Regional Technical Advisor - for DR Congo, Mali, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Niger, Senegal, Cote D’Ivoire (RE-ADVERTISED)

APPLICANTS WHO APPLIED EARLIER FOR VACANCY NUMBER VA/2017/B5007/12506 DO NOT NEED TO RE-APPLY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

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”.

In an assigned region/portfolio of countries, under the guidance of the GDF Demand, Technical Assistance, and Capacity Building Team leader, the GDF Regional Technical Advisor (RTA) promotes the StopTB Partnership and the GDF policies and strategies, and serves as a regional  technical leader and procurement and supply management (PSM) expert to advise and coordinate countries, donors and stakeholders, identify regional and country supply systems improvement needs and opportunities, and actively manage technical assistance and capacity strengthening to ensure continuous access to anti-TB medicines and laboratory products, and an expedited uptake of innovative treatment and diagnostic tools. This goal is achieved through promotion of best PSM practices, new TB tools, and strengthening forecasting, quantification, supply planning, transition-to-new-tools planning and monitoring, and implementation of early warning systems (EWS) to avoid treatment interruptions or waste of TB products. RTA may be involved, as required, in broader spectrum of activities related to pharmaceutical systems strengthening, supply chain management, management information systems, pharmaceutical services, and providing technical leadership to countries, donors and technical agencies in the field. 

RTA works closely with the GDF Country Supply Officers, other GDF teams, and contributes to the implementation of the StopTB/GDF 2016 – 2020 strategy.  The RTAs will be based in key regions, including Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa (Anglophone and Francophone), South-East Asia, and West-Pacific.   

RTA is the primary liaison between the GDF and national TB programs, donor-funded regional and field TB programs, such as by USAID and the Global Fund, the GF Prime Recipients, Government counterparts, stakeholders, and partners involved in pharmaceutical management activities and/or implementing related programs in the countries and region. The RTA is responsible for the adequate deployment of the GDF tools and frameworks and their adequate customization and ownership at the country level. RTA works with international and national stakeholders to ensure that technical assistance and capacity building activities to countries in the portfolio are adequately effective and that deliverables are meeting quality standards.  RTA supports measurement and documentation of portfolio results.  The RTA also contributes and supports the GDF capacity building and knowledge exchange plans.

The position requires ability to travel outside the base country at least 40% of time.

1.    Ensure regional technical leadership of the GDF

• Provide PSM technical leadership and serve as a technical resource for global and regional stakeholders, such as international donors (e.g. The Global Fund, USAID, UNITAID), policy (e.g. WHO) and technical agencies (KNCV Foundation, UNION, MSF, PiH, CHAI, Chemonics, etc.), regional and country bi-lateral projects (e.g. ChallengeTB, EndTB, etc.).
• Ensure the GDF’s technical leadership role and maintain the PSM best practices and tools on the agenda of regional meetings and conferences, such as Joint Program Review, National TB programs meetings, regional UNION Conferences, regional Green Light Committee (rGLC) meetings, and other thematic meetings and workshops related to TB control as requested.
• Coordinate the GDF regional events, including workshops and trainings, with regional stakeholders to ensure that agendas and curricula reflect the regional and country needs, are aligned with GDF strategy and objectives and are actively supported by the stakeholders
• As required, establish and lead working groups of stakeholders or task forces to ensure coordinated approach to addressing the PSM issues for improved access to TB products, and expedited uptake and proper use of new TB tools
• Represent the GDF at the country, regional, and global meetings, specifically those related to the development of financial, procurement, and medicines and other products quality assurance polices and processes for the post-Global Fund realities
• Contribute to the development of the GDF Demand, TA, and Capacity Building (DTC) strategy and its implementation
• Actively promote the GDF as a source of affordable quality-assured TB products, technical assistance, capacity development, and best PSM practices in the region; explore options for expanding the GDF client base with specific focus on countries graduating from the GF support and switching to the procurement with domestic funds
• Formulate the supply indicators and establish a mechanism for ongoing regional indicator data collection and reporting; collect, validate, and report to the GDF TB medicines and laboratory commodities demand data to inform the GDF procurement and market shaping decisions.     

2.    Implement PSM system strengthening interventions in the GDF countries

• Lead the information gathering and maintain evidence for the GDF decision making of the countries’ TB medicines and laboratory commodities supply practices, such as: TB recording and reporting (data pertaining to supply management); inventory management; procurement and distribution, lead-times throughout the supply chain; forecasting; quantification; supply planning; data flows and data collection tools; data quality assurance; early warning mechanisms for preventing stock-outs/waste; importation processes and regulations, national pharmaceutical policies and regulations that affect the supply of TB medicines and laboratory products.
• Identify countries’ technical assistance and capacity building needs, especially focusing on the introduction of new TB tools. Lead the development, implementation, and monitoring of interventions aimed at strengthening the TB medicines and laboratory products supply system and improving access to TB medicines and laboratory products based on adequate demand forecast, optimized procurement frequency; coordinate with in-country donor and government technical assistance programs.
• Develop technical assistance and PSM capacity strengthening country-specific roadmaps and work plans, timelines, performance indicators, identify and manage required resources, develop annual and quarterly progress reports against the work plan.
• Develop and update training and capacity building materials, and facilitate capacity building exercises as required, or broker the required work with the StopTB and GDF partners’ technical assistance programs.
• Develop a process for regular information updates of Country Profiles, including country-specific lists of TB medicines, treatment regimens and laboratory commodities; changes in national strategies and guidelines; new TB tools uptake trends; performance indicators; and other relevant information. 
• Introduce and ensure the NTP ownership of early warning and quantification tools, such as QuanTB, as a StopTB/GDF-recommended tool complementing and building upon the existing country information systems for TB cases, medicines and laboratory products logistics; assist the NTP and key partners developing the SOPs for quantification, forecasting, supply planning and EWS.
• Lead the NTPs in establishing standard procedures for collecting relevant country data to generate regular forecasts and quarterly EWS reports, and monitor pertinent supply chain parameters such as in-country lead times, order/procurement process and performance, supplier performance, order delivery, port clearance, etc. to inform the GDF Country Supply Officers, GF, USAID mission, WHO, and other key stakeholders about TB medicines and laboratory products’ status and potential issues.

3.    Expedite the uptake of new TB tools in the GDF countries

• Lead countries in the development and implementation of joint transition plans for accelerated uptake of new TB medicines, regimens, and diagnostic products, including setting attainable PSM goals, timeline and milestones, estimation of potential medicines and laboratory products wastage and performance/uptake monitoring mechanism.
• Ensure continuous technical assistance and capacity strengthening support throughout the transition period to ensure rational use of TB products and better treatment outcomes.
• Establish a system for collecting data and reporting the indicators related to the uptake of new TB tools.

4.    Manage a pool of regional technical consultants

• Provide technical oversight of the pool of the GDF consultants assigned to the region: identify specific gaps in countries PSM systems that require interventions, coordinate with National TB Programs and stakeholders, develop technical assistance plans and terms of reference for consultants, assign tasks and ensure the deliverables.
• Ensure quality of the delivered products via performance indicators and technical reports reviews
• Use regional networks to identify potential new PSM consultants for the GDF and encourage them to apply through the GDF selection process.

5. Monitoring and Progress Controls

Regional Technical Advisor reports to the GDF Demand, Technical Assistance, and Capacity Building Team leader. The RTA performance is monitored and evaluated based on the expected deliverables and products, including:

• Work plan for each GDF country in the assigned portfolio, including performance indicators
• Capacity building plan for each GDF country in the assigned portfolio
• Country profiles pertaining to pharmaceutical management of TB medicines and laboratory products
• Quarterly progress reports
• Quarterly Early Warning reports (using QuanTB tool)
• Annual summary progress report for the portfolio countries
• Trip reports from country technical missions and technical meetings
• Country-specific training and capacity building materials and tools as required
• Communication of successful experiences and stories from countries and regions, lessons learned, technical, policy and strategy papers related to PSM, country PSM plans for the GF proposals, among others
• Other products and region/country-specific results and indicators as may be required by the GDF strategy and work plan

An advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in health related field; physician, nurse, pharmacist or other related discipline is required.

Specialized training and/or experience relating to pharmaceutical and/or laboratory systems, pharmaceutical/logistics management information systems, supply chain management, or pharmaceutical and/or laboratory services will be considered as an asset.

A minimum of 7 (seven) years of relevant experience in providing technical assistance and leadership in the implementation of international or country level TB products procurement and supply programs, pharmaceutical and/or laboratory management and supply chain, pharmaceutical and/or laboratory services, pharmaceutical and/or laboratory management information systems, forecasting and quantification, and early warning systems.
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

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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 and French with proven ability to communicate in English and French (spoken and written) in a clear and concise manner. Fluency in written and spoken Portuguese is an asset.

• 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.