Quality Assurance Analyst - Pharmaceuticals and Hormonal Contraceptives

at  unfpa

THE POSITION:

The Quality Assurance Analyst position is within the Product Quality Assurance Team in the UNFPA Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU). You report directly to the Quality Assurance Specialist. The position aims at provision of Quality Assurance services for Pharmaceuticals and Hormonal Contraceptives. The Quality Assurance Analyst will work closely with the new integrated HQ division (name To Be Decided), the UNFPA Supplies Partnership, the Humanitarian Response Division, other HQ Business Units, the Regional Offices, and the Country Offices and with the Supplier community.
The Product Quality Assurance Team is the life force of UNFPA’s supplies, whereby the team ensures that contraceptives, medicines, medical devices, and kits UNFPA deliver to women and girls are safe, effective and will do no harm.

HOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE:

UNFPA is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. These results capture our strategic commitments on accelerating progress towards realizing the ICPD and SDGs in the Decade of Action leading up to 2030. Our strategic plan calls upon UN Member States, organizations and individuals to “build forward better”, while addressing the negative impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on women’s and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights, recover lost gains and realize our goals.
In a world where fundamental human rights are at risk, we need principled and ethical staff, who embody these international norms and standards, and who will defend them courageously and with full conviction.
UNFPA is seeking candidates that transform, inspire and deliver high impact and sustained results; we need staff who are transparent, exceptional in how they manage the resources entrusted to them and who commit to deliver excellence in programme results.

C. SUPPORT KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT, INFORMATION SHARING AND PARTNERS’ RELATIONSHIPS FOR QUALITY ASSURANCE OF HEALTH PRODUCTS

• Support the preparation of internal and external reports, including the annual reports.
• Facilitate the communication with other UNFPA business units, WHO, other UN agencies, the Global Fund, USAID, IPPF, MSI, PSI and others key actors for all technical matters related to quality assurance of RH commodities and MHM products.
• Support the Product Quality Assurance Team Lead in representing UNFPA in relevant technical meetings with partners, working groups and works towards harmonization and updates of the QA policy related to specifications and norms for medical devices.
• Contribute to information sharing on quality of sources and quality complaints with other agencies/partners at the global, regional, and local level.
• Participate in UNFPA and other relevant internal and external networks to promote the UNFPA QA Framework and its implementation in relevant forums (conferences, e-forum), and development and implementation of training plans.
• Collaborate with different stakeholders (UN agencies, other partner agencies, pharmaceuticals suppliers, manufacturers, technical experts, and testing laboratories) to ensure effective quality assurance of RH commodities and menstrual hygiene products.

EDUCATION:

• Advanced university degree required. An advanced university degree in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Public Health, or related field is an advantage.
• Strong technical understanding of technical developments, industrial practices, and the pharmaceutical markets.
• Completion of relevant training, academic and/or professional certification in Quality Assurance and/or regulation of Pharmaceuticals or health products is an asset.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

• A minimum of 2 years of relevant professional relevant professional experience in pharmaceutical products, supporting program implementation and scale up of such products.
• Experience dealing with regulatory function, product manufacturing, quality assurance and quality control of pharmaceuticals or health products is required.
• Demonstrated knowledge of international markets (sources, certifications, and controls) is required.
• Technical knowledge of WHO standards and guidelines e.g., GDP, GMP, GLP etc is an asset.
• Work experience with the UN or an international organization is an asset.
• Work experience or support to developing countries is an asset.
• Experience in supervising staff is an asset.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communications skills.

JOB PURPOSE:

As the Quality Assurance Analyst, you will support the Product Quality Assurance Team Lead’s efforts on the development and implementation of the Quality Assurance (QA) framework and policies for the management of sexual reproductive health commodities, coordinate QA activities for the whole of UNFPA, knowledge management, information sharing and manage partners’ relationships for quality assurance of health products, provides technical support to UNFPA Country Offices, Regional and HQ staffs in quality assurance related issues and; support innovation in Quality Assurance.