Technical Consultant (Procurement & Supply Chain Management), Roster Positions, Multiple positions

UNOPS supports the successful implementation of its partners’ peacebuilding, humanitarian and development projects around the world. Our mission is to serve people in need by expanding the ability of the United Nations, governments and other partners to manage projects, infrastructure and procurement in a sustainable and efficient manner.

Working in some of the world’s most challenging environments, our vision is to advance sustainable implementation practices, always satisfying or surpassing our partners’ expectations.

With over 7,000 personnel spread across 80 countries, UNOPS offers its partners the logistical, technical and management knowledge they need, wherever they need it.

A flexible structure and global reach means that we can quickly respond to our partners' needs, while offering the benefits of economies of scale.

Stop TB Partnership

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.

Founded in 2001, the Stop TB Partnership's mission is to serve every person who is vulnerable to TB and ensure that high-quality treatment is available to all who need it. Our partners include international and technical organizations, government programmes, research and funding agencies, foundations, NGOs, civil society and community groups and the private sector

As a key initiative of the Stop TB Partnership, the goal of the Global Drug Facility (GDF) is to facilitate world-wide, equitable access to TB medicines and diagnostics across both public and private sectors. This goal is achieved through management and coordination of market activities for the full portfolio of TB medicines and diagnostics, strategic procurement and innovative logistics solutions, technical assistance and capacity building for TB programmes in better pharmaceutical management practices, and accelerated uptake of new TB medicines, regimens, and diagnostics using the GDF “launch pad”.

The GDF Technical consultants report to Demand, Technical Assistance, and Capacity Building (DTC) Team Leader, and serve GDF as technical leaders in procurement and supply management (PSM). The technical assistance providers will effectively carry-out specific short- and long-term assignments such as advising donors and country stakeholders, identifying country PSM improvement needs and required interventions, providing tailored technical assistance and capacity strengthening, supporting and promoting the GDF PSM tools and best practices, and providing broad technical assistance to GDF and its client countries. 

• Assistance in the development and implementation of sound PSM standard operating procedures to streamline processes and reduce in-country procurement lead times
• Guidance and direct technical assistance in the development and implementation of countries’ PSM transition plans for the accelerated uptake and scale-up of new TB tools, such as new and repurposed medicines, regimens, and diagnostics
• Direct technical assistance to the GDF client 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 procurement of quality-assured medicines and diagnostics with domestic funds
• Conduction of GDF technical missions to countries, following specific TOR, including to review adherence to the GDF terms and conditions; review and validate strategic forecasting and quantification for specific procurement; identify immediate PSM gaps and supply bottlenecks, and assist in addressing these gaps; brief NTP and MoH on the GDF policies, processes, products, and procurement options; address issues and bottlenecks related to the in-country registration of the GDF products; promote the GDF PSM tools such as QuanTB; promote and help establish optimized scheduled procurement/ordering from the GDF; develop sound recommendations to countries and stakeholders; follow-up on the recommendations made by previous missions
• Participation in joint TB Program reviews and other technical meetings organized by WHO, the Global Fund, the Union and other local and international partners; country surveys and evaluation of PSM, including collection and validation of data required for PSM decision making
• Promotion, introduction and implementation of the GDF forecasting, quantification, supply planning, and early warning tool, QuanTB, through hands-on coaching and mentoring of key staff in the GDF 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)
• Facilitation of the PSM sessions at the GDF’s or partners’ trainings and workshops
• Development and review of the GDF documents, such as monitoring and technical missions reports; PSM technical notes; standard operating procedures related to broad spectrum of the PSM areas; country PSM and TB profiles
• Other technical assistance on the behalf of, and to the GDF staff as required

Deliverables

The deliverables will be defined by SOW for each assignment, and illustratively include:

• GDF technical and policy papers related to PSM
• Joint TB program Review and other technical meeting reports (PSM component)
• Country PSM plans for the GF proposals
• GDF technical mission reports
• Training materials and workshop proceedings
• Forecasting, quantification, supply planning and early warning report for medicines and laboratory commodities

An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in health related field, such as medicine, pharmacy, nursing, public health, epidemiology, supply chain management or related discipline field.

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;

A minimum of 5 years of experience in public health sector and procurement and supply chain management (PSM) issues related to TB control program, including forecasting and quantification of anti-TB medicines and laboratory commodities, supply planning, early warning, good storage and distribution practices.

Highly desirable:

Experience with international donors and organisations, specifically with the Global Fund, WHO, USAID, UNITAID, international NGOs and/or private sector companies.
Experience working with TB/HIV co-infection, regulatory system, quality assurance, health financing, and pharmacovigilance is an asset.

Strong experience in working in developing countries, in the TB environment, together with the PSM experience is an asset. 
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Strong organizational skills with the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously; excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in a team spirit.

Ability and availability to travel internationally 40% of time or more.

Excellent knowledge of English with proven ability to communicate in English (spoken and written) in a clear and concise manner.

Fluency in written and spoken French, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian or Arabic is a strong asset that will be taken into account in the selection process.

• 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.
• 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.