Senior Manager, Vaccine Portfolio Optimisation – COVAX

Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership committed to saving children’s lives and protecting people’s health by increasing equitable use of vaccines in lower-income countries. The Vaccine Alliance brings together implementing country and donor governments, the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. Gavi uses innovative finance mechanisms, including co-financing by recipient countries, to secure sustainable funding and adequate supply of quality vaccines. Since 2000, Gavi has contributed to the immunisation of more than 888 million children and the prevention of more than 15 million future deaths.

An unprecedented wave of new vaccine options and alternative schedules suitable for Low and Middle Income countries has become available to Gavi-supported countries, and more are in the pipeline. Vaccine Portfolio Optimisation refers to the opportunity or requirement for a Gavi country to assess the current vaccine product(s), presentation(s) or schedule(s) in their vaccine programmes and switch to more opportune one(s) based on the country context. An evidence-based framework to support Vaccine Portfolio Optimisation will also serve to facilitate country decision making to prioritise investment in different vaccine programmes supported by Gavi.

THE ROLE

As part of the Vaccine Programmes team, the Senior Manager, Vaccines Portfolio Optimisation will shape the strategic approach and the operational support to enable Gavi countries to optimise their vaccine portfolios efficiently and, as appropriate to the country context, evidence-based.

KEY FUNCTIONS AND DELIVERABLES

This role is responsible for supporting countries’ orientation, prioritisation and implementation of new vaccine product, presentation, or schedule options to optimise countries’ implementation effectiveness and financial sustainability. This includes leading the development of guidelines, processes and technical briefings in close collaboration with Alliance technical partners and with other Gavi teams. The role will support the coordination of the key technical partners and be the lead point of contact for any and all matters specific to vaccine portfolio optimisation, both opportunistically and in response to supply disruptions.

MAIN DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the development of guidelines, tools, and processes for countries to assess and implement available and new options for vaccine portfolio optimisation, such as new vaccines products and presentations or schedules across all vaccine programmes (vaccine programmes priority in 2022-23: Pneumococcal, Rotavirus, Measles, HPV, yellow fever, typhoid (TCV));
• Coordinate support and implementation with Alliance partners (UNICEF Supply Division, Clinton Health Access Initiative, World Health Organisation, PATH, IVAC);
• Collaborate with other Gavi secretariat teams (Market Shaping, Finance, Vaccine Forecasting and Grant Operations, Innovative Financing & Sustainability, Country Support, Health Systems Strengthening);
• Update the map of optimisation options, their impact, and implications when new options surface;
• Support individual Senior Country Managers through the switch assessment, request and review process;
• Update principles, forms and other programmatic documents as needed based on implementation experiences and feedback from partners or countries;
• Support developing and implementing an approach for vaccine prioritisation;
• Create and implement new processes as needed in cooperation with key internal and external partners;
• Engage with relevant partners and stakeholders in the support of the learning agenda related to Vaccine Portfolio Optimisation (working closely with Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation Team);
• Collaborate with relevant regional and country partners and manage key relationships; foster an enabling environment at all levels (global, regional, country); represent Gavi at regional/other fora as applicable;
• Be the advocate of Gavi’s agenda externally.

Note: The essential functions listed in this section are not exhaustive of the job responsibilities; other duties may be assigned consistently with the department needs.

QUALIFICATIONS

ACADEMIC

• Advanced degree in Public Health, Economics, Health Economics, Healthcare Management, Healthcare Marketing, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Business Administration or related field;
• Certification in project management is desirable.

WORK EXPERIENCE

• Minimum 8 years of relevant programme, project or product management experience at the global level in the healthcare sector (public or private), experience in launching healthcare innovations or in assessing healthcare solutions or access to health is highly advantageous;
• Public health or Healthcare business-related experience at country level, ideally in both global/regional and developing countries settings;
• Vaccine- or biologics-specific experience at the regional- or country level and in developing country settings is highly desirable;
• Forecasting (demand or supply or health systems costs), marketing, or demand-oriented experience is a plus.

SKILLS/COMPETENCIES

• Agile problem solving and project management skills;
• Diplomatic, collaboration and consensus-oriented skills;
• Solid knowledge of drivers and barriers of access to health;
• Experience with complex, volatile, unscripted contexts;
• Pathfinding, resilient mindset;
• Outstanding analytical and writing skills;
• Excellent representational and communications skills;
• Ability to work in a multicultural, fast-paced environment and establish harmonious working relationships, both within and outside the organisation;
• Key professional values: country-driven, innovation, teamwork, respect, openness, accountability.

LANGUAGES

Fluency in written and spoken English. French is highly desirable.

CONTACTS

• Gavi Secretariat;
• Gavi countries;
• Gavi core (WHO, UNICEF, Gates Foundation, World Bank, CDC) and extended partners.