Public Health, Health Innovation, Health Policy Development, Investment Banking, Resource Mobilisation, High-level Representation, Strategic Planning, Capacity Building, Organisational Development, Project Management, Partnership Development.

UNITAR is an autonomous body within the United Nations that was established in 1965 pursuant to a UN General Assembly resolution. UNITAR’s mission is to develop the individual, institutional and organizational capacities of countries and other United Nations stakeholders through high quality learning solutions and related knowledge products and services to enhance decision-making and to support country-level action for overcoming global challenges.

UNITAR hosts the Defeat-NCD Partnership Secretariat. The Defeat-NCD Partnership is a multi-stakeholder partnership anchored in the United Nations and includes governments, multilateral agencies, civil society, academia, philanthropies, and the private sector. It was established in January 2018 to help tackle the most significant global health problems of the age: premature death, sickness, disability, and the associated social and economic impacts of selected non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It is based on the expert guidance and the technical norms and standards issued by the World Health Organization for managing NCDs.

The Defeat-NCD Partnership is establishing a new country programme (Programme) for India in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to reduce by one-third of premature mortality from NCDs through prevention and treatment. The initial projects of the Programme will aim to reduce cancer-related morbidity and mortality in India by cooperating on a comprehensive approach to cancer control that integrates cancer prevention, early detection, and surveillance within the existing primary health care system, thereby supporting their mutual aim of achieving Sustainable Development Goal target 3.4.

This assignment will enable the initial Programme states in India and other future priority states to access a range of interconnected essential services and resources through four pillars of interventions:

1. Building national capacity in India and ensure essential institutional capacities for NCD are strengthened;
2. Scaling up NCD services for communities by improving last-mile delivery, introducing innovative technologies, improving self-care and enhancing existing public communication and advocacy activities;
3. Improving affordability and accessibility of essential NCD supplies; and
4. Scaling and sustaining financing available for NCD programming by establishing sustainable financing models.

The Programme Coordinator for India will lead the relationship management with the Government of India and various State Governments. S/he will also be responsible to help inform, shape, and align the service offering of the Defeat-NCD Partnership to be rolled out across India through regular and proactive collaboration with key stakeholders.

S/he will be a dynamic and highly motivated professional with a proven track record in delivering results through effective resource mobilisation and partnership development. Specific deliverables include:

Programme development

• Lead identification and development of training and institutional capacity strengthening needs in terms of human resources to manage NCDs at all levels of the health services and develop and implement plans to address them in a phased manner.
• Support the development of NCD strategies and costed action plans at different levels of government in India.
• Support the monitoring and evaluation of the NCD strategies and costed action plans at different levels.

Fund raising

• Responsible for mobilising domestic resources from public and private sector donors and investors to fund the Programme in India and related NCD strategies and costed action plans at different levels.
• Develop new project proposals and proactively explore opportunities to raise new funding and capital to scale up the effort of the Programme.

Programme management

• Lead annual planning, monitoring and evaluation for the Programme supported projects, programme reviews and annual reviews with government and other counterparts.
• Lead the development of project grants and agreements with identified implementation partners for managing grant activities.
• Develop progress reports for the implementation of the Programme.
• Manage timely reporting to the donors for their contributions to Programme.

Partnership Development

• Facilitate the establishment and support of multisectoral platforms to discuss the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of NCD strategies and costed action plans at different levels.
• Promote The Defeat-NCD Marketplace to relevant stakeholders as a procurement tool to help make provision of quality NCD supplies simpler and more cost effective in the country.
• Support development of strong supply chains from India for global private/public sector procurement of quality assured and affordable essential NCD medicines, diagnostics, and equipment.
• Lead development of Government of India engagement with the governance of The Defeat-NCD Partnership and support India’s contribution towards the Defeat-NCD Partnership and its objectives.
• Lead the documentation and tracking of improved affordability and accessibility of NCD drugs, diagnostics, and medical devices in India through the development of the country and regional market monitoring studies, and global State of the World’s Essential Medicines and Diagnostic Supplies for Noncommunicable Diseases report.
• Prepare policy briefs, briefing notes/presentations as requested for (i) the Director of the Defeat-NCD Partnership; and (ii) Government of India officials (including the Minister of Health and Family Welfare) to showcase India’s work on tackling NCDs nationally and internationally.
• Develop collaboration with national universities, research institutions, and think tanks to support implementation of plans for prevention and control of NCDs.
• Build and strengthen close working relationship with all health sector counterparts in country.

Innovation

• Identify innovations and interventions to increase the provision of NCD services to communities in a cost-effective manner including last mile delivery and improved patient self-care. Drive institutional processes to transform some of these interventions as investible services to that can attract venture or private equity capital.
• Lead identification and investments in start-ups that are using technology to enable the earlier screening and management of NCDs.  These technologies would include artificial intelligence to improve coverage, affordability, continuity of care and patient compliance resulting in better value for money and treatment of NCDs across the target populations.
• Promote use of technology/digital tools for e-learning/skill development of primary health care workers and implementation of decision support systems for service delivery for NCD management in the country.
• Support the development of innovative financing instruments for funding costed action plans for the prevention and control of NCDs at different levels.
• Any other related tasks as may be required or assigned by the supervisor.

1. Secure agreements and get appropriate approvals from the respective state and national health authorities for the implementation of the initial Programme by 30 November 2021.
2. Develop implementation plan with the existing stakeholders for the initial phase of the Programme by 30 November 2021 and ensure timely and quality reporting against the objectives of the agreed implementation plan.
3. Provide timely quarterly narrative and financial reports as per agreements with parties to existing and future projects under the Programme.
4. Develop the Programme framework for India and its expansion plan and objectives by the 28 February 2022.
5. Secure funding towards scaling the implementation of a minimum of two costed action plans by their relevant government authority by 31 July 2022.
6. Secure funding from a minimum of two additional donors to double the existing Programme by 31 July 2022.
7. Conclude the contribution agreement between the Government of India and The Defeat-NCD Partnership in support of its objective by 31 July 2022.
8. Secure a minimum of two agreements with potential buyers through The Defeat-NCD Partnership Marketplace and document gains from price reduction and quality improvement by 31 March 2022.
9. Identify and support a minimum of two NCD drug and diagnostic manufacturers to undertake prequalification to the World Health Organization standards by 30 April 2022.
10. Develop and roll-out an innovative financing instrument to support the implementation of costed action plans at different levels by 31 May 2022.

• Timely and quality submission of deliverables.
• Activities implemented with a high degree of effectiveness and efficiency.
• High degree of professionalism demonstrated by the individual contractor.

• Excellent analytical and negotiation skills - ability to quickly understand, internalise, and communicate complex partnership topics.
• Demonstrated diplomatic skills and excellent interpersonal skills with sensitivity to cultural and political differences.
• Proven background in fund raising and partnership-building with the ability to establish a high level of trust and confidentiality internally and credibility externally.
• Demonstrated leadership, provided networks, management experience, and proven skills in leading organisational transformations, organisational development, financial and organisational sustainability, and delivering innovative and ambitious results with measurable impact at scale.
• Demonstrated leadership experience with strategic vision and ability to seize emerging opportunities for influence and impact, proven skills to manage start-up operations, and the ability to mobilise various forms of support from multi-stakeholders and partners.
• Good knowledge and experience of outreach and internal communication tools for a wide of audience.

The incumbent will report to the Technical Specialist (Country Support) of The Defeat-NCD Partnership.

General conditions of contracts for the service of Individual Contractors apply.

Individual Contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local laws. UNITAR does not reimburse Individual Contractors for any taxes, duty, or other contribution payable by the Individual contractor on payments made under the Individual Contract.

The Institute does not provide or arrange life or health insurance coverage for Individual Contractors, and Individual Contractors are not eligible to participate in the life and health insurance schemes provided by the UN for its staff members.

*https://treasury.un.org/operationalrates/OperationalRates.php

a. Education

• A Master’s degree in Public Health, Public Administration, Public Policy, Business Administration, Economics or in a related field is required.
• A Bachelor’s degree in medicine is required.

b. Work Experience

• Minimum 15 years of relevant experience in government/private sector focusing on public administration, health care administration, management consulting and public policy is required.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience working with government to influence and advocate for change in public policy is required.
• Relevant work experience is required in at least three of the following areas: public health, health innovation, health policy development, investment banking, resource mobilisation, high-level representation, strategic planning, capacity building, organisational development, project management, partnership development.
• Excellent oral and written skills; excellent drafting, formulation, reporting skills.
• Ability to work and adapt professionally and effectively in a challenging environment; ability to work effectively in a multicultural team of international and national personnel.
• Solid overall computer literacy, including proficiency in various MS Office applications (Excel, Word, etc.) and email/internet; familiarity with database management; and office technology equipment.
• Self-motivated, ability to work with minimum supervision; ability to work with tight deadlines.
• Knowledge in using project management tools such as Asana (https://asana.com) on a daily basis is required for this assignment.
• Able to establish a high level of trust and confidentiality internally, and credibility externally.

c. Languages

• Fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Fluency in Hindi and at least one other Indian language is preferred.