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Specialist, Medicines and Health Technologies

Bogotá

  • Organization: WHO - World Health Organization
  • Location: Bogotá
  • Grade: Junior level - NO-A, National Professional Officer - Locally recruited position
  • Occupational Groups:
    • Public Health and Health Service
    • PAHO/WHO Representation, Colombia
  • Closing Date: Closed

OBJECTIVE OF THE OFFICE/DEPARTMENT
This is a requisition for employment at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/Regional Office of the World Health Organization (WHO)
 
PAHO Country Offices are responsible for ensuring that the Pan American Health Organization / World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) country program of technical cooperation and its country presence provides adequate support to the national health development processes and, at the same time, enables the country/ies to shape the sub regional, regional, and global health agendas. The PAHO/WHO Country Office is the basic organizational unit for technical cooperation with the country/ies, drawing on PAHO/WHO resources from all levels and all parts of the Organization.
 
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
Under the general supervision of the PAHO/WHO Representative, and the direct supervision of the Advisor, Health Systems and Services, the incumbent is responsible for, but not necessarily limited to, the following assigned duties\:
  1. Collaborate in the planning, development and monitoring of plans, programs and projects related to medicines and health technologies; provide technical support to promote access and rational use of quality medicines and health technologies in the Country;
  2. Support national authorities from different sectors in the definition and in the implementation of programs aimed at increasing access to and rational use of quality, safe, effective and affordable health technologies within the national policies framework;collaborate with existing networks and partnerships to promote inter-country cooperation and commitment of local stakeholders;
  3. Collaborate in implementing, monitoring and evaluating the National Pharmaceutical Policy and related strategies and activities; provide support in developing, monitoring and assessing national pharmaceutical policies, including regulation processes with national counterparts including the Instituto Nacional de Vigilancia de Medicamentos y Alimentos (INVIMA) and the Colombian Institute for Development (Colciencias);
  4. Provide technical support for the development of a regulatory framework for medicines and for the strengthening of regulatory capacity, including strengthening of regulatory functions; establishing good practices,  standards and quality assurance systems in manufacturing of medicines, supply and dispensing facilities and pharmaceutical services; promoting harmonization in close collaboration with national counterparts;
  5. Provide technical support in areas of work related to access to medicines, and specifically on pricing and cost containment methodologies, intellectual property management and the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS);
  6. Provide technical support for strengthening pharmaceutical supply management, standards in pharmaceutical management including the implementation of good practices and quality assurance systems, identifying needs based on assessments, developing sub-regional norms and guidelines, and supporting collaborative mechanisms and pooled negotiation mechanisms, including the use of the PAHO Regional Revolving Fund for Strategic Public Health Supplies (Strategic Fund);
  7. Support the development of pharmaceutical services based in primary health care;
  8. Collaborate in the strengthening of pharmacy education and development of human resources in key areas of the pharmaceutical policies;
  9. Provide technical support in the rational use of medicines, promoting the development of strategies, adoption of national Essential Drug Lists and the use and regulation of generic medicines by the country;
  10. Participate in the implementation of specific projects, manage budgets, and prepare reports against project indicators as directed; prepare and maintain all documents and progress reports pertaining to the projects being implemented at the country level;
  11. Collaborate in the preparation of the Representation’s Biennial Work Plan (BWP) and the execution of national technical cooperation, including the analysis of political, technical and socioeconomic realities;
  12. Perform other related duties, as assigned.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
 
Education\:
Essential\: A university degree in pharmacy, public health or related field from an accredited institution.
 
In the event that your candidature is retained for an interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position.  WHO, only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).  The list can be accessed through the link\:  http\://www.whed.net/.  PAHO will also use the databases of the Council for Higher Education Accreditation http\://www.chea.org/search/default.asp and College Navigator, found on the website of the National Centre for Educational Statistics, https\://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator to support the validation process.
 
Experience\:
Essential\: Three years of professional experience in programs and projects related to medicines and health technology policy and regulation.
 
Desirable\: Experience in technical cooperation in institutions concerned with public health management would be an asset.
 
SKILLS\:
PAHO Competencies\:
  • Intrainstitutional Action\:  Displays, through behavior, understanding of PAHO's values and mission. Seeks information on and acts with understanding of the Organization's expectations while advancing further the understanding and application of it's policies.  Shows interest and concern for the activities related to his/her work in conjunction with the mission, values, vision and policies of the organization. Behaves consistently in accordance with the Code of Ethics of the Organization.
  • Teamwork\: Encourages team members, adds significant contribution when participating in internal and external work teams, and leads through personal example the virtues of team success--collaboration, trust, transparency and joint responsibilities.  Builds and maintains mutually beneficial productive interpersonal relations based on trust, inside and outside the Organization. Keeps every team member informed as well as shares relevant and useful information.
  • Service Orientation\: Follows through on the client inquiries, requests and complaints. Keeps client up-to-date about progress of projects. Monitors client satisfaction.
  • Knowledge Management\: Seeks and proposes better resources to access, process, use and share information with a variety of actors in different environments.  Produces and participates in studies as well as research that meet the publication requirements of media accepted by the scientific community. 
  • Thinking, planning and the strategic management of technical cooperation interventions\: Proposes priority ideas for executing  interventions after anticipating their critical points, eventual risks and solutions.  Evaluates proposals for interventions before making decisions to execute them.  Lays the technical foundations for executing technical cooperation interventions following the Organization’s strategy in order to generate the expected results.
  • Evaluation of technical cooperation interventions\: Processes the results of the intervention evaluations, turning them into systematized information that can support decisions on current and future interventions.
Technical Expertise\:
  • Technical expertise and skills in developing and implementing strategies that promote the incorporation of the rational use of medicines and technologies in health agendas and integrated national health plans and services, particularly within primary health care.
  • Knowledge of national policy on medicines, including regulations and quality assurance systems, procurement and supply management.
  • Familiarity with the characteristics of the production of medicines along the entire value chain as well as with developing country challenges/issues at the interface between health policy/systems.
  • Ability to design and develop project interventions.
  • Strong professional writing skills, including the development of reports, oral presentations, and technical/persuasive documents for consideration at the highest levels of the Organization.  

Languages\:

Very good knowledge of Spanish with a working knowledge of English. 

 
IT Skills\:
Demonstrated ability to effectively use a computer and utilize software programs such as Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint and Outlook.  Other IT skills and knowledge of other software programs such as Visio and Project would be an asset.
 
REMUNERATION
Annual Salary\: (Net of taxes)
COP 119’902,000
 
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (Local Recruitment)
This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level.
 
Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
 
A written test may be used as a form of screening.
 
Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to PAHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and e-Manual.
 
For information on PAHO please visit\: http\://www.paho.org
 
PAHO/WHO is committed to workforce diversity.
 
PAHO/WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
 
PAHO offers an attractive compensation package including an annual net salary (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance).  Other benefits include\: 30 days annual leave, dependency benefits, pension plan and health insurance scheme.
 
All applicants are required to complete an on-line profile to be considered for this post. 
 
Candidates must hold a permanent local working visa (citizenship or permanent resident card) of Bogota, Colombia.
 
Candidates will be contacted only if they are under serious consideration.  A written test and/or interview will be held for this post.  The post description is the official documentation for organizational purposes.
This vacancy is now closed.
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