Quality Assurance Specialist (Vector Control Products)

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the knowledge frontier organization for sustainable development in the UN Development System and serves as the integrator for collective action to realize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP's policy work carried out at HQ, Regional Hubs and Country Office levels, forms a contiguous spectrum of deep local knowledge to cutting-edge global perspectives and advocacy. In this context, UNDP invests in the Global Policy Network (GPN), a network of field-based and global technical expertise across a wide range of knowledge domains and in support of the signature solutions and organizational capabilities envisioned in the Strategic Plan.  BPPS works closely with UNDP's Crisis Bureau (CB) to support emergency and crisis response. BPPS ensures that issues of risk are fully integrated into UNDP's development programmes.

The 2030 Agenda for SDGs and the pledge to leave no one behind reflect the interconnectedness of health and sustainable development, including widening economic and social inequalities, the climate crisis, rapid urbanization, the continuing burden of HIV and other infectious diseases (e.g., malaria, tuberculosis), the growing burden of non-communicable diseases and the emergence of health threats. The scope and scale of delivering health and well-being for all demands innovative partnerships and financing. As affirmed in the Political Declaration of the 2019 High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) and others are critical partners for delivering on the health-related goals of the 2030 Agenda. Stronger Collaboration, Better Health: Global Action Plan for Healthy Lives and Well-being for All outlines how a dozen multilateral health, development and humanitarian agencies, including UNDP, the Global Fund, Gavi and others will collaborate to be more efficient and effective in supporting countries to deliver UHC and achieve the health-related SDG targets. 

UNDP’s partnership with the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Global Fund), in line with UNDP’s HIV, Health and Development Strategy 2022-2025: Connecting the Dots, makes a vital contribution to UNDP’s Strategic Plan 2022-2025, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the SDGs and the pledge to leave no one behind.  

As a long-standing partner of the Global Fund, UNDP’s value proposition lies in providing an integrated package of development solutions to strengthen institutions to deliver health services drawing on technical support from other UNDP business units (e.g. data, digital, environment, climate). Through its contributions as interim Principal Recipient (PR) and provider of technical assistance to Global Fund grants in 53 countries since 2003, UNDP’s provision of the integrated policy, implementation and capacity development support to countries has yielded significant health and development results in challenging operating environments. 

Based on demand from Country Offices, and building on the relationships, expertise, systems, partnerships, including across the UN family, and comparative advantage established through the Global Fund partnership, the GPN/BPPS/Global Fund Partnership Health System Team (GFPHST) is providing support to Country Offices through three overarching modalities: 1) the Global Fund portfolio, 2) health system strengthening, and 3) other health implementation support beyond the Global Fund, including Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), UNITAID and Smart Facilities . The GFPHST provides its support through a country team approach to strengthen and integrate the different functional capacities (e.g. p capacity development, finance, monitoring and evaluation, procurement and supply management, programme, Sub-recipient management) leveraging technical assistance and policy support from the HHD Group, other GPN teams and teams and Regional and Central Bureaus. 

In line with established best practice, UNDP has a Quality Assurance for Health Products (QA) Policy for all health products supplied by UNDP. The UNDP QA Policy is a key document for all parties involved in health procurement activities across UNDP as well as for national partners, suppliers and donors as it details UNDP’s requirements for health procurement, which are in line with international best practice.  Regular monitoring and oversight of the implementation of the QA policy, and support to its implementation, is under the responsibility of Global Fund Partnership Team.   

1.Leads the development and implementation of the UNDP Quality Assurance (QA) Policy for vector control products with the following key responsibilities:

• Establishes a robust and agile QA system for vector control products.
• Performs the annual quality assurance performance reviews of the suppliers and products in coordination with the Global Health Procurement Centre (e.g., technical suitability and appropriateness on basis of information collected from COs);
• Advice Country Offices on the audit and investigation processes (internal, external), including supporting the timely and effective implementation of the recommendations. 
• Develops and manages the UNDP database of qualified suppliers and products eligible for tendering and to the development and revision of UNDP catalogue.
• Identify of quality assurance issues, challenges and risks and assists in providing constructive solutions including challenges in the handling of the health products at country level (e.g., storage and distribution);
• Standardize product specifications for health products based on existing documentation, international guidelines and standards (e.g. WHO, IMDRF, GHTF);
• Develop and review of technical requirements in the solicitation documents. 
• Assist in research and cataloguing of new products;
• Liaise with UNDP consultants in quality assurance of health products for quality assessments and training purposes; and
• Develop technical Terms of Reference (TORs) for vector control products, sampling and inspection agencies and product testing laboratories;
• Leads the investigations of quality complaints, safety events and other quality challenges experienced by COs and advises QA Advisor on optimal risk-mitigation measures.
• Participates in the development, implementation, monitoring and reporting for UNDP’s Quality Assurance Policy and related tools.

2. Provide technical oversight quality monitoring of health products.

• Leads the monitoring of the quality of the health products, including quality testing reports, follow-up complaints, and re-assessment of sources.
• Provides technical support on of quarantines and recalls of affected health products;
• Coordinates the “Regulatory Watch Procedure” (alerts, notices of concern, warning letters, issued by the WHO, WLA’s, donors or suppliers) for vector control products.
• Monitors technical-related KIPs in the performance of contracted laboratories and sampling and inspection agencies; and 
• Evaluate product and service offers per UNDP QA policy and relevant procedures and

3. Lead knowledge and capacity building, knowledge sharing, and advocacy relative to the assigned thematic area(s) and UNDP

• Ensures availability of training, technical updates, and best-practice sharing sessions.
• Train UNDP staff on QA of LLINs, develop technical updates and share best-practices.
• Keep abreast of the developments in the thematic area of the project and guide how to incorporate them into UNDP’s current and future programming in the vector control sector
• In collaboration with other UNDP business units, lead advocacy for and strengthening of national capacity for planning and coordination of development programmes in the vector control sector.
• Participates in the development and updates to the Quality Assurance Manual and any other related documents (training materials, manuals, SOP’s, guidance materials) in collaboration with the relevant UNDP units and in consultation with technical partners;

4. Build strategic partnerships.

• Facilitate the communication with other UNDP business units, WHO, other UN agencies, the Global Fund and others key actors for all technical matters related to vector control products;
• Support the Quality Assurance Advisor (Health Products) in representing UNDP in relevant technical meetings with partners, working groups and works towards harmonization and updates of the QA policy related to specifications and norms for health products;
• Contribute to information sharing on quality of sources and quality complaints with other agencies/partners at the global, regional and local level; 
• Participate in UNDP and other relevant internal and external networks to promote the UNDP QA Policy and its implementation in relevant forums (conferences, e-forum), and development and implementation of training plans; and 

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization.

Institutional Arrangement

The Quality Assurance Specialist (Vector control) will report to the GFPHST Quality Assurance Advisor (Copenhagen). 

• Achieve Results: LEVEL 3: Set and align challenging, achievable objectives for multiple projects, have lasting impact 
• Think Innovatively: LEVEL 3: Proactively mitigate potential risks, develop new ideas to solve complex problems 
• Learn Continuously: LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences
• Adapt with Agility: LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands 
• Act with Determination: LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results
• Engage and Partner: LEVEL 3: Political savvy, navigate complex landscape, champion inter-agency collaboration
• Enable Diversity and Inclusion: LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity

Cross-Functional & Competencies

• Business Direction and Strategy - Negotiation and Influence: 
  • Ability to reach an understanding, persuade others, resolve points of difference, gain advantage in the outcome of dialogue, negotiate mutually acceptable solutions through compromise and create ‘win-win’ situations.
• Business Management - Risk Management: 
  • Ability to identify and organise action around mitigating and proactively managing risks.
• Business Management - Communication: 
  • Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels
• Partnership management - Relationship management: 
  • Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding.
• Procurement - Strategic sourcing: 
  • Knowledge of strategic sourcing concepts, principles and methods, and ability to apply this to strategic and/or practical situations
• 2030 Agenda: People - Health:
  • Access to treatment
• Business Direction and Strategy - System Thinking:
  • Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system

Desired additional skills and competencies:

• Demonstrated experience working in diverse teams to lead and collaborate effectively in a complex, multi-disciplinary environment is an asset.
• Extensive work experience with a major multilateral organization is desired.
• Demonstrable experience in managing complex situations, issues at country, regional or international level is desired.
• Experience and understanding the WHO integrated vector management procurement process is an asset.