Background

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges to help empower lives and build resilient nations.

The Bureau for Policy and Programme Support (BPPS) has the responsibility for developing all relevant policy and guidance and supports the results of UNDP’s 2014-2017 Strategic Plan, focusing on seven outcomes including, strengthening institutions to progressively deliver universal access to basic services (Outcome 3). Within BBPS, the HIV, Health and Development Group (HHD Group) has an important role in supporting health outcomes by supporting countries to address the social, cultural and economic determinants of HIV and health, in partnership with UN entities and other organizations. This is done through UNDP’s core work in reducing inequalities and social exclusion that drive HIV and poor health, promoting effective and inclusive governance for health, and building resilient and sustainable systems for health. UNDP also contributes through its coordinating and convening role in bringing together multiple partners and resources at national and local levels. The HIV, Health and Development Strategy 2016-2021: ‘Connecting the Dots’ elaborates UNDP's work on HIV and health in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

UNDP has a long-standing partnership with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberuclosis and Malaria (“GF”, “Global Fund”). UNDP is requested to be the interim Principal Recipient (PR) of Global Fund grants in countries facing complex emergencies, sancitions and other capacity constraints.  In this role, UNDP supports countries to effecitvley implement complex HIV, TB, malaria and/or health system strengthening programmes, while while simultaneously developing national capacity for governments or local entities to be able to assume the PR role over time.  UNDP also provides support to national implementers through the financing agreement modality and also administers funding for Country Coordinating.   More recently, UNDP has been supporting the implementation of the Global Fund’s COVID response through its C19RM funding mechanism.

Within the HHD Group,  the Global Fund – Health Implementation Support Team (GF-HIST) is a dedicated team that was established to providing support to UNDP Country Offices to implement Global Fund grants. The support includes, programme management, monitoring and evaluation, financial management, capacity development and/or transition and sustainability planning and support to strategic policies and plans and funding proposals.  The GF/HIST provides its support through a country team approach to strengthen and integrate the different functional capacities (e.g., programmatic, procurement/SCM strengthening, finance, capacity development), leveraging technical assistance and policy support from the HHD Group and other GPN teams, Regional and Central Bureaus, including the Bureau of Management (BMS).   Proactive risk management and investing in sustainability are the cornerstones of UNDP’s portfolio management approach in supporting to countries with significant national capacity constraints to manage large-scale health programmes.

UNDP’s track record as PR since 2003 and capacity to deliver in challenging operating environments has been critical for strengthening its positioning as a health implementation support partner. 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 Implementation Support Team (Global Fund Partnership Team) is providing support to Country Offices through three overarching modalities: 1) the Global Fund portfolio, 2) health procurement and supply chain management support, and 3) other health implementation support beyond the Global Fund, including Gavi-funded activities and Solar for Health. The procurement health products is completed through UNDP’s global architecture (GHPC).

UNDP’s Support to COVID-19

COVID-19 is a critical issue for UNDP. It is as much a health and development emergency as it is a human security crisis. In order to deliver on its mission eradicating poverty, reducing inequalities and building resilience to crisis and shocks, UNDP must help countries to urgently and effectively respond to COVID-19 in the context of the 2030 Agenda.  Drawing on UNDP’s experience with other outbreaks such as Ebola, HIV, SARS, TB and malaria, as well as our long history of working with the private and public sector, UNDP is helping countries to urgently and effectively respond to COVID-19 as part of its mission to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and build resilience to crises and shocks. UNDP, together with our UN family and other partners, are prioritizing, supporting the health response including the procurement and supply of essential health products, under WHO’s leadership, strengthening crisis management and response, and addressing critical social and economic impacts.  UNDP is participating as a member of the Joint UN Task Force on Procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), providing technical assistance including, quality assurance. UNDP has procured over US$140 million of PPE and Medical Devices (MDs) since the beginning of March 2020. To draw lessons on the implementation of the QA Policy in response to COVID, the GF/HIST will review the work undertaken in coordination with the Bureau of Management Services. 

Duties and Responsibilities

Objective of the assignment

The Quality Assurance Specialist will support the GF/HIST team in the review, revision, implementation and the monitoring of UNDP’s QA Policy (2018) with a focus on MDs and PPE, drawing lessons learnt from UNDP’s support to countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Quality Assurance Specialist will support the development of training packages for use by UNDP’s Country Offices and to develop and revise guidance materials, SOPs and tools and support on training activities for UNDP. The Quality Assurance Specialist will also contribute to corporate reporting on the implementation of the QA Policy during 2019 with a focus on the COVID-19 response and support on training activities.  In addition, the Quality Assurance Specialist is expected to review the specifications and QA criteria for MDs and PPE that UNDP is requested to procure by Country Offices, GHPC and through the joint UN market solicitation processes for MDs and PPE, to assess the sources (manufacturers, distributors/wholesalers, products).

Scope of Work:

• Provide support to QA Advisor in the review and refinement of the QA Policy for MDs and PPE;
• Provide support to the QA Advisor to develop and revise the training packages for use by UNDP’s Country Offices and guidance materials and tools, including the writing of new SOPs and development of related tools;
• Provide support on QA training activities for UNDP Country Offices, GHPC and other Business Units; 
• Provide support for the development of appropriate specifications and QA criteria for key MDs and PPE, submitted by Country Offices and through the Joint UN market solicitation processes for MDs and PPE;
• Review of international norms and standards to include in UNDP’s QA Policy;
• Provide support on the technical issues raised by COs related to the quality of medical devices and PPE;
• Assist the QA team in the maintenance of the QA database of COVID MDs and PPE and in the production of QA corporate reports;
• Assist the QA Advisor in the communication related to the procurement of MDs and PPE (participation to inter agency meetings, writing of reports); and
• Any other duty assigned by the Quality Assurance Advisor.

Expected Deliverables:

• Revisions of the QA Policy for MDs and PPE;
• Training modules on QA for MDs and PPE.
• Training reports;
• Reports to the QA Advisor on technical issues raised by COs, GHPC on MDs and PPE required by COs and proposed by suppliers including for COVID 19;
• Reports reflecting the outcome of the assessment of medical devices and PPE including for COVID 19;
• Reports on the development of appropriate specifications and QA criteria for key medical devices/PPE product dossiers;
• Written update on international norms and standards for MDs and PPE and recommendations for updating the QA policy;
• Regular maintenance of the QA database of COVID MDs and PPE and extraction of summary reports;
• Reports on level of compliance and deviations from UNDP QA criteria;
• Benefits/risks analysis on sources proposed and recommendations for decisions;
• Draft SOP’s for procurement of Quality Assured MDs and PPE.

Competencies

Required Skills and Experience