Technical Assistance Consultant (Roster Vacancy Announcement), Multiple positions

UNOPS hosts the Stop Tuberculosis Partnership Secretariat (STBP) as of 1 January 2015, in Geneva, Switzerland. The purpose of STBP is to realize the goal of elimination of tuberculosis as a public health problem and, ultimately, to obtain a world free of tuberculosis. In order to achieve this, STBP manages the Global Drugs Facility (GDF), the TB REACH, and the Challenge Facility, which provide a broad range of procurement, grants and advocacy activities, as well as a leading coordination role at national, regional and global levels. The vision of the Stop TB Partnership 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 cure, stop transmission of TB, reduce the inequitable social and economic toll of TB, and developing and implementing new preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic tools and strategies.

The goal of STBP is to obtain a world free of tuberculosis. In order to achieve this, STBP plays a leading coordination role, aligns all stakeholders, engages in global advocacy and manages the Global Drugs Facility (GDF), the TB REACH, and the Challenge Facility, which provide a broad range of procurement, grants, innovations and advocacy activities.  The goal of TB elimination requires that every person with TB has access to effective diagnosis, treatment and cure; and to stop transmission of TB, reduce the inequitable social and economic toll of TB, and develop and implement new preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic tools and strategies.

In the last five years, there have been new developments in the area of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) diagnosis and treatment, resulting that in increased case detection, the approval of new drugs (ND) to treat MDR-TB and recommendation to use a shortened treatment regimen (STR) for MDR TB. These developments provide impetus to improve care for MDR TB patients. Bedaquiline and Delamanid are two new medicines for treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis that have been conditionally approved by WHO for use by country MDR TB programs. Bedaquiline is now available to countries via a donation agreement between Janssen and USAID. Information on the donation can be found at (http://www.stoptb.org/gdf/drugsupply/bedaquilinedonation.asp). Delamanid (DLM) is available through Stop TB's GDF following the signing of partnership; therefore countries can now incorporate DLM into their national treatment programs.

WHO recommends that countries introducing new drug and treatment regimens for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) should develop and implement a system for active pharmacovigilance (PV) that allows for detection, reporting and management of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Programs that actively monitor and manage ADRs are more likely to achieve better treatment outcomes. In anticipation of the introduction of new TB drugs,  WHO released its first implementation manual for PV of anti-TB drugs in 2012, which included active PV as one of the five conditions to be met when new drugs (Bedaquiline and Delamanid) are used to treat MDR-TB patients. In 2015, WHO released a framework for active TB drug-safety monitoring and management (aDSM) which describes how active PV should be implemented in the context of new TB drugs or novel MDR-TB regimens that are being used in order to detect, manage and report suspected or confirmed drug toxicities.

As many countries are now introducing new drugs and shortened treatment regimen for the management of MDR TB, there are major challenges with understanding and properly implementing aDSM.

Specific tasks to be performed

The purpose of the Scope of Work is SoW is to engage a consultant to provide technical support both clinical and programmatic for the introduction of STR and ND (BDQ/DLM) for the treatment of MDR-TB.  This will be provided in all countries that are accessing the BDQ donation program and for those introducing DLM. While basic WHO guidelines for the introduction of STR and ND (BDQ/DLM) exist, the specific clinical expertise to translate those guidelines into implementation at the country level is limited, especially in the area of aDSM and clinical medicine and cardiology.  In order to expedite STR and ND (BDQ/DLM) introduction in all settings, Stop TB Partnership seek to engage high level consultants with strong experiences and background in one or more of the following areas: in overall clinical management of drug-resistant TB patients using STR/ND, clinical cardiology and aDSM/PV. 

ND (BDQ/DLM) and STR contain medicines that may adversely affect the heart’s function, which can be detected by an electrocardiogram.  Interpretation of an electrocardiogram requires training and mentoring, both to provide accurate results as well as to make appropriate clinical judgments based on those results. MDR-TB physicians, especially those in high burden settings, often do not have cardiology expertise, thus there is a need to build their technical capacity.  This can be done in various ways, including the following:

1. Training modules that are integrated into broader pharmacovigilance/WHO active TB drug safety and monitoring (aDSM) workshops. 
2. Self-assessment modules completed through online or mobile app training programs.
3. Remote technical support to check and confirm electrocardiogram results that are de-identified, scanned, and sent to an expert and other critical clinical decisions. 

• Experience with the introduction of new TB medicines and regimens for MDR TB care is required.
• Experience in establishing clinical monitoring of medicines use, adverse event data reporting and management events is required.
• Ability to travel internationally.

• Public health training, or previous experience in low/middle income countries is an added advantage.
• Knowledge of key WHO and Stop TB partners’ guidelines on MDR-TB, PMDT, patient safety (aDSM/pharmacovigilance) for TB, the introduction of short course MDR TB regimen, and new TB medicines and regimens is an advantage.
• Communication skills, tact and diplomacy to work in sensitive multicultural and complex technical contexts are desirable.

An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent), preferably in Pharmacy, Public Health, Medical, Medicine or other related discipline is required.

A First level university degree (Bachelor’s or equivalent) in combination with 2 additional years of relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Fluency in English is required and another UN language is desirable

• 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.
• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post
• 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.

• 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.
• 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
• 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.