Stop TB Partnership - GDF Technical Consultant (Procurement & Supply Chain Management) - Roster Recruitment/Retainer Contract, Multiple positions

UNOPS hosts the Stop Tuberculosis Partnership Secretariat (STBP) as of 1 January 2015, in Geneva, Switzerland.  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; 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 Stop Partnership is uniquely positioned to support the development and further implementation by partners of the current and future Global Plan, acting as a coordinator and catalyst for the range of partners engaged in the fight against TB.

The GDF Technical Consultant works with StopTB GDF and provides technical leadership and assistance to the countries and partners in different aspects of TB commodities’ procurement and supply management (PSM). The scope of consultancy may, illustratively, include:

• StopTB GDF technical assistance (TA) missions, including participation in the joint TB Program reviews to countries requiring PSM system evaluation and TA, following specific TOR. This includes but not limited to the identification of immediate PSM gaps and supply bottlenecks and assist in addressing these gaps and developing sound PSM recommendations to countries and stakeholders; review and validation of TB pharmaceuticals strategic forecasting and quantification; briefing the National TB programs (NTP) and the Ministries of Health (MoH) on the GDF policies, processes, products, and procurement options; addressing issues and bottlenecks related to the in-country registration of Quality Assured TB commodities including GDF products; promotion of StopTB GDF recommended PSM tools such as QuanTB and helping the national counterparts and partner organizations in the introduction and implementation of these tools;  promotion and advising the countries to establish optimized scheduled procurement/ordering from pooled procurement mechanisms including the GDF and/or other sources; follow-up on the recommendations made by previous missions.
• Providing expertise in the assessment of the existing regulatory framework in countries. Provision of recommendations (where it is possible) addressing complex issues such as changing legislation to allow for the public sector improving procurement processes and access to ensure that countries can purchase quality-assured TB medicines and diagnostics at efficient prices.
• Promotion, introduction, and implementation of the StopTB GDF recommended forecasting, quantification, supply planning, and early warning tool, QuanTB, through hands-on coaching and mentoring of key staff in the countries; country and regional workshops for end-users and training of trainers; direct technical assistance in the development, implementation, and follow-up of country plans for establishing Early Warning System (EWS).
• Assisting National TB Program counterparts in the development and critical review of their supply transition plans, including phase-in phase-out plans, for the accelerated implementation of the new WHO policy guidelines on DR-TB treatment, and uptake and scale-up of new TB tools, such as new TB medicines, regimens, and diagnostics.
• Direct technical assistance to the countries in the development of the PSM component of the Global Fund (GF) concept notes and/or grant agreements, including transition plans for switching to the procurement of quality-assured medicines and diagnostics with domestic funds.
• Leading technical meetings (training and PSM workshops) conducted by GDF or other partner organizations – to strengthen the capacity of the national PSM staff and in-country partners on how to correctly use the QuanTB tool as quantification and early warning system for TB medicines as well as on StopTB GDF procurement procedures aiming to prevent stock-outs and expiries in the country.
• Development and review of different PSM documents, such as technical information notes and standard operating procedures related to the broad spectrum of the PSM areas.
• Other technical/PSM assistance as required by GDF staff and teams.
  
  

Essential:

• An advanced university degree (masters or equivalent or higher) plus 5 years of experience
• OR a bachelor’s degree or equivalent (plus 7 years of experience)

Ideally in health-related field, such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing, public health, epidemiology, health economics, international development, supply chain management or related discipline field.

Desirable:

Training in medicines and laboratory commodities procurement, logistics and supply chain management, and quantification and forecasting – with exposure to QuanTB as quantification tool

A minimum of 5 years of experience in the public health sector.

At least 3 years of experience in procurement and supply chain management issues, ideally related to TB control programmes, including forecasting and quantification of TB pharmaceuticals, supply planning, early warning, good storage and distribution practices.

Experience with international donors and organisations, especially with the Global Fund, WHO, USAID, UNITAID, international NGOs and/or private sector companies.

Desirable:

Experience working with TB programs, ideally in one of the following areas: health and procurement regulatory systems; health information systems (i.e. LMIS); health financing;

Experience with latest Latent TB infection (LTBI), TB, and DR-TB treatment guidelines and regulations.

Strong experience in working in developing countries, in the TB environment, together with the PSM experience.

Minimum, Intermediate level of English, but full working knowledge of English with ability to communicate in English (spoken and written) in a clear and concise manner would be desirable.

Additionally, fluency in written and spoken French, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian or Arabic will be considered a strong asset.

Contract type: International Individual Contractor Agreement (IICA) 
Contract level: IICA-2 (ICS-10, P3 equivalent)
Contract duration: one (1) year - renewable depending on budget and satisfactory performance 

• 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
• 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.