Consultant - Regional Manufacturing for Equitable Access

Contractual Arrangement: External consultant

Contract Duration (Years, Months, Days): 11 months

: Aug 29, 2025, 7:48:51 AM

: Sep 12, 2025, 9:59:00 PM

: Anywhere

: UT/UTD UNITAID International drug purchase facility

: Full-time

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that the deadline for receipt of applications indicated above reflects your personal device's system settings.

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*Purpose of consultancy*

The consultant will support the RMEA team in project planning and execution, including stakeholder engagement. Key responsibilities include coordinating activities, finalizing technical reports, and contributing to deliverables outlined below.

*Background*

Unitaid, a partnership hosted by the World Health Organization, is focused on accelerating the introduction and adoption of key health products primarily for HIV and co-infections, tuberculosis, malaria and women and children's health. It creates systemic conditions for sustainable and equitable access and aims to foster inclusive and demand-driven partnerships for innovation. It designs and invests in innovative approaches to make quality health products available and affordable in low- and middle-income countries. It promotes collective efforts with partners, countries and communities, unlocking access to the tools, services and care than can deliver the best results, improve health and address global health priorities.

Access to affordable, quality-assured health products is crucial for sustainable health systems, yet many low- and middle-income countries face challenges due to dependence on imports, leaving them vulnerable to supply chain disruptions. This was evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the need to strengthen regional manufacturing. Unitaid, a key player in global health, focuses on identifying and investing in innovative solutions to address these challenges. In particular, Unitaid's Regional Manufacturing for Equitable Access (RMEA) prioritizes Africa in its first phase of implementation, aiming to contribute to a sustainable manufacturing industry for essential health products as an enabler of equitable access. Fostering collaboration through platforms like the Industry Engagement Forum (IEF), Unitaid facilitates dialogue among stakeholders, including manufacturers, to drive innovation and address market realities. Looking ahead, Unitaid aims to expand its RMEA efforts to Latin America (Phase 2)  and other underserved regions, emphasizing the importance of collective action to enhance access to vital health commodities worldwide.

*Deliverables*

• Deliverable 1: Inception phase to implementation phase transition support to be concluded by January 2026.
• Deliverable 2: Event Coordination: three events coordinated by the end of the contract.
• Deliverable 3: Stakeholder Relationship Management: Develop a stakeholder management  and implement a stakeholder management tool by the end of the contract.
• Deliverable 4: Operational Partnership Development: One partnership agreement is operationalized.
• Deliverable 5: Develop and implement an internal team coordination tool by the end of the contract.
• Deliverable 6: Complete three technical reports by the end of the contract.

*Qualifications, experience, skills and languages

Educational Qualifications:*

Essential:

• University degree in one of the following areas: engineering, pharmacy, life sciences, applied sciences, business/public administration, project management, public health or related field.

Desirable:

• Advanced degree or training in development/manufacturing of health product

*Experience*

Essential:

• At least 5 years' experience in supporting various aspects of project/grant management, including proposal development, risk and feasibility assessment, document review and project implementation.
• Work experience in multi-stakeholder environments including at country (LMIC) level and across multi-functional and dynamic teams.
• Work experience along the manufacturing value chain for health products i.e. research and development to manufacturing, commercialization, procurement and delivery.
• Experience in healthcare manufacturing processes, supply chain management, and regulatory requirements.

Desirable:

• Experience in project management, including in supply chain, product development, market access/regulatory, quality assurance, and/or intellectual property.
• Experience in health products access in LMICs.

*Skills/Knowledge*

Essential:

• Good project management skills.
• Stakeholder engagement.

Desirable:

• Knowledge of grant development, implementation, financing and budgets in public health or development-related projects.

*Languages and level required*

Essential:

• Expert knowledge of English

*Location*

Off site: home based.

*Travel*

The consultant will be expected to travel.

*Remuneration and budget (travel costs are excluded)

Remuneration:*

Band level B – USD 7'000 - USD 9'980 per month

*Living expenses (A living expense is payable to on-site consultants who are internationally recruited):*

N/A

*Expected duration of contract:*

11 months

*Additional Information*

• This vacancy notice may be used to identify candidates for other similar consultancies at the same level.
• Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
• A written test may be used as a form of screening.
• If your candidature is retained for interview, you will be required to provide, in advance, a scanned copy of the degree(s)/diploma(s)/certificate(s) required for this position. WHO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU)/United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed through the link: Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
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• WHO has a smoke-free environment and does not recruit smokers or users of any form of tobacco.
• Applications from women and from nationals of non and underrepresented Member States are particularly encouraged.
• WHO prides itself on a workforce that adheres to the highest ethical and professional standards and that is committed to put the WHO Values Charter into practice.
• WHO has zero tolerance towards sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct (i.e., discrimination, abuse of authority and harassment). All members of the WHO workforce have a role to play in promoting a safe and respectful workplace and should report to WHO any actual or suspected cases of SEA, sexual harassment and other types of abusive conduct. To ensure that individuals with a substantiated history of SEA, sexual harassment or other types of abusive conduct are not hired by the Organization, WHO will conduct a background verification of final candidates.
• Consultants shall perform the work as independent contractors in a personal capacity, and not as a representative of any entity or authority. The execution of the work under a consultant contract does not create an employer/employee relationship between WHO and the Consultant.
• WHO shall have no responsibility whatsoever for any taxes, duties, social security contributions or other contributions payable by the Consultant. The Consultant shall be solely responsible for withholding and paying any taxes, duties, social security contributions and any other contributions which are applicable to the Consultant in in each location/jurisdiction in which the work hereunder is performed, and the Consultant shall not be entitled to any reimbursement thereof by WHO.
• Consultants working in Switzerland must register with the applicable Swiss cantonal tax authorities and social security authorities, within the prescribed timeframes (Guidelines issued by the Swiss Mission are available at: fonctionnaires et