Technical Advisor (Vaccine Manufacturing), Retainer

Background Information - Job-specific

Bangladesh has achieved substantial progress in public health outcomes over the past decade. Between 2011 and 2022, the under-five mortality rate declined from 48 to 31 per 1,000 live births, while the maternal mortality ratio improved significantly, from 237 per 100,000 live births in 2012 to 123 by 2020. These improvements are largely attributable to strengthened primary healthcare systems, with the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) playing a pivotal role in reducing mortality associated with vaccine-preventable diseases. Despite these gains, the World Health Organization (WHO) Joint External Evaluation (JEE) conducted in 2016 identified significant deficiencies in Bangladesh’s health security framework - with particularly in pandemic preparedness, where limited access to critical countermeasures such as vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics (VTDs) was noted.

In response, the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) has initiated the “Vaccines, Therapeutics, and Diagnostics Manufacturing and Regulatory Strengthening Project,” as articulated in its approved Development Project Proposal (DPP). The initiative is designed to bolster Bangladesh's national health security through the establishment of domestic manufacturing capabilities for VTD and the progressive strengthening of the national regulatory authority — the Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) — to achieve the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) maturity level 3 and beyond.

The project encompasses the construction of a high-capacity manufacturing facility with an annual capacity of 58 million vials, supported by an in-house R&D centre for the development of diagnostic kits and biosimilar therapeutics. It also includes the development of a full-cycle vaccine production infrastructure, including seed banks and cell banks, alongside fill-and-finish capabilities. The facility design incorporates climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable technologies and promotes gender equity and social inclusion. Compliance with WHO Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and the pursuit of relevant certifications are integral to this project.

Concurrently, the project aims to elevate DGDA’s regulatory framework from GBT maturity level 2 to level 3 by enhancing laboratory quality systems, regulatory inspection functions, and staff capacity across GMP, quality assurance, biosafety, and validation domains.

The project is aligned with the overarching impact of enhanced pandemic preparedness and reduced morbidity and mortality from vaccine-preventable diseases in Bangladesh. The intended outcome is the improved availability of domestically produced, safe, efficacious, and quality-assured VTDs.

Objective of the Assignment

The objective of this assignment is to undertake a comprehensive review of the Development Project Proposal (DPP) and provide evidence-based recommendations to ensure its strategic coherence, technical soundness, and alignment with national health priorities and global health security standards. The consultant will assess the DPP’s feasibility, cost-effectiveness, and potential to deliver sustainable outcomes in line with international best practices in pharmaceutical manufacturing and regulatory system strengthening. The review will also ensure that the proposed interventions make a meaningful contribution to Bangladesh’s broader vision of health sector resilience, self-reliance in vaccine and therapeutic production, and compliance with WHO and other global benchmarks and standards.

The consultant will undertake a comprehensive appraisal of the Development Project Proposal (DPP), focusing on the following areas:

DPP Analysis: Conduct an in-depth technical, financial, regulatory, and operational review of the DPP to assess internal consistency, structural adequacy, and alignment with national and international development frameworks.

Manufacturing Strategy Review: Critically assess the proposed manufacturing plan, including capacity targets and modalities for full-cycle vaccine production, fill-and-finish operations, diagnostics manufacturing, and packaging of biosimilar therapeutics. Examine the scalability, technical feasibility, and compliance of manufacturing processes with WHO and other international regulatory standards.

R&D Component Evaluation: Evaluate the structure and objectives of the proposed in-house research and development unit, with a focus on the establishment and utilization of seed banks, master and working cell banks, and development pipelines for diagnostics.

Infrastructure and GMP Compliance: Review architectural and engineering plans of the manufacturing facility to verify compliance with the WHO Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) guidelines, environmental sustainability measures, energy and resource efficiency, and climate-resilient design principles.

Regulatory System Strengthening: Assess the DGDA’s proposed capacity-building framework, including upgrades to laboratory infrastructure, regulatory inspection mechanisms, human resource development plans, and institutional alignment with the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) for maturity level advancement.

Strategic and Operational Recommendations: Provide detailed, actionable recommendations to enhance the project’s technical feasibility, risk mitigation measures, institutional governance, gender equity and social inclusion (GESI) integration, and long-term sustainability.

Global and Regional Alignment: Ensure coherence of the DPP with international health security priorities, pandemic preparedness frameworks, WHO programmatic guidance, and global regulatory harmonization initiatives.

Stakeholder Engagement: Engage in structured consultations with key stakeholders, including EDCL, DGDA, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, development partners, and technical experts to validate findings and ensure stakeholder alignment.

Deliverables

The consultant will be responsible for producing the following key deliverables within the agreed timelines:

Inception Report:
A concise report to be submitted within one (1) week of contract commencement, outlining the consultant’s methodological approach, detailed review framework, activity schedule, and key milestones for the assignment.

Draft Technical Review Report:
A preliminary report presenting initial observations, identified gaps, risks, and areas requiring technical or strategic reinforcement. This report will include provisional recommendations for improvement across all components of the DPP.

Final Technical Review Report:
A comprehensive and validated document incorporating feedback from relevant stakeholders and comprising the following elements:

A detailed technical, operational, and regulatory assessment of the DPP

Specific recommendations for revisions or enhancements on the content of the DPP and structure

Strategic guidance for implementation to optimize feasibility, efficiency, and impact

A risk analysis matrix with proposed mitigation strategies and contingency measures

Stakeholder Presentation:
A high-level PowerPoint presentation summarizing key findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the review, tailored for senior policymakers, development partners, and implementing agencies.

Advanced degree Masters in Public Health, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biotechnology, Regulatory Affairs, or a related field is required. Work Experience:

Minimum of 7 years of experience in vaccine/biologics manufacturing, regulatory strengthening, or project planning is required

Demonstrated experience with WHO prequalification, GMP certification, or health system strengthening is desired

Knowledge of WHO Global Benchmarking Tool and regulatory system strengthening is an asset

Familiarity with low- and middle-income country health systems, especially in South Asia is an asset Language:

Full domain of English

Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce.

Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions

For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.

For retainer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses ( they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information on a retainer contract here.

All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.