The UNOPS Regional Office for Africa, based in Nairobi, Kenya, supports African governments, UN partners and donors by providing infrastructure, procurement and management services projects. In the Africa region, UNOPS focuses on helping countries build resilience, improve public service delivery and advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in fragile, conflict-affected contexts and growing rapidly.

The Multi-Country Office for Central Africa (CAMCO), based in Yaoundé, Cameroon, oversees operations in 11 Central African countries. CAMCO is responsible for the development, delivery, management and implementation of a portfolio of projects and programs spread across 11 countries — Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic (CAR), Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Republic of Congo and Rwanda — and includes 2 Small Island Developing States (SIDS) — Cape Verde, Sao Tome and Principe. This MCO manages a $600 million active project portfolio, with a strong focus on infrastructure, fund management, HR and procurement services. Over the years, it has established strong partnerships with international stakeholders,UN entities (including UN missions) and national governments in the region. The office provides technical assistance and capacity building in key development sectors such as rehabilitation and infrastructure construction in health, education, public works and governance. Its services also cover procurement, project management, policy consulting, peace and security, and environmental sustainability.public works and governance. Its services also cover procurement, project management, policy consulting, peace and security, and environmental sustainability.public works and governance. Its services also cover procurement, project management, policy consulting, peace and security, and environmental sustainability.

The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is a United Nations operational entity that supports its partners in the implementation of peace, humanitarian and development projects. UNOPS provides project management, infrastructure and procurement services with a focus on efficiency, sustainability, quality, transparency and accountability.

Located in Kinshasa, DRC, the Projects Office covers four countries, under the multi-country office for Central Africa (CAMCO). Over the years, the office has developed strong working relationships with international partners, UN agencies, including UN missions, as well as Central African governments. It provides technical support and capacity building in strategic areas of development, including rehabilitation and infrastructure development in the health, education, public works, governance and public administration sectors; purchasing, project management and sector advisory services; peace and security; preservation and protection of the environment, among others.

Overview of the position

UNOPS CAMCO requires a retainer(e)expert(e) in pharmacy and pharmaceutical products to support projects to strengthen public health systems, covering pharmaceutical aspects, health products, medical products, pharmaceutical supply chains, storage, distribution, quality assurance and regulatory compliance.

Specialized expertise is essential to ensure a good selection of products, adequate technical specifications, and appropriate storage conditions, and compliant quality or respected regulatory requirements.

Objectives associated with the position

Under the supervision of Country Manager CAMCO, the Pharmacy Retainer Expert(s) will provide remote technical support, upon request, to UNOPS CAMCO teams involved in healthcare projects and pharmaceutical procurement. He/she will advise on product selection, quality requirements, storage conditions, shelf life, cold chain, regulatory aspects and supply chain risks.

The retainer will be able to work on essential medicines, health products, medical consumables, products requiring a cold chain, warehousing systems, distribution services, quality assurance and strengthening of pharmaceutical supply chains

Functions and main expected results

1. Provide technical advice on pharmaceuticals and supply chains

The retainer will advise project teams on pharmaceutical product selection, quality requirements, storage and distribution conditions, shelf life, regulatory requirements and supply chain risks.

2. Prepare and revise pharmaceutical technical specifications and terms of reference

The retailer will prepare or revise technical specifications and terms of reference for medicines, healthcare products, storage equipment, cold chain equipment, quality assurance services, warehouse assessments, distribution services and studies on pharmaceutical supply chains.

3. Support purchasing, technical evaluation and quality assurance

The retainer will support the technical evaluation of pharmaceutical offers, review of produced documents, verification of compliance with quality requirements, analysis of technical submissions and acceptance or quality assurance processes. He/she may also contribute to project proposals and technical documents related to the pharmaceutical sector.

Mandatory

Bachelor (or equivalent) in Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Pharmacology, Public Health, Health Supply Chain Management, Regulatory Affairs with at least 7 years of relevant professional experience is required or

Master’s degree (or equivalent) in any of the above fields, with at least 5 years of professional experience in a related field is required may be accepted in lieu of the master’s degree

Professional registration as a pharmacist(ne) in DR Congo is required.

Mandatory

At least 7 years of relevant experience with a Bachelor’s degree, or 5 years (with a Master’s degree) in pharmaceutical purchasing, pharmaceutical supply chains, quality assurance, regulatory compliance, public health programs or projects donor-funded health.

5 years of experience preparing documents for purchasing processes is required.

Desired

Experience with international drug procurement, national regulatory authorities, cold chain, storage and distribution is strongly desired.

5 years of experience in projects financed by international donors, multilateral banks or United Nations organizations is strongly desired.

5 years of experience working in Central Africa, the Democratic Republic of Congo or in fragile and logistically complex contexts is an important asset.

Technical skills

– Good knowledge of essential medicines, health products, medical consumables and pharmaceutical quality requirements.

– Mastery of technical specifications for medicines, pharmaceutical products, storage equipment, cold chain and distribution services.

– Knowledge of good practices in storage, distribution, inventory management and quality assurance of pharmaceutical products.

– Ability to analyze product files, quality certificates, retention periods, storage conditions, regulatory requirements and compliance documents.

– Ability to assess risks related to quality, safety, supply chain, regulation and continuity of supply.

– Experience in supporting pharmaceutical product purchases within the framework of donor-funded projects.

– Ability to contribute to project documents, technical notes, terms of reference, evaluation criteria and quality assurance reports.

• UNOPS does not accept unsolicited summaries.
• UNOPS will at no stage of the recruitment process request candidates to make payments of any kind.
• Applications to vacations must be received before midnight Copenhagen time (CET) on the closing date of the announcement. Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited to proceed to the next stage of the selection process, which may include various assessments.
• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of a wide range of nationalities, cultures, languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. We strive to sustain and strengthen this diversity, foster an inclusive working environment where all personnel are treated with respect and have equal access to opportunities.
• UNOPS evaluates all applications based on the skills, qualifications and experience outlined in the vacancy announcement. We are committed to a fair and transparent selection process and welcome diverse perspectives, including those of women, indigenous and racialized communities, individuals of diverse gender identities and sexual orientations, and persons with disabilities.
• We are committed to enabling all candidates to perform at their best during the assessment process. If you are shortlisted and require support or reasonable accommodation to complete any assessment, please inform our human resources team upon receiving your invitation.
• UNOPS has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment, and other forms of abusive conduct, including discrimination, abuse of authority, and harassment. To uphold these standards, background checks are conducted for all final candidates to help ensure that individuals with a history of such conduct are not hired. By applying for a position with UNOPS, candidates acknowledgment and consent to these verification processes.

Terms and Conditions

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to add a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post.
• For retailer contracts, you must complete a few mandatory courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. Refreshers or new mandatory courses may be required during your contract. Please note that you will not receive any compensation for taking courses and refreshers. For more information we have a tenant contract here.
• For more details about the contract types, please click here.
• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.
• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.