Job Description
OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME
The strategic objective of the Team is to build regulatory capacity in Member States consistent with good regulatory practices to ensure access to safe, effective and quality assured medical products by developing and maintaining the policy, methodology and tools required for benchmarking (assessment) of national and regional regulatory systems to document strengths and areas for improvement.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
- Provides technical leadership and managerial support within the Department/Programme, in the area of Regulatory Systems Strengthening ensuring that activities in this area are carried out efficiently and effectively.
- Develops and proposes technical health policies and strategies for implementation through collaboration with Regional and Country Offices and provides advice in developing further the Regulatory Systems Strengthening for strengthening and improving technical capacity of target clienteles.
- Manages the programme area in delivering its objectives through efficient managing a small team of technical staff, financial resources and effective work planning to optimize the programme’s deliverables in line with the mandate of the Organization.
- Leads and conducts research on best practices in implementing programmes and activities and dissemination of information for capacity building in the respective area of work.
- Manages the monitoring and evaluation and reporting of the subject area of work of key performance indicators and reporting requirements and mechanisms to optimize performance of Programme deliverables.
- Serves as the technical reference among the peer community, UN Agencies and other stakeholders at the technical levels in the respective area of expertise.
- Liaises with and utilizes partnerships in other UN Agencies, Donor, or research institutions in the Regulatory Systems Strengthening to position the technical area of work and implementation into Global and/or National policies.
- Represent the programme area of work at various meetings to advocate for regulatory systems strengthening and building regulatory capacity.
- Perform all other related duties as assigned.
- Specific duties.
- Coordinates global strategies for the strengthening of national regulatory systems through providing leadership in planning, coordination and undertaking benchmarking of national regulatory authorities (NRAs) to document the maturity status of regulatory systems using the WHO global benchmarking tool (GBT), according to defined priorities.
- Provides leadership in development and maintenance of WHO Listed Authorities (WLA) Framework and Coalition of Interested Parties (CIP) in collaboration with other teams within the Regulation and Safety Unit and the Department of Regulation and Prequalification (RPQ) as well as with Regional and Country Offices.
- Coordinates and endorses responses to country requests for benchmarking of national regulatory systems and proposes appropriate capacity building and specialized technical support activities to address identified gaps, including technical seminars, workshops and country/regional training courses; and promotes awareness of and support for the work of Regulatory Systems Strengthening through advocacy, communication and resource mobilization activities.
- Monitors the impact of WHO policies and strategies through regulatory intelligence systems and proposes changes or new initiatives to address needs, including development and continual improvement of the WHO global benchmarking tool, competency framework, policy, procedures, IT platforms and databases.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Essential:
An advanced level university degree in medicine, pharmacy, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, microbiology, or health science related to the functions of the position.
Desirable:
A university degree in another of the above-mentioned fields.
Experience
Essential:
A minimum of 10 years of professional experience in the management of the regulation of medical products as well as in regulatory cooperation and work-sharing initiatives at the regional or international level.
Relevant experience working with low- middle-income countries, including experience in the development of health and regulatory policies and strategies. Demonstrated experience managing human and financial resources.
Demonstrated experience at the international level.
Desirable:
Experience in leading or coordinating audits/benchmarking of regulatory systems.
Experience in working with WHO guidelines and other internationally recognized technical standards and norms.
Familiarity with WHO regulatory strengthening and/or WHO Prequalification programmes.
Skills
- Concrete skills in the planning and coordination of multidisciplinary public health programmes, which may include the implementation of a public health/disease control programmes.
- Strong skills in the area of developing and establishing polices and strategies.
- Excellent skills and ability in managing diverse teams and financial resources.
- Good skills in mobilizing resources.
- Ability to engage and communicate effectively and diplomatically with external partners including Ministries of Health, Donor institutions, Civil Society, and other stakeholders.
- Commitment to collaborate effectively with other key partners in the Health Subject area.
- Expertise in the regulation of medical products and good understanding of WHO’s policies and strategies in this area.
- Ability to work with experts and networks at national, regional and international levels.
WHO Competencies
Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Producing results
Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
Creating an empowering and motivating environment
Use of Language Skills
Essential:
Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable:
Intermediate knowledge of French.
Closing Date: May 14, 2022
