systems. Increasing accessibility and affordability of assistive technology unlocks unrealised economic potential and provides socioeconomic benefit for individuals, families, and countries by increasing productivity and participation in the workforce.

Launched at the Global Disability Summit in July 2018, ATscale was developed in response to the need for a new, catalytic approach to overcoming the significant gap in access to appropriate, high-quality, and affordable assistive technology globally. As a cross-sector partnership for assistive technology, ATscale aims to bring greater resources and strategic focus to this significant global challenge. 

ATscale has defined a strategy overview (https://ATscale2030.org/strategy) in which it describes two strategic objectives: 1) to develop an enabling ecosystem for increased access to AT by galvanizing political will, mobilizing investment, driving policy reform, and strengthening targeted, cross-product systems, particularly at country level; and 2) to build and shape markets for priority products and their related services by identifying and investing in interventions to overcome specific supply and demand-side market barriers.

ATscale is still in an exciting start-up phase and the Head of Markets will play an important role in shaping the strategic vision for the organization with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and others in the ATscale Secretariat. The Head of Markets will develop and start to implement ATscale’s market-building and market-shaping strategy to support increasing access to ATscale’s priority products and related services, as well as strengthening the related cross-cutting systems in low- and middle-income countries.

A. Market Shaping Strategy Development and Synergies 

• Develop ATscale’s market-building and market-shaping strategy for its five priority products and related services in coordination with the broader ATscale strategy and operational plan.

• Articulate mutually supportive links between interventions focused on a specific product and its related services with those that reinforce elements of the enabling ecosystem.

Inputs used while developing the strategy will include but are not limited to: 

• Existing thorough market analyses and strategies, called Product Narratives

• Results from initial ATscale investments and programmatic interventions

• Learnings from other areas of global health that have successfully applied market-shaping strategies

• Consultations to understand AT Markets and identify incentives and barriers to improve how markets can contribute to increasing access to AT in low- to middle income countries, including in particular consultations with users of assistive technology (by linking with a workstream planned to start about 1-2 months ahead of this recruitment)

B. Market Shaping Programme Management 

• Oversee all market-shaping interventions within ATscale’s 2022 operational plan.

• Lead prioritization process for a coherent package of market-related interventions to present to the Board in the 2023 and subsequent annual operational plans and lead evaluation and selection of partners.

• Lead the detailed scoping of market-related interventions approved by the board, including with expert input.

• Oversee the processes leading to implementation of these interventions from the programmatic side, e.g. participation in competitive processes through drafting of requests for proposals, evaluation etc.

• Monitor market-related information to provide recommendations for investment to the CEO and the ATscale board.

• Lead engagement with experts in different assistive product areas to continue to refine ATscale’s strategy and portfolio of investments.

• Identify experts for ATscale to engage in its Expert Advisory Group, e.g. on retainer contracts, and build a database.

C. Team and Stakeholder Management 

• Funding availability permitting, recruit a team of 2-3 specialists to support ATscale’s market shaping work; once in place, ensure effective on-boarding and management of team members 

• Foster and maintain partnerships at both senior leadership and working levels to develop and advance ATscale’s market-building and market-shaping strategy by engaging with relevant partners in the assistive technology space including organizations of persons with disabilities, national governments, UN and other multilateral agencies, bi- and multilateral donors, private funders, international NGOs, the private sectors such as manufacturers and suppliers of assistive technology, and technical experts including in academia 

• Support the CEO in negotiations and discussions with implementing partners and manufacturers of assistive technology to further strategic market shaping;

An excellent knowledge of English is required. Good working knowledge of other UN languages, especially Chinese, French or Spanish would be an asset.

• Please note that the closing date is midnight Copenhagen time
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only those candidates that are short-listed for interviews will be notified.
• Qualified female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
• UNOPS seeks to reasonably accommodate candidates with special needs, upon request.
• Work life harmonization - UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands. We have a progressive policy on work-life harmonization and offer several flexible working options. This policy applies to UNOPS personnel on all contract types.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  
• ATscale values diversity and particularly encourages candidates with a lived experience of disability and/or using assistive technology to apply. ATscale offers reasonable accommodation for candidates with disabilities
  
  

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential recruits/interns.
Recruitment/internship in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.

APPLICANTS MUST INCLUDE A ONE-PAGE COVER LETTER INDICATING THEIR MOTIVATION AND HOW THEY MEET THE JOB REQUIREMENTS.

UNOPS is an operational arm of the United Nations, supporting the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to help people build better lives and countries achieve sustainable development.

UNOPS areas of expertise cover infrastructure, procurement, project management, financial management and human resources.

Working with us

UNOPS offers short- and long-term work opportunities in diverse and challenging environments across the globe. We are looking for creative, results-focused professionals with skills in a range of disciplines.

Diversity

With over 4,000 UNOPS personnel and approximately 7,000 personnel recruited on behalf of UNOPS partners spread across 80 countries, our workforce represents a wide range of nationalities and cultures. We promote a balanced, diverse workforce — a strength that helps us better understand and address our partners’ needs, and continually strive to improve our gender balance through initiatives and policies that encourage recruitment of qualified female candidates.

Work life harmonization

UNOPS values its people and recognizes the importance of balancing professional and personal demands.