The Position:
The Technical Services Associate position is located in the Product Quality Assurance Team in the UNFPA Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU). The position reports directly to the Technical Services Specialist. You will work closely with other SCMU colleagues, the new integrated HQ division (name To Be Decided), the Humanitarian Response Division, other HQ Business Units, the Regional Offices and the Country Offices and with a number of external partners. The Product Quality Assurance Team is the life force of UNFPA's supplies, whereby the team ensures that contraceptives, medicines, medical devices, and kits UNFPA delivers to women and girls are safe, effective and will do no harm.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA occupies a unique position in the sexual and reproductive health commodity ecosystem as a critical player in supply chain management, a leading public procurer of sexual and reproductive health commodities, a trusted partner to national governments, and one of the few organizations with the scale and partnerships necessary to build accountability for last mile delivery.
The UNFPA Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU) is self-funded and was made operational in January 2022. It is tasked with ensuring that UNFPA is able to effectively and efficiently support the delivery of life-saving reproductive health products and other programme supplies to the end user when and where they are needed. To achieve this, it is important to strengthen the capacity of governments and implementing partners to ensure coordination, end-to-end visibility and accountability on all supply chain and logistics management related activities, in particular for programme supplies, across all UNFPA programmes.
Job Purpose:
As the Technical Services Associate, you will support the Product Quality Assurance Team Lead’s effort on the management of Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) products by assisting with the development and application of technical specifications, assist with technical evaluations, supporting capacity-building and technical assistance activities to strengthen local production of health products, and developing and updating guidance documents related to the technical requirements and quality assurance business processes.
Main Task and Responsibilities
You will support the Product Quality Assurance Team Lead’s efforts on:
A. Oversee UNFPA’s Product Quality Assurance Team on:
- Perform technical evaluation of RH commodities on a global setting.
- Support development of specifications for international procurement of pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
- Support the review and research of new technologies to improve on technical specifications pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
- Support Product Quality Assurance Team in monitoring of compliance of pharmaceuticals and medical devices to the approved technical specifications
- Collate technical evaluation reports to ascertain coverage of all pharmaceuticals and other RH commodities.
- Work in teams to assists country programmes or any special project in establishing product specifications.
- Produce product data sheet for all approved products.
- Implement a risk-based approach on technical evaluation and approval of products.
- Liaise with quality assurance and sourcing teams to ensure up to date specifications.
- Work in teams to come up with and implement improvements on quality assurance.
- Assist the new integrated HQ division (name To Be Decided) to update products in UNFPA offering.
- Monitor progress of the procurement of new and under-utilised RH commodities and advise Technical Division
- Participate and assist the coordination of Interagency Group Meetings and prepare presentations.
- Support Interagency Working Groups in strengthening interagency collaboration and harmonisation.
- Provide technical support on harmonisation of Product Quality Assurance policies.
- Assist in development of materials of policies and practices to raise awareness and build a common understanding of stakeholders on the quality assurance of RH commodities.
- Research and coordinate activities involving innovative RH contraceptives or other pharmaceuticals to add to UNFPA's product portfolio.
- Contribute to the creation and sharing of knowledge in implementing innovative approaches to UNFPA's Product Quality Assurance activities when it comes to technical inputs.
- Development and updating of standard operating procedures to ensure compliance of Product Quality Assurance activities from technical side to UNFPA's Quality Assurance framework.
- Support and implement activities related to UNFPA’s Governance, Risk, Compliance and Reporting function.
B. Capacity Strengthening
- Developing and implementing UNFPA's capacity-strengthening initiatives.
- Advocate for the training of supply chain professionals
- Coach and mentor UNFPA personnel to strengthen their capacity to provide informed technical guidance in the supply chain management function.
C. Thought Leadership, Knowledge Sharing and Advisory
- Champion UNFPA's supply chain thought leadership through actively engaging with industry experts, participating in relevant forums, contributing to research and publications, and representing UNFPA's expertise in various supply chain management discussions and initiatives.
- Foster an environment for knowledge retention and sharing and the creation of a community of practice for supply chain.
- Provide counsel and support on the full range of supply chain management issues, incorporating best practices and continuous improvement across UNFPA.
D. Collaboration and Representation
- Establish effective collaboration with relevant stakeholders within UNFPA to ensure coordinated and effective tailored solutions for each area of intervention.
- Lead the fostering of relationships with key supply chain partners with the purpose of increasing the efficiency of UNFPA’s supply chain function.
- Represent SCMU and UNFPA in meetings related to supply chain management functions.
E. Carry out any other duties as may be required by the Chief, SCMU.
Qualifications and Experience
Education:
- Completion of Secondary education is required.
- University degree in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biomedical Engineering, Material Science, Medical Laboratory Science/Technology, Nursing, Biomedical Sciences, Public Health, or related field is an asset
- Completion of relevant training, academic and/or professional certification in Quality Assurance of health products is an asset.
Knowledge and Experience:
- Minimum 6 years of related work experience in quality assurance or product development or quality control of pharmaceuticals, or sterile health products or regulatory authority experience of medical devices / health products or health technologies is required.
- Proven analytical and technical knowledge of reproductive health products is a strong advantage.
- Knowledge of reproductive health commodities and medical terminology is a strong advantage.
- Experience in coordination of workshops is desirable.
- Demonstrated knowledge of international markets (sources, certifications, and controls) is an asset.
- Work experience with the UN or an international organization is an asset.
- Work experience or support to developing countries is an asset.
- Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communications skills.
Languages:
Fluency in English is required; knowledge of other official UN languages is an asset.
Required Competencies.
Values:
• Exemplifying integrity,
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
• Embracing cultural diversity,
• Embracing change
Functional Competencies:
- Effective application of health supply-chain management frameworks, principles, and processes
- Effective management of risks in line with relevant industry standards, frameworks, and processes.
- Ability to analyse issues, applying sound technical principles, data, and informed professional judgement, and to present solution alternatives with a clear articulation of their risks and consequences.
- Ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally
- Planning and organising
- Strong client service orientation.
Core Competencies:
• Achieving results
• Being accountable
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen
• Thinking analytically and strategically
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships
• Communicating for impact
Compensation and Benefits:
This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.
UNFPA Work Environment:
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.
Disclaimer:
Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.