Organization: UNOPS – United Nations Office for Project Services
Location: Dhaka
Grade:
Occupational Groups:
Public Health and Health Service
Project and Programme Management
Malaria, Tuberculosis and other infectious diseases
Documentation and Information Management
Closing Date: 2025-05-13
Job categories Health
Vacancy code VA/2025/B5514/30103
Department/office APR, SAMCO, Bangladesh
Duty station Dhaka, Bangladesh
Contract type Local ICA Specialist
Contract level LICA Specialist-11
Duration 3 months
Application period 30-Apr-2025 to 13-May-2025
Applications to vacancies must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement.
Functional Responsibilities
The consultant will undertake a comprehensive appraisal of the Development Project Proposal (DPP), focusing on the following areas:
- DPP Analysis: Conduct an in-depth technical, financial, regulatory, and operational review of the DPP to assess internal consistency, structural adequacy, and alignment with national and international development frameworks.
- Manufacturing Strategy Review: Critically assess the proposed manufacturing plan, including capacity targets and modalities for full-cycle vaccine production, fill-and-finish operations, diagnostics manufacturing, and packaging of biosimilar therapeutics. Examine the scalability, technical feasibility, and compliance of manufacturing processes with WHO and other international regulatory standards.
- R&D Component Evaluation: Evaluate the structure and objectives of the proposed in-house research and development unit, with a focus on the establishment and utilization of seed banks, master and working cell banks, and development pipelines for diagnostics.
- Infrastructure and GMP Compliance: Review architectural and engineering plans of the manufacturing facility to verify compliance with the WHO Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) guidelines, environmental sustainability measures, energy and resource efficiency, and climate-resilient design principles.
- Regulatory System Strengthening: Assess the DGDA’s proposed capacity-building framework, including upgrades to laboratory infrastructure, regulatory inspection mechanisms, human resource development plans, and institutional alignment with the WHO Global Benchmarking Tool (GBT) for maturity level advancement.
- Strategic and Operational Recommendations: Provide detailed, actionable recommendations to enhance the project’s technical feasibility, risk mitigation measures, institutional governance, gender equity and social inclusion (GESI) integration, and long-term sustainability.
- Global and Regional Alignment: Ensure coherence of the DPP with international health security priorities, pandemic preparedness frameworks, WHO programmatic guidance, and global regulatory harmonization initiatives.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Engage in structured consultations with key stakeholders, including EDCL, DGDA, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, development partners, and technical experts to validate findings and ensure stakeholder alignment.
Deliverables
The consultant will be responsible for producing the following key deliverables within the agreed timelines:
- Inception Report: A concise report to be submitted within one (1) week of contract commencement, outlining the consultant’s methodological approach, detailed review framework, activity schedule, and key milestones for the assignment.
- Draft Technical Review Report: A preliminary report presenting initial observations, identified gaps, risks, and areas requiring technical or strategic reinforcement. This report will include provisional recommendations for improvement across all components of the DPP.
- Final Technical Review Report: A comprehensive and validated document incorporating feedback from relevant stakeholders and comprising the following elements:
- A detailed technical, operational, and regulatory assessment of the DPP
- Specific recommendations for revisions or enhancements on the content of the DPP and structure
- Strategic guidance for implementation to optimize feasibility, efficiency, and impact
- A risk analysis matrix with proposed mitigation strategies and contingency measures
- Stakeholder Presentation: A high-level PowerPoint presentation summarizing key findings, conclusions, and recommendations of the review, tailored for senior policymakers, development partners, and implementing agencies.
Education/Experience/Language requirements
Education:
- Advanced degree or Masters in Public Health, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biotechnology, Regulatory Affairs, or a related field is required.
Work Experience:
- Minimum of 7 years of experience in vaccine/biologics manufacturing, regulatory strengthening, or project planning is required
- Demonstrated experience with WHO prequalification, GMP certification, or health system strengthening is desired
- Knowledge of WHO Global Benchmarking Tool and regulatory system strengthening is an asset
- Familiarity with low- and middle-income country health systems, especially in South Asia is an asset