Senior Adviser (Health Emergencies Innovation) P-5 FT MSFIC Supply Division, Copenhagen, DK

Under the supervision of the Chief, Markets, Supplier Financing and Innovation Centre (MSFIC), and under the overall guidance of the Director of Supply Divisions, the incumbent will be expected to lead Supply Division’s technical engagement and act as SDs primary focal point within the Health Emergencies Preparedness Initiative (HEPI) and will represent UNICEF Supply in external engagements pertaining to supply pandemic preparedness (identifying gaps in product availability including but not limited to treatments and therapeutics, vaccines, diagnostics, personal protection equipment etc.) and particularly in terms of R&D of relevant strategic supplies for children.

Recent Public Health Emergencies (PHE) have cost tens of thousands of lives and dealt a formidable blow to the social and economic situation in affected communities and nations. They have triggered a global realization that the world needs to take measures so that we are collectively and institutionally more resilient and better prepared to respond faster to large scale PHE. In addition, emerging health issues likely linked to climate change, natural and manmade disasters, massive displacements and changing disease patterns, add urgency for UNICEF to adjust and strengthen its capacity as a reliable partner in prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery efforts.

UNICEF has worked to respond to many types of PHE over the past decades, and understands the complexities of this type of response. The organization’s unique attributes— including cross-sectoral expertise, supply capacity, experience with the Interagency Standing Committee (IASC) system, strong on-the-ground capacity at country level and a community-focused approach — enable UNICEF to serve as an effective partner for national governments in developing and implementing multi-sectoral emergency responses. In December 2016, the IASC endorsed procedures for Level 3 activation of the humanitarian system for infectious disease events. UNICEF identified areas for improvement and in September 2015 launched the Health Emergencies Preparedness Initiative (HEPI). This internal initiative, which seeks to strengthen the organization’s capacity for responding to PHE is being done in coordination with partners, including WHO, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and others, to build complementarity and strengthen alignment.

Given the lessons from response to recent infectious disease outbreaks such as Ebola, Zika, Yellow Fever, and Cholera, UNICEF understands that greater preparedness and a coherent, coordinated, well-informed, and rapid response to future PHE including in terms of appropriate supplies is critical. To this end, HEPI includes coordination with other agencies to harmonize the supplies lists developed for outbreak and pandemic preparedness efforts, and to ensure synergy between research and development (R&D) efforts to fill gaps in health emergency supply toolkits (e.g. vaccines, diagnostics and other technologies) to prevent and respond to outbreaks. The Senior Adviser (Health Emergencies Innovation) is expected to link programmatic and supply preparedness efforts for a range of disease-epidemiological scenarios, to provide specialized technical support, leadership and coordination on pandemic supply chain discussions, to play a technical representational role in pandemic preparedness / HEPI R&D –related partnerships, such that UNICEF Supply is best positioned to respond to emerging health threats with existing supply tools and state of the art product innovations. Furthermore, the incumbent is will offer technical advice on the creation and management of relevant Product Innovation Projects (PIPs) and offer technical advice to inform the supply response in the event of an outbreak.

Job organizational context
The position is based in Copenhagen at UNICEF Supply Division and reports to the Chief, Markets, Supplier Financing, and Innovation Centre (MSFIC). While the position does not entail any direct reports, it is anticipated that the role will demand a high degree of coordination and collaboration with other technical staff/project managers within MSFIC, as well as with other teams, other Divisions, and other partners external to UNICEF.

Purpose for the job
Under the supervision of the Chief, MSFIC, and under the overall guidance of the Director of Supply Divisions, the incumbent will be expected to lead Supply Division’s technical engagement and act as SDs primary focal point within the HEPI and will represent UNICEF Supply in external engagements pertaining to supply pandemic preparedness (identifying gaps in product availability including but not limited to treatments and therapeutics, vaccines, diagnostics, personal protection equipment etc.) and particularly in terms of R&D of relevant strategic supplies for children.

Summary of key functions/accountabilities
• In close collaboration with Emergency Coordination Unit (ECU) provide technical advice to Director of Supply Division and Deputy Executive Director for Field Results, on supply response during PHE/outbreaks including supply guidance and required technical expertise to regional offices (RO) and country offices (CO).
 
• Monitor relevant disease epidemiological trends (for Category 1, 2 and 3 diseases as defined in HEPI), and communicate these internally and externally as necessary.

• Develop technical content for supply notes and supply lists linking programme response and supply preparedness efforts for a range of epidemiological scenarios.

• Coordinate Supply Division’s internal technical work in relation to HEPI and outbreak response:
o Lead on the development of product specifications/standards and where applicable target product profiles (TPPs) for HEPI products with support from other technical officers/innovation specialists
o Advise on pipeline technologies and their relevance for UNICEF / programme countries.
o Translate complex R&D and other relevant technical information relevant for HEPI R&D into easy to understand advice/recommendations to inform HEPI innovation strategies.
o Together with relevant technical specialists, advise project managers and review the proposals for HEPI R&D PIPs on:
 Scoping PIPs
 Designing pull mechanisms to incentivize R&D
 Leading and coordinating with stakeholders (e.g. US CDC, WHO, MSF) on field trials to validate relevance of products in a UNICEF context
 Driving scale of proven products
o Draw on internal and external expertise (e.g. HEPI advisory committees) as needed

• Collaborate with (i) Supply Division colleagues (within MSFIC, procurement centres, and ECU, CO and ROs) on health product development, demand forecasting, market influencing, and supplier engagement from a health technical perspective and (ii) with other UNICEF stakeholders (most notably within PD’s HEPI team) on the broader HEPI efforts, and response activities in the event of an outbreak.

• In coordination with colleagues in Supply Division, engage and coordinate with key external partners (notably WHO, US CDC, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), and the offshoot related to diagnostics (CEPIdx), regulatory bodies such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the European Union conformity marking (CE) etc.) in relation to PHE and disease outbreaks. Participate as needed as a technical expert in high level forums (e.g. the Emergency Response Preparedness Interagency Planning Committee –ERP IPC).

• Undertake country missions, field visits and provide surge capacity as needed.

Core Values
• Commitment
• Diversity and inclusion
• Integrity

Core competencies
• Communication  (level II)
• Drive for results (level III)
• Working with people  (level III)

Functional Competencies:
• Entrepreneurial Thinking  (level II)
• Deciding and Initiating Action  (level III)
• Applying Technical Expertise (level III)
• Analytical and Conceptual Thinking   (level III)
• Formulating Strategies and Concepts  (level III)

Education:
A completed Advanced University Degree (Master’s Degree) in Biology, Biochemistry, Epidemiology, Engineering or relevant other sciences is required.

Experience:
Minimum of ten (10) years relevant professional work experience including at least three (3) at the international level is required.

Experience in the following areas in the private or public sectors is required:
• R&D of health commodities (e.g. vaccines, diagnostics, treatments)
• Supply chain management / procurement

Experience in the following areas in private or public sectors is preferred:
• (Health) emergency preparedness
• Public health

Language requirements:
Fluency in English is required. Proficiency in another UN official language (Spanish, French, Russian, Arabic, Chinese) is an asset.

To view our competency framework, please click here. 

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organisation.