Stop TB Partnership - Technical Assistance Consultant (TB Strategic Planning & Global Fund Applications) (retainer - roster recruitment), Multiple positions

UNOPS hosts the Stop Tuberculosis Partnership (STBP) Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland. The vision of the STBP is to realize the goal of elimination of tuberculosis (TB) as a public health problem and, ultimately, to obtain a world free of TB by ensuring that every TB patient has access to effective diagnosis, treatment and prevention; stopping transmission of TB; reducing the inequitable social and economic toll of TB; and developing and implementing new preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic tools and strategies. The STBP is uniquely positioned to support the development and further implementation by partners of the Global Plan to End TB, acting as a coordinator and catalyst for the broad range of partners engaged in the fight against TB.

The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (TGF) is a key partner of STBP. With funding from the United States’ Agency for International Development (USAID), STBP established a roster of technical assistance consultants to support the countries in developing quality applications (Funding Requests) and further implementation of grants, developing national TB strategic plans (NSPs) and other strategic documents to enable robust responses to end TB.

Working arrangements

The consultants will be engaged as needed upon the requests from the countries. The consultants will be deployed to countries where and/or will telework as required. 

Summary of duties

The consultants will be engaged to advise the countries in strategic planning for strengthening national TB responses including development/update of TB National Strategic Plans (NSPs) and obtaining and implementing the Global Fund’s financial support for TB prevention and care, ensuring alignment with the commitments of the United Nations’ High Level meeting (UNHLM) on Tuberculosis, the up-to-date evidence-based TB policies, and investment priorities in line with the international End TB Strategy and the Global Plan to End TB, and relevance to the specific country contexts.

Technical Assistance Consultancy Description

The requests for short-term technical assistance (STTA) will be initiated by the national TB programs (NTPs), Country Coordination Mechanisms (CCMs) for TGF grants, and/or STBP, in coordination with other stakeholders. These STTA requests will be processed by the STBP Secretariat in close cooperation with USAID that provides the key financial and programmatic support. Depending on the specific country context, the work of the consultant will include the following tasks:

• Performing desk reviews of the previous or ongoing national TB strategic plans, NTP reviews, programmatic reports and other relevant documentation for the appropriate analyses of TB epidemiological situation, programmatic and financial gaps in TB program, and priority aspects of health systems, community systems and human rights and gender relevant to TB prevention and care;

• Assisting the country partners in the prioritization of interventions for the NSPs and Funding Requests to TGF, which are in line with the contemporary international strategies and based on the identified gaps. This may include leading and/or facilitating country dialogues and consultations with a broad range of national stakeholders and external partners;

• Supporting the countries in writing the NSPs, Funding Requests to the Global Fund and related strategic documents and plans, as well as developing costing estimates, workplans and budgets, monitoring frameworks and other relevant documentation. At the NSP and TGF grants’ implementation stages, the consultants may be employed to assist the implementing entities in specific TB technical areas, as well as in interventions to support resilient and sustainable health systems, community systems, program monitoring and evaluation, etc.

Advanced university degree (Master’s degree / Medical degree or equivalent) in medicine, public health, economics, social science or other relevant field. 

A University Degree (Bachelor’s degree or undergraduate degree) in the subjects above with an additional 2 years of relevant experience would be considered in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Professional certifications / licenses / diplomas with additional years of experience will be accepted by STBP in lieu of a University degree, relevant subjects and experience in this case would be: epidemiology and surveillance, case detection and diagnosis, treatment and care support, prevention, infection prevention and control, drugs management; with special emphasis on drug-resistant TB, HIV-associated TB and childhood TB; ii) strengthening health systems functions and performance in relation to TB (governance, financing and allocation, service delivery, human resources, data systems, engaging private sector providers); iii) communities, rights and gender (CRG), community systems, key and vulnerable populations.

Professional Experience Requirements:

A minimum of 7 years of progressive work experience in the health sector, ideally in tuberculosis programs and/or other disease control programs, health policy and health systems, health services organization and management.

Track record in proposal development in the health sector, in particular, in the field of TB or/and TB/HIV.

Experiences in strategic planning of health systems, disease control programs, developing applications for the Global Fund and project implementation are highly desirable. 

Proven networking capacity with important stakeholders at the national level and international organizations is an asset.

Language requirements:

Fluency in English would be ideal, but intermediate level of English is required to qualify for this position.

Working knowledge of French, Portuguese, Russian or Spanish language is an asset.

Contract type: Individual Contractor Agreement (ICA) on a retainer basis (daily fee an limited amount of working days within a period)
Contract level: ICS11 (IICA3 - LICA11 - P4 equivalent)
Contract duration: 12 months, renewable based on satisfactory performance and budget availability. 

• Qualified candidates from High TB Burden Countries are strongly encouraged to apply. 
• 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
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (around 4 hours) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS.
• The incumbent is responsible to abide by security policies, administrative instructions, plans and procedures of the UN Security Management System and that of UNOPS.  

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.

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.