Technical Officer (Strategy)

Job Title: Technical Officer (Strategy)  

Organization: World Health Organization (WHO)

Grade: P3

Contractual Arrangement: Temporary appointment under Staff Rule 420.4

Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 12 months

Closing Date: Jul 28, 2023, 12:59:00 AM

Primary Location: Switzerland-Geneva

Organization Unit: UT/UTD UNITAID International drug purchase facility

Schedule: Full-time  

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications indicated above reflects your personal device's system settings. 

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

Unitaid is a multilateral hosted by the World Health Organization. Unitaid is focused on making a unique and high-impact contribution to the global response in areas including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in developing countries. Its work catalyses improvements for the larger response through forward-looking and time-limited investments that are designed to increase access to better, more effective and more affordable health products (i.e. preventives, medicines and diagnostics). Investments typically target market-based interventions such as price reductions, improvements in quality and supply, and the introduction of innovative products more suitable for the populations in need.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

In this role, the Technical Officer, Strategy will:

1) Provide analytic and technical support for implementation of Unitaid's strategy, particularly as related to improving access to tools to prevent, diagnose, and treat disease (e.g. malaria, tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, coinfections). As required: 

A. Design and manage analyses, support drafting, updating, publishing and communications;

B. Conduct contracting and project management of external consultants and experts;

C. Contribute to identification and development of new topics/approaches where UNITAID could intervene to speed access to innovation;

D. Support Technical Managers on analysis of proposals, and

E. Participate when relevant as a representative of UNITAID at conferences, symposia, and external meetings.

2) Provide strategic support and technical expertise as part of cross-functional project teams during grant development and implementations. 

A. Provide technical support to Operations-led project teams during the proposal and grant development process: liaise on strategic development and implementation of projects and participate as representative of Strategy team in project teams;

B. Collaborate with Results colleagues e.g., on assessment of impact and value for money.

3) Support other Strategy projects as required, e.g., providing analytic and technical support to develop interventions that UNITAID may implement directly, including support for new innovations and/or incentives such as volume guarantees, advanced market commitments, R&D success rewards, basic R&D lump-sum funds, subsidies, etc to increase access to healthcare products. Comprehensive market analysis will require close coordination with others in the Strategy team and other teams and may include:

A. Product pipeline review, including assessment of market entry barriers;

B. Analysis of demand (e.g., market size projections for relevant products, scenario, planning and estimation of unmet need in key market segments/patient populations); fiscal space analysis including tracking of funding commitments at donor and country level to inform forecasting.

C. Analysis of supply environment (e.g., analysis of cost structures, expectations for price volume thresholds) and development of actionable supply-side /procurement strategies.

4. Participate in coordinating and collaborating with external stakeholders, including global health organizations, industry, non-governmental organizations, academia, and national programmes as required.

5. Draft and deliver reports, presentations, briefing notes, and other material for Unitaid's Executive Board, Policy and Strategy Committee, and Joint Review Committee.

6. Performs other duties as deemed necessary by the supervisor.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential: University degree in business, management, economics, international development, public health, pharmacy or other health-, innovation- or technology-related field.
Desirable: Advanced degree in one of the above fields, and/or studies in a discipline related to healthcare product access or innovation (medicine, pharmacy, product development, product design, etc..)

Experience

Essential:

• At least 5 years of experience in global development, healthcare industry, or technology and innovation, with a focus on detection and creative application of technologies or approaches to improve health;
• At least 3 years of experience in health products analysis, with demonstrated analytical skills, such as: market intelligence; forecasting or market models; financial skills/financial modelling; and/or design and execution of various incentive types, such as volume guarantees, advances market commitments, R&D success rewards, basics R&D lump-sum funds, subsidies, etc...;
• Experience writing technical and/or scientific documents in public health related-field and coordinating and preparing technical content material for conferences or similar events;
• Experience developing and managing projects, including development of and execution against budgets and workplans; 
• Demonstrated experience in writing for/presenting to diverse audiences, including Executive Board, Senior Management, external partners, technical/scientific and lay stakeholders.

Desirable:

• Experience in pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and/or diagnostics industry (e.g. market access, regulatory, medical affairs, intellectual property);
• Experience working in, or designing products/solutions for use in, resource-limited settings;
• Network of partners active in healthcare and product innovation;
• Demonstrated experience supporting design and application of innovative financing mechanisms.

Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills;
• Strong planning, organizational and project management skills;
• Strong data collection, management and analytic skills.
• Proven ability to design and conduct research, including market analysis.
• Knowledge of, or experience with pharmaceutical or diagnostic product forecasting and/or market models is desirable;
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a small team to deliver high impact results;
• Strong interpersonal skills, tact, discretion and mature judgment;
• Demonstrated interest in fostering innovation relevant for health in developing countries, including detection and creative application of technologies or approaches across industries;
• Familiarity with global pharmaceuticals/diagnostics policies (such as quality insurance, procurement, etc.) and knowledge of public health and market issues;
• Strong knowledge of health commodities, especially for malaria, tuberculosis, or HIV/AIDS and coinfections;
• Understanding and knowledge of major public health actors, familiarity with Unitaid's mission, strategy, key publication and projects.

WHO Competencies

• Teamwork
• Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
• Communication
• Producing results
• Moving forward in a changing environment

Use of Language Skills

Essential: Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable:

• Intermediate knowledge of French.
• Intermediate knowledge of WHO official language.

REMUNERATION

WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 64,121 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 4392 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• 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.

• 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/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.

• According to 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. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

• Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.

• Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.

• For information on WHO's operations please visit: http://www.who.int.

• The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics. The WHO is committed to achieving gender parity and geographical diversity in its staff. Women, persons with disabilities, and nationals of unrepresented and underrepresented Member States (https://www.who.int/careers/diversity-equity-and-inclusion) are strongly encouraged to apply for WHO jobs.  Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int

• An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.

• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.

• Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with WHO and an underlying premise of the international civil service. Candidates appointed to an international post with WHO are subject to mobility and may be assigned to any activity or duty station of the Organization throughout the world.

• WHO also offers wide range of benefits to staff, including parental leave and attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work-life balance and to allow all staff members to express and develop their talents fully.

• The statutory retirement age for staff appointments is 65 years. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete the term of appointment will normally be considered.

• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.

• *For WHO General Service staff who do not meet the minimum educational qualifications, please see e-Manual III.4.1, para 220.

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• As a WHO staff member assigned solely and exclusively to support this Partnership, selected staff will have no right of reassignment or transfer outside the Partnership either during or at the end of his/her appointment, including pursuant to WHO Staff Rule 1050. (This does not apply to WHO fixed-term staff members reassigned from a non-Partnership position.)

• UNITAID is a partnership hosted and administered by WHO, located outside WHO premises in Le Pommier, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex.

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