Project Management Support Officer- Food and Medicine Regulatory System Strengthening, Public Health (Retainer), UNOPS Vacancy Announcement; February 2 2024

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Organization: UNOPS

Position: Project Management Support Officer- Food and Medicine Regulatory System Strengthening, Public Health (Retainer)

Employment: Contract

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Date of Announcement: January 30 2024

Deadline: February 5 2024

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Job description

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Background Information – Job-specific

Ethiopia Multi-country Office (ETMCO) sub-region currently consists of an established Operation Centre in Addis Ababa which manages a portfolio of engagements in four (4) Horn of Africa countries (Ethiopia, Djibouti, Sudan and South Sudan). ETMCO focuses on Infrastructure, Procurement, Project Management, HR and Transactional Services, and Fund Management services across a wide range of sectors including Health, Education, Agriculture, and Resilient infrastructure among others.

Our goal is to support countries, help people in need and enable our partners through delivering on our mandate of infrastructure, procurement and project management in the countries in the Horn of Africa. Building on our global experience of successfully delivering projects in complex operating environments, a healthy pipeline of engagements is at various stages of discussion with our priority partners.

Project Background

UNOPS has signed a project agreement with the Ministry of Health to strengthen the Capacity of the Ministry for the Realization of Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP-II) on selected priorities. This project will be implemented in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and the overall objective/purpose is to contribute towards the realization of selected strategic priorities of the Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP-II) which is more on project management focusing on institutional capacity building, technical assistance etc. UNOPS is selected to manage and implement the project by creating a project management unit (PMU).

This unit will be formed by a group of experts and specialists in the relevant matters that will be in charge of delivering the outputs.

The Project Management Support Officer will report to the UNOPS Project Manager and will be working day-to-day in close and collaboration with the client institution, particularly the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (EFDA) Director General Office. The incumbent will also gather feedback from the client to manage and assess the deliverables.

Strategic Initiative:

• Improve Regulatory Systems
• Improve access to pharmaceuticals and medical devices and their rational and proper use

Scope of Work/ Objective

The Project Management Support Officer will provide support to the Ethiopian Food and Drug Authority (Director General Office ) on the implementation of FHRSTP II focusing mainly on objectives and strategic initiatives related to medicine and medical devices regulation sectors(such as boosting medical product marketing authorization and combating of substandard and falsified medical product etc), matters related to attainment of WHO maturity level 3 and establishment of quality management system in the health regulatory sector, capacity building of regulatory workforce. The officer will also prepare regulatory tools (such as standards, guidelines, checklists, etc ) which help for standardization of regulatory requirements and coordination among EFDA main office, branch offices, and regional regulatory bodies; and matters related to cGMP compliance of local pharmaceutical manufacturers.

Functional Responsibilities

The Project Management Support Officer will be responsible for the below-listed tasks.

• Support the development and implementation of the 3-year EFDA transformation plan (FHRSTP II) and co-develop monitoring and evaluation tools for the 3-year transformation plan of the Authority;
• Prepare/revise IDP tools (legal documents, guidelines, manuals, SOPs, checklists, forms) which help EFDA attainment of WHO maturity level 3 based on recommendations issued by WHO auditors;
• Participate in conducting EFDA internal audit and management review meetings on the progress of CAPA implementation of nonconformances identified by WHO auditors;
• Support the development and revision of standards, guidelines checklists which help for standardization of regulatory requirements and coordination among EFDA main office, branch offices, and regional regulatory bodies;
• Analytical support in developing/revising tools that help medical product marketing authorization and system requirements for upgrading of the electronic regulatory information system;
• Engage in supporting the establishment and implementation EFDA quality management system;
• Support the development of tools and meetings that support cGMP compliance of the local pharmaceutical manufacturers;
• Support in preparing protocols, guidelines, and checklists for the conduct of inspections and post-marketing surveillance of medical products;
• Support the development of tools for combating of antimicrobial resistance and enforcement of rational medicine use.
• Engage in strategic and flagship activities of EFDA;
• Coordinate with and facilitate and arrange capacity-building interventions in the areas of medicine registration, WHO maturity level, inspection of GMP and GXP inspection of medicine distribution channel, and the overall regulatory system;
• Liaise between EFDA and different stakeholders including the National Ethics Committee (MoE) concerning clinical trials conducted in the country and other agencies concerning EFDA priority areas stated in the scope of the assignment;
• Other related assignments as given by the Director General Office for operation.

Expected Deliverables

• Technical support was provided to the director general office on the implementation of the Food and health product regulatory sector transformation plan concerning medical product sector regulation
• Number of regulatory tools developed and/or revised
• Regulatory workforce supported in specific regulatory areas
• EFDA’s staff are coached and mentored in different regulatory activities
• Monthly and quarterly progress reports submitted
• The above deliverables are only indicative and are subject to change within the scope of the role.

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Job requirements

 

Education/Experience/Language requirements

Education

• A first University Degree (Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent) in Public Health, Pharmacy or other related fields is required. OR
• Advanced University Degree (Master’s Degree or equivalent) in Public Health, Pharmacy or other relevant fields is desirable.

Experience

• At least two (2) years of proven experience directly related to supporting health systems strengthening and program management is required.
• Experience in demonstrating an in-depth understanding and analytical capacity across issues related to medicine regulatory system strengthening (including medicine marketing authorization) evidence-based planning, prioritization and monitoring is desirable.
• Experience working with development partners, the food and medicine regulatory system, strong understanding of GMP compliance of pharmaceutical manufacturing and Ethiopia’s health system is an added advantage.
• Experience in promoting teamwork between EFDA and DPs is an asset.

Language

• Fluency in spoken, written and reading English is required.
• Knowledge of another UN official language is an asset.

Competencies

• Treats all individuals with respect; responds sensitively to differences and encourages others to do the same. Upholds organizational and ethical norms. Maintains high standards of trustworthiness. Role model for diversity and inclusion.
• Acts as a positive role model contributing to the team spirit. Collaborates and supports the development of others. For people managers only: Acts as a positive leadership role model, motivates, directs and inspires others to succeed, utilizing appropriate leadership styles.
• Demonstrates understanding of the impact of own role on all partners and always puts the end beneficiary first. Builds and maintains strong external relationships and is a competent partner for others (if relevant to the role).
• Efficiently establishes an appropriate course of action for self and/or others to accomplish a goal. Actions lead to total task accomplishment through concern for quality in all areas. Sees opportunities and takes the initiative to act on them. Understands that responsible use of resources maximizes our impact on our beneficiaries.
• Open to change and flexible in a fast-paced environment. Effectively adapts own approach to suit changing circumstances or requirements. Reflects on experiences and modifies own behavior. Performance is consistent, even under pressure. Always pursues continuous improvements.
• Evaluates data and courses of action to reach logical, pragmatic decisions. Takes an unbiased, rational approach with calculated risks. Applies innovation and creativity to problem-solving.
• Expresses ideas or facts in a clear, concise and open manner. Communication indicates a consideration for the feelings and needs of others. Actively listens and proactively shares knowledge. Handles conflict effectively, by overcoming differences of opinion and finding common ground.

Contract type, level and duration

1. Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement (LICA)
2. Contract level: LICA-8 (ICS8)
3. Contract duration: One year, with the possibility of extension.

For more details about the ICA contractual modality, please follow this link:

https://www.unops.org/english/Opportunities/job-opportunities/what-we-offer/Pages/Individual-Contractor-Agreements.aspx

This is a local position and hence is open to Ethiopian nationals only.

Additional Information

• 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 that 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. For more information on a retainer contract here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties under 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.

 

 

 

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