UNICEF's core mission is to uphold the rights of every child, with a strong focus on equity to ensure that even the most disadvantaged children can survive, develop, and thrive, recognizing this as essential for both individual potential and national stability. In response to global challenges like climate change and inequality, UNICEF Supply Division integrates sustainability into its supply chains while leveraging its global network to deliver essential services that protect and empower children in all contexts.

This is a re-advertisement, candidates who have already applied do not need to re-apply.

UNICEF works in over 190 countries and territories to save children’s lives, defend their rights, and help them fulfill their potential, from early childhood through adolescence.

At UNICEF, we are committed, passionate, and proud of what we do for as long as we are needed. Promoting the rights of every child is not just a job – it is a calling.

UNICEF is a place where careers are built: we offer our staff diverse opportunities for professional and personal development that will help them reinforce a sense of purpose while serving children and communities across the world. We welcome everyone who wants to belong and grow in a diverse and passionate culture, coupled with an attractive compensation and benefits package.

Visit our website to learn more about what we do at UNICEF.

For every child, the right to a Future

UNICEF Supply Division (SD) works to ensure equitable and inclusive access to essential supplies and services for children and their families, in development, humanitarian and fragile contexts. These supplies are critical to saving lives, supporting children’s health and education, and protecting them from abuse, exploitation, and neglect. As the UN’s largest end to end supply chain entity, UNICEF leverages its global reach, market influence, supply chain expertise and partnerships with governments, civil society, private sector, industry, and other stakeholders to meet children’s needs and protect their rights around the world.
SD focuses on three result areas to maximize impact, scale, and effectiveness: strategic procurement; supply preparedness and response in humanitarian and fragile contexts; and supply chain optimization. To facilitate and accelerate progress toward these results, SD employs three change strategies: financing for supply and services, supply chain digitalization and supply chain localization.

How can you make a difference

Quality assurance is a vital for maintaining high standards and ensuring that the needs of beneficiaries are met consistently with high quality products and services, whilst at the same time driving a culture of continuous improvement within UNICEF’s supply chains. Ensuring compliance to standards and regulatory requirements are core aspects of quality assurance functions.

Inspections and audits not only ensure adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) andGood Storage and Distribution Practices (GSDP) as determined by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other stringent regulatory authorities, they also uncover unanticipated risks, non-conformities and areas needing improvement, allowing UNICEF to address problems before they escalate and overall to improve efficiencies in our engagements with suppliers. Having the capacity to verify adherence to standards and regulatory requirements enhances the credibility of UNICEF supply operations, building trust with partners and stakeholders, and clearly demonstrates our commitment to quality.

This position is embedded in the Quality Assurance and Policy Centre (QAPC), where teams have core responsibilities around the maintenance of a robust Quality Management System both internally and by our suppliers. UNICEF’s product portfolio is aligned with UNICEF’s programmes that aim to realize the Rights of Children. The scope of products and services covered by this position excludes the QA requirements of vaccines and other health products such as medical equipment, devices and consumables, but includes the GMP and GSDP requirements of medicines and therapeutic/supplementary nutritional products. The incumbent of this position acts as focal point for adherence to required GSDP standards in UNICEF warehousing and logistics operations in Supply Division (SD).

The incumbent will be responsible for cutting edge technical support and advice in developing, reviewing and/or adopting QA policies around GMP and GSDP of Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Products included in UNICEF product portfolios. Quality Management Systems and regulatory reliance frameworks of both stringent and maturing regulatory authorities, the latter particularly in areas where UNICEF will be fostering a localisation agenda to move manufacturing closer to end-users. The position requires close collaboration with product specialists and procurement teams in UNICEF and in partner organizations, specialised technical working groups and other major stakeholders to harmonize QA policies and provide consistency and commonality in QA methods and requirements. The incumbent will lead the Quality Inspection Unit – Pharma.

Key functions, accountabilitiesand related duties/tasks:

1. Acts as lead of the Pharmaceutical Inspection Unit. 
2. Plan, coordinate and manage implementation of GSDP and related policy and procedural requirements.
3. Lead the planning and development of pharmaceutical and nutritional product quality assurance and quality control plans.
4. Conduct GMP inspections of pharmaceutical and nutritional products.
5. Oversee quality assurance and quality control of pharmaceutical and nutritional products.
6. Act as the responsible person for the handling of narcotic and psychotropic substances in UNICEF Supply Division. 
7. Provides specialised advice, guidance and training to Supply Division centres, regional andcountry offices and partners. 
8. Leads and/or supports as relevant the development, review, implementation and/ormaintenance of global and local QA policies. 
9. Establishes new concepts of quality control.
10. Represents UNICEF at international meetings, consultations and seminars.
11. Manages and/or contribute to relevant partnerships and projects, support focal points.
12. Any other relevant duties in accordance with the QAC workplan.

If you would like to know more about this position, please review the complete Job Description here: Job Description

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Minimum requirements:

• Education: Master or equivalent (Advanced University Degree) in pharmaceutical sciences and/or in QA discipline isrequired. BSc may in exceptional circumstances be acceptable, if the candidate has extensiveexperience in managing a GMP inspectorate or similar regulatory entity.
  Specialised training and/or professionally recognised qualifications in GMP and GSDP of pharmaceutical and or nutritional products.
  A Bachelor or equivalent (First Level University Degree) in a relevant area combined with 2 additional years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. This is applicable to internal (FT, Continuing and Permanent) staff only.
• Work Experience: At least 8 years of progressive and relevant professional experience in quality assurance of pharmaceutical and/or nutritional products in commercial, governmental or international organisations.
• Skills: 
  • Ability to supervise and direct a team of specialized staff
  •  Ability to establish harmonious work relationships in an international and multi-cultural environment
  • Current knowledge of latest developments and technologies applied in best-in-class quality assurance practices and quality control processes.
  • Project management skills, including the ability to initiate and manage change in diverse environments
  • Ability to conceptualize, innovate, plan and execute ideas, translate high level requirements into working policies and plans
  • Ability to clearly and concisely express ideas and concepts in writing as well as verbally, good knowledge sharing and training skills
  • Good computer skills, including internet navigation and use of MS Office applications required, use of digital tools to manage and/or generate detailed technical reports and outputs will be an advantage
  •  Knowledge or experience of SAP/VISION would be an advantage.
• Language Requirements: Fluency in English is required.

Desirables:

1. 1. Language: Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.
   2. Knowledge of and/or experience in international collaboration in forums such as WHO Prequalification, Pharmaceutical Inspection Coordination Scheme (PICS) will be an advantage. 
   3. Experience in Quality Management at managerial level and experience in working for an international organisation will be an advantage.
   4. Relevant experience at country level, particularly in development, fragile settings and humanitarian contexts.

For every Child, you demonstrate...

UNICEF's Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust and Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
(8) Nurtures, leads and manages people

Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels.

UNICEF promotes and advocates for the protection of the rights of every child, everywhere, in everything it does and is mandated to support the realization of the rights of every child, including those most disadvantaged, and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, minority, or any other status.

UNICEF encourages applications from all qualified candidates, regardless of gender, nationality, religious or ethnic backgrounds, and from people with disabilities, including neurodivergence. We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF provides reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process. If you require any accommodation, please submit your request through the accessibility email button on the UNICEF Careers webpage Accessibility | UNICEF. Should you be shortlisted, please get in touch with the recruiter directly to share further details, enabling us to make the necessary arrangements in advance.

UNICEF does not hire candidates who are married to children (persons under 18). UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination based on gender, nationality, age, race, sexual orientation, religious or ethnic background or disabilities. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks, and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check, and selected candidates with disabilities may be requested to submit supporting documentation in relation to their disability confidentially.

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance.  Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station is required for IP positions and will be facilitated by UNICEF. Appointments may also be subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be canceled.

Remarks:

As per Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity.

UNICEF is committed to fostering an inclusive, representative, and welcoming workforce. For this position, eligible and suitable candidates are encouraged to apply.

Government employees who are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government positions before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

UNICEF does not charge a processing fee at any stage of its recruitment, selection, and hiring processes (i.e., application stage, interview stage, validation stage, or appointment and training). UNICEF will not ask for applicants' bank account information.

Humanitarian action is a cross-cutting priority within UNICEF's Strategic Plan. UNICEF is committed to stay and deliver in humanitarian contexts. Therefore, all staff, at all levels across all functional areas, can be called upon to be deployed to support humanitarian response, contributing to both strengthening resilience of communities and capacity of national authorities.

All UNICEF positions are advertised, and only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. An internal candidate performing at the level of the post in the relevant functional area, or an internal/external candidate in the corresponding Talent Group, may be selected, if suitable for the post, without assessment of other candidates.

Additional information about working for UNICEF can be found here.