OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME
Unitaid, a partnership hosted by the World Health Organization is focused on accelerating the introduction and adoption of key health products primarily for HIV & co-infections, tuberculosis, malaria and women &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.
DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES
Under the supervision of Team Lead, Health and Climate, the role of the Sustainability Manager is to:
1. Conduct strategic analyses to identify high-impact opportunities for making health products more climate smart throughout their entire value chain, highlighting potential for climate mitigation and adaptation
- Perform technical analyses of key health products, including lifecycle assessments (eg carbon/multi-impact, vulnerabilities/risks), within Unitaid’s current and future portfolio to identify major sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other environmental impacts, as well as prioritize key levers and opportunities for addressing the main sources of emissions and impacts
- Analyze, as relevant, broader systemic aspects and enabling strategies to mitigate impacts and climate-proof and adapt products and supply chains (eg, regulatory and procurement standards)
- Identify highest potential interventions for Unitaid, through investments, thought leadership and partnership approaches and develop relevant roadmaps and investment cases in support of these interventions
- Publish relevant landscapes, frameworks, and analyses to advance the broader dissemination of knowledge on climate-smart health products.
2. Lead the origination, design and implementation of a portfolio of investments in support of climate smart health products:
- Develop a pipeline of high impact investment opportunities for greening health products, leveraging relevant entry points and mechanisms in Unitaid’s grant management cycle and ensure strong complementarity and integration with Unitaid’s broader investment pipeline, in collaboration with the Strategy team.
- Regarding the design of investments: define the scope of work (eg, through calls for proposal); lead the technical assessment of proposals (or relevant parts of broader proposals); support the investment planning, launch and selection process.
- Regarding implementation of investments: provide continuous strategic guidance and technical support for the design of grants and their implementation; reassess strategic relevance and value of investment as needed in order to support course correction/reprogramming as needed; prepare relevant documentation in support of key investment or programmatic decisions to be made by Unitaid’s leadership team and Board; With the Results team, develop relevant progress reports and impact estimates for internal and external use. Ensure lessons from investments are regularly identified, documented, disseminated and acted upon in future investments.
- Drive relevant partner engagement activities: Identify relevant partnership opportunities and contribute to developing these partnerships; Support resource mobilization and communications efforts, in relation with the External Relations and Communication teams; Represent Unitaid in key working groups, conferences, forums and initiatives (eg, ATACH)
- Contribute to building Unitaid’s capacity in Health and Climate: Develop and maintain relevant frameworks and analytical tools for Unitaid’s work on climate-smart health products; monitor the evolution of methods and standards for sustainability, and ensure the integration/adaptation for Unitaid as relevant; Identify and nurture a network of external experts and consultants to complement in-house expertise; Contribute to key initiatives of the Health and Climate team as needed, including in terms of staff awareness and understanding of climate and environmental issues.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS
Education
Essential:
- Advanced university/business school degree in sustainability, environmental/natural science, business administration, general engineering, or a related field.
Desirable:
- Degree, diploma, or certification in environmental sustainability, sustainable product manufacturing, supply chains with a focus on environment/climate change.
Experience
Essential:
Overall experience: At least 7 years of cumulative professional experience across the private, public, or development sectors, ideally with a mix of global, national, and industry-specific experience relevant to the role.
Sustainability experience: Extensive experience in environmental sustainability, with progressively increasing responsibilities in managing large sustainability programs/initiatives.
Climate Mitigation experience: Experience working on climate mitigation/decarbonization projects, ideally with a focus on assessing and reducing the climate/environmental impacts of complex, global product value chains, or organizations.Product and Sector knowledge:
Demonstrated experience in working with products pertinent to Unitaid’s portfolio, or with relevant global health and product organizations, industries or global supply chains.
Experience in other relevant sectors demonstrating knowledge of climate and health challenges linked to Unitaid’s work may also be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Desirable:
Climate and Health: A strong interest in the intersection of climate and health is essential for understanding global stakes, challenges, and opportunities, as well as for navigating the role and its working environment effectively.
Climate Adaptation experience: Proven experience conducting environmental risk and vulnerability assessments and/or climate adaptation projects, particularly related to global supply chains and products, with a preference for experience in the global health care sector.
Investment experience: Proven experience in designing, leading, and delivering advanced analyses to support investment decisions, including due diligence, business process, market, impact and financial analyses, as well as investment case development.
Project Management: Demonstrated experience in designing and managing projects in complex environments involving multiple stakeholders.
Communication: Skilled in writing technical reports and documents tailored for senior audiences, including boards and leadership teams.
Skills
Extensive professional knowledge of global environmental sustainability issues, including relevant and widely recognized frameworks, global norms, and professional practices.
- Working knowledge of health product markets (diagnostics, medicines, medical devices, etc.) and associated sustainability and access challenges, particularly in Low and Middle-Income Countries. Operational understanding of product manufacturing contexts and global supply chains.
- – Strong analytical skills with a proven ability to design and conduct product investment and market analyses with strong sustainability angles
- – Proven technical skills to conduct /interpret technical studies, research, and data analyses, including product life cycle assessments/footprint analysis and familiarity with carbon accounting/reporting and other ESG standards.
- – Deep understanding of and genuine interest in Unitaid’s health and access mission, including its ecosystem, portfolio of products, and programmatic areas. Strong knowledge of relevant standards, regulations, and frameworks guiding Unitaid’s operating model and ecosystem.
- – Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to influence others and work collaboratively as part of a team to overcome challenges and deliver high-impact results in a stimulating environment.
- – Sound judgment combined with strong curiosity and acumen regarding climate issues, and a keen appetite for continuous learning and delving into new areas.
- – Excellent written and oral communication skills, with an open-minded, self-reflective approach.
WHO Competencies
Teamwork
Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences
Communication
Producing results
Building and promoting partnerships across the organization and beyond
Use of Language Skills
Essential:
Expert knowledge of English.
Desirable:
Intermediate knowledge of French.
REMUNERATION
WHO salaries for staff in the Professional category are calculated in US dollars. The remuneration for the above position comprises an annual base salary starting at USD 77,326 (subject to mandatory deductions for pension contributions and health insurance, as applicable), a variable post adjustment, which reflects the cost of living in a particular duty station, and currently amounts to USD 6231 per month for the duty station indicated above. Other benefits include 30 days of annual leave, allowances for dependent family members, home leave, and an education grant for dependent children.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- This vacancy notice may be used to fill other similar positions at the same grade level
- Only candidates under serious consideration will be contacted.
- A written test and/or an asynchronous video assessment may be used as a form of screening.
- In the event that your candidature is retained for an 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: http://www.whed.net/. Some professional certificates may not appear in the WHED and will require individual review.
- According to article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter of the United Nations, the paramount consideration in the employment of the staff is the necessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence, and integrity. Due regard will be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.
- Any appointment/extension of appointment is subject to WHO Staff Regulations, Staff Rules and Manual.
- Staff members in other duty stations are encouraged to apply.
- The WHO is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment of mutual respect. The WHO recruits and employs staff regardless of disability status, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, race, marital status, religious, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, or any other personal characteristics.
- Persons with disabilities can request reasonable accommodations to enable participation in the recruitment process. Requests for reasonable accommodation should be sent through an email to reasonableaccommodation@who.int
- An impeccable record for integrity and professional ethical standards is essential. 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.
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- WHO also offers wide range of benefits to staff, including parental leave and attractive flexible work arrangements to help promote a healthy work-life balance and to allow all staff members to express and develop their talents fully.
- The statutory retirement age for staff appointments is 65 years. For external applicants, only those who are expected to complete the term of appointment will normally be considered.
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- As a WHO staff member assigned solely and exclusively to support this Partnership, selected staff will have no right of reassignment or transfer outside the Partnership either during or at the end of his/her appointment, including pursuant to WHO Staff Rule 1050. (This does not apply to WHO fixed-term staff members reassigned from a non-Partnership position.)
- UNITAID is a partnership hosted and administered by WHO, located outside WHO premises in Le Pommier, 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex.