OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME

The Department of Noncommunicable Diseases (NCD) is responsible for global leadership, coordination, guidance, and technical support to reduce premature mortality and morbidity from NCDs, burden of sensory impairments and oral health through prevention and integrated service delivery, treatment, surveillance, rehabilitation, monitoring, and research. The Department also lead WHO's work on disability. The Department provides overall coordination and brings together the work on NCD prevention, control, and rehabilitation from across the departments and from the three levels of the organization. It coordinates reports to the WHO and UN governing bodies and is the main interlocutor on NCDs. The Department assist and support regions and countries in their efforts to provide a country-centred, concerted and coordinated action to strengthen health systems to respond to NCDs, oral diseases and sensory impairment, including, particularly, access to health services including essential medicines and technologies. The Department is responsible for broader programmatic initiatives, such as the Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, and also ensure linkages between primary and secondary prevention using technical packages as well as harnessing innovation and use of technology, including Be Healthy Be Mobile.The objective of the Platform is to provide an estimated 50 countries with access to childhood cancer medicines, by 2027 and, by extension, to contribute toward to achieve the goal of 60% survival in the Global Initiative for Childhood cancer, and also to find innovative solutions to provide childhood cancer medicines to the end-user by improving affordability and accessibility.
 

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES

1. Provide technical guidance in the selection, procurement and monitoring of health products as part of the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines including completing technical review of purchase orders from participating Member States.

2. Participate in the review of designated programme documentation and activity products ensuring quality of programme deliverables.

3. Perform review of country readiness; provide technical assistance to government agencies and other relevant health partners for developing purchase orders, coherent with essential medicines lists, for different types of cancers.

4. Contribute to identify and develop, as appropriate, tools to support the selection, forecasting, and monitoring of products, leveraging existing tools and/or platforms and to support training relevant national, sub-national and/or facility personnel.

5. Contribute to global programmes of training and capacity building in the areas of medicine supply management, quality control, storage, dispensing, prescription, use and disposal of medicines in close collaboration with other relevant WHO programmes and support adaptation to the national context.

6. Analyze the pipeline of childhood cancer products and organize routine dialogue with private sector entities, as appropriate and in accordance with WHO policies. Produce background documents and reports on the performance of the Platform, including those requested by the Steering Committee.

7. Provide technical support in WHO's interactions and dialogue with non-State actors, including private sector and civil society, in the area of medicines and health technologies for childhood cancer and other noncommunicable diseases as appropriate.

8. Conduct desk-based and/or field based pharmaceutical management technical assistance activities including delivery of training as designated and in-collaboration with relevant departments.

9. Contribute to organization-wide policies, plans, strategies, and budgets, in support of the mandates related to essential medicines and technologies for childhood cancer and to liaise with the Global Initiative of Childhood Cancer.

10. Participate in the development of communication materials, presentations, articles, concept papers, abstracts and posters in the context of knowledge management and participate in the presentation of these products to various audiences and forums.

11. Design a programmatic approach to adopt best practices in selection and supply management of health commodities and implement methodologies to ensure stock management of inventory levels and data.

12. Liaise with and utilize partnerships with St Jude Children's Research Hospital, other UN Agencies, donors, non-State actors, research institutions and people living with and affected by cancer to position the technical area of work and implementation of the Global Platform.

13. Perform all other related duties as assigned.
 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Essential:
An advanced university degree (Master's level or above) in health, pharmaceutical sciences, information technology, data sciences, or any other related field.

Desirable:
Pharmacist, physician and/or nurse qualification preferred.

 

Experience

Essential:
1. A minimum of 7 years of professional experience relating to pharmaceutical systems, supply chain management or pharmaceutical services at national or international level.
2. Relevant experience in public health in the implementation of access to health products.
3. Demonstrated experience at the international level.

Desirable:
1. Experience in cancer control or child health.
2. Relevant work experience with WHO and/or UN agencies, health cluster partners; experience working in relevant nongovernmental organizations.

 

Skills

1. Concrete skills in the planning and coordination of public health programmes including (inter alia) the implementation of procurement-based initiatives, at global, regional and country level.
2. Strong skills in the area of developing and establishing medicine access policies and strategies.
3. Excellent skills in managing diverse teams and financial resources with strong project management skills.
4. Ability to engage and communicate effectively and diplomatically with external partners including Ministries of Health, Donor institutions, Civil Society, and other stakeholders.
5. Commitment to collaborate effectively with other key partners in cancer control.
6. Excellent skills and ability in strategic and innovative thinking, with a sensitivity to spot gaps, overleaps, opportunities and to formulate approaches addressing these.
7. Good knowledge of the operations of WHO and understanding of the principal stakeholders including those in UN system and the international development partners.

 

WHO Competencies

1. Teamwork
2. Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
3. Communication
4. Driving the Organization's Position in Health Leadership
5. Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond

 

Use of Language Skills

Essential:
Expert knowledge of English.

Desirable:
1. Intermediate knowledge of French.
2. Intermediate knowledge of other WHO 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 77,326 (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 5271 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.