Вакансія HTA Consultant

 Introducing Health Technology Assessment in Ukraine (HTA Consultant vacancy)

 Background

In September 2017, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded a five-year Health Safe, Affordable, and Effective Medicines (SAFEMed) contract to the Management Sciences for Health (MSH). SAFEMed applies health system-strengthening best practices to create evidence-based interventions and strengthen Ukraine’s pharmaceutical system in line with the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) health care reform objectives. SAFEMed seeks to improve access to appropriate, quality medicines to maximize availability within MOH’s budgetary constraints. SAFEMed interventions will institutionalize rational medicine selection, strengthen and systematize public procurement of pharmaceuticals and commodities, support sustainable public sector pharmaceutical financing, and strengthen the pharmaceutical supply chain in collaboration with the Government of Ukraine (GOU), the MOH and the National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU), civil society partners, other implementing partners, and the private sector. By the end of SAFEMed, Ukraine’s pharmaceutical system will be more transparent and cost efficient and availability of medicines will increase, thereby supporting the GOU goal of a health care system that produces desired health outcomes.

SAFEMed implementation focuses on high-priority areas that have the potential to make significant contributions to the development of the pharmaceutical system in Ukraine and to support PEPFAR’s priorities of transparent and cost-effective procurement of HIV commodities, incorporation of HIV commodities into the program of medical guarantees, and efficient supply chain management, quantification, and forecasting to support the scale-up of testing and treatment.

In pursuit of its goal, SAFEMed has three primary project objectives:

1. Strengthening governance within the pharmaceutical sector of Ukraine;
2. Optimizing the financing of the pharmaceutical sector; and
3. Increasing the availability and appropriate use of medicines in Ukraine.

Health policy priority setting is a key focus for SAFEMed and encompasses the development of HTA capability in Ukraine along with the governance and institutional structures required to operationalize the concept. Over the course of January – September 2019,  SAFEMed will work on re-evaluation of the work already completed by the project previously and development of an updated roadmap with the relevant stakeholders, including harmonizing the different views of HTA within the MOH and State Expert Center, selected by the Ministry of Health to carry an interim HTA agency function.

 Overall Responsibilities

The overall purpose of this short-term consultancy is to contribute to the development of the HTA function in Ukraine under guidance and oversight of SAFEMed Senior Technical Advisor. 

Functional Responsibilities

• Conduct grey and peer literature review in preparation for the HTA establishment and roll out in Ukraine;
• Identify and map out key HTA stakeholders from the government, private sector and civil society in Ukraine;
• Conduct an e-survey and/or face-to-face interviews with key HTA stakeholders to explore their views and opinions on the establishment of HTA and its place in the current decision-making processes in Ukraine; identify potential thought leaders and detractors.
• Support Senior Technical Advisor in the assessment of SEC for the establishment the HTA structure;
• Consolidate learnings from the literary review, stakeholder mapping and interviews into final English-language report under guidance and oversight of the SAFEMed Senior Technical Advisor;
• Support the conduct of the international HTA conference/workshop in Kyiv, Ukraine scheduled for February 2019;
• Document key findings and recommendations from the international HTA conference and other HTA and MCDA-related meetings;
• Identify and document risks, challenges and opportunities with the available options which will lead to an option analysis.
• Oversee implementation of the HTA option selected.

 Deliverables

• HTA literature review and state of play in Ukraine;
• HTA stakeholders mapping;
• Final consolidated English-language HTA report with learnings from the literary review, stakeholder mapping and interviews;
• Documentation of key learnings from the international HTA conference/workshop in Kyiv;
• Tool to monitor HTA function;
• HTA function monitoring reports.

Delivery Schedule

Qualifications

1. 3 + year work experience gained in the healthcare and life sciences, in particular familiarity with pharmaceutical policies in Ukraine;
2. Preferred prior experience providing technical assistance in the field of health technology management;
3. Ability to analyze data, draw conclusions and summarize recommendations;
4. Ability to search literature;
5. Strong skills in conducting quantitative analyses with SPSS (or similar statistical software) and programming with Excel as well as experience in conducting interviews and analyze qualitatively;
6. Experience working on complex projects;
7. Well-developed written and verbal communication skills including presentations, meeting and workshop facilitation, business and report writing;
8. Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with others in and across the organization to accomplish team goals     
9. Health Technology Assessment practical skills are strongly appreciated;
10. Fluency in both English and Russian/Ukrainian languages required (both written and spoken);       

Minimum educational level:

Bachelor’s or advanced degree in health- or life-sciences, preferably with a postgraduate degree in Epidemiology, Pharmacology, Health Technology Assessment, Health Economics, public health or (bio)statistics. Medical degree is preferred.

Reporting

Over the course of this consultancy, consult will report directly to Ms. Rabia Kahveci, SAFEMed Senior Technical Advisor.

 Duties performance location

Kyiv, Ukraine

 Authorized Travel

☒ Travel is not authorized in connection with providing the Services in accordance with the SOW.

☐ MSH hereby authorizes Consultant to travel in connection with providing the Services in accordance with the SOW as described below:

Duration of duties performance 

Proposed duration of this short-term consultancy is from February 1 until September 20, 2019.

Interested qualified candidates can send their CVs and motivation letter to [email protected] till January 18, 2019. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

[1] Applicable only for Agreements where payment will be made based on submission of each deliverable