CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

The NGO delegation to the UNITAID Board is looking for

a new Alternate NGO Board member (unpaid position)
Closing date: Monday March 2nd 2009

Contents of this Call for Applications:

1. What is “UNITAID”?
2. What is the “NGO delegation to the UNITAID Board”
3. What does being “Alternate Board Member” entail?
4. What is the process for selecting the next Alternate?
5. How do I apply?
6. Annexes

1. What is UNITAID?

UNITAID is an international institution against AIDS, TB and malaria. Its main job is to reduce the
prices of drugs and diagnostics used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, in order to
make easier to provide treatment for more people. Since its inception, UNITAID has generated a
50% reduction in the price of the most expensive HIV medicines.

To learn more about UNITAID, please visit www.unitaid.eu

2. What is the NGO delegation to the UNITAID Board?

The NGOs involved in the global fight against HIV/AIDS, TB and/or malaria have a voting seat on
the Board of UNITAID. This seat is embodied in 1 Board member for NGOs, assisted by 1
alternate. Combined, they make up the NGO seat on the UNITAID Board (1 of 10 seats altogether;
meaning NGOs weigh 1/10th of the Board).

NGO Board members contribute to making UNITAID policy, such as decisions about which projects
UNITAID will fund, and deciding UNITAID’s strategy. The NGO seat has equal formal power to
make UNITAID policy as each of the donor seats have.

The current NGO delegates to the UNITAID Board were selected in September 2006, by an
international civil society panel convened by the International Council of AIDS Service
Organisations. This panel was composed of 1 member of the Communities delegation to the
Global Fund Board, 1 member of the developing countries NGO delegation to the Global Fund
Board, and 1 member of the developed countries NGO delegation to the Global Fund Board.

At present, the UNITAID Board member for NGOs is Khalil Elouardighi, an activist based in France
working for the international AIDS Coalition ‘PLUS’, while the Alternate Board member is Mohga
Kamal-Yanni, a health activist based in the UK working for Oxfam GB. Both have been involved in
the negotiations that led to the creation of UNITAID and have been members on the UNITAID
Board since September 2006. Policy of the CS delegations is that the alternate board member will
take up the position of Board Member and serve the term of Board Member while a new Alternate
will join the delegation.

3. What does being “Alternate NGO Board member to UNITAID” entail?

A. “Alternate”
In the NGO delegation to UNITAID, there is minimal difference between being Alternate and being
the “full” Board member, because the delegation works by consensus. Both have similar duties
and workload. In the (unprecedented) event of an irreconcilable disagreement about an issue for
decision in the UNITAID Board, the delegation would discuss with other members of the wider
delegation and then if necessary abstain for the sake of consensus (unless the Board member felt
the need to take action on this issue overrode the long-term need for consensus-governed
delegation).
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“Alternate Board member” and “Board member” are strictly volunteer positions: neither are paid
nor indemnified for time spent discharging their Board member duties.

B. “NGO delegation”
The NGO delegation differs from government delegations on the Board particularly in that it is not
beholden to national interests, and as such it is able to put global health (and the added value
that UNITAID brings to global health) as its top priority when contributing to UNITAID policy.

The NGO delegation consists of CS members who have been involved in UNITAID and dedicated
their time and expertise to help the NGO representatives on the Board.

UNITAID covers the travel costs of civil society delegates to come attend the Board meetings. It is
customary that, on top of the Board member and the alternate, each delegation may also bring 1
advisor, who is allowed to sit with its delegation in the boardroom, but who is not supposed to
make direct interventions to the Board during debates. On occasion, UNITAID has allowed the
presence of more than 1 advisor, but that is not systematic.

The NGO delegation to the Board is comprised of said Board member, alternate and advisor(s). On
top of advisors physically present in the delegation to the Board meetings, the delegation also has
advisors that provide input via emails or teleconference calls. These advisors are NGO experts in
the issues (pharmaceutical supply chain management, procurement, intellectual property, etc) and
diseases that UNITAID works on.

C. Mandate
The NGO delegates on the Board are meant to represent not themselves or their organisation, but
the whole constituency of NGOs involved in the fight against the three diseases. In order to attain
this goal, the delegates need to be in regular interaction with other people in their constituency
who follow the specific issues that UNITAID deals with, and to receive from them input to convey
to the UNITAID Board, as well as give them feedback about what is going on in UNITAID.

The NGO delegates are helped in this communications job by the support of a Liaison Officer. For
example, the Liaison Officer helps by preparing and disseminating reports about the delegation’s
work, and manages collection of expert input from delegates’ advisors. The Liaison Officer
provides this communications support not only to the NGO delegation, but also to the delegation
of people infected or affected by HIV/AIDS, TB and/or Malaria. In contrast with the Board delegate
positions, the Liaison Officer is a paid position (currently funded by a grant from Oxfam GB).

4. What is the process for selecting the next Alternate?

A panel of 5 external reviewers will be convened by the NGO delegation, drawn from NGOs
already involved either in serving on global health initiative boards or in UNITAID’s specific issues.
This panel will select the next Alternate based on written applications + telephone interviews with
the short listed candidates.
The results will be published on all major constituency listserves (see list in annex), as will be the
composition of the selection panel.

5. How do I apply?

Step 1: Send in your application

Candidates to become the new NGO alternate board member will submit a concise application
(only the first 5 pages in the application will be considered) that contains the following:

• Filled-out Application Form (maximum 2 pages – see form below)

• Short Narrative (maximum 2 pages) outlining your understanding of UNITAID and your
vision for its future; your NGO or community linkages, in terms of relevant experience
(particularly in southern and developing countries); and the most significant capabilities
you would bring to the Board that address the specified criteria (see criteria below).
• Short Curriculum Vitae (CV) outlining experience (maximum 1 page)

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Attached to the application needs to be:
• 1 letter of reference from your own organization, or closest affiliated organization,
agreeing to the 25% workload and international travel involved (1 page only).
• 2 letters of reference from relevant organizations other than your own (1 page per
reference letter only);

The reference letters must be signed and on letterhead. Note that only the 3 references requested
will be utilized, additional letters will not be considered.

Please email applications to:

Robert Doble
UNITAID Board Civil Society Delegations Liaison Officer
E-mail: rdoble@oxfam.org.uk
Tel: +44.1865.473.508

Step 2: Receive confirmation of short listing

The UNITAID Civil Society Delegations Liaison Officer will contact short listed candidates to set
dates for a phone interview with the selection panel.

Step 3: Do the phone interview

The UNITAID Civil Society Delegations Liaison Officer will arrange a telephone conference with the
selection panel; the panel members will ask you questions about yourself, UNITAID, its
intervention areas, and Board member work. When all the short listed candidates have been
interviewed, the panel with deliberate and come to a decision.

Step 4: Get the results

The Liaison Officer will notify the selected candidate, and announce it on a great variety of
constituency listserves (see list in annex below).

ANNEX 1: SELECTION CRITERIA FOR THE NGO ALTERNATE BOARD MEMBER

Based on the UNITAID Board functions, the selection panel for the NGO Alternate Board member
will look for the following qualities in candidates:

UNITAID-specific requirements:
Essential:
- Technical knowledge of issues related to access to drugs and diagnostics in developing
countries, and especially market-related issues: prices, quality, formulation adaptedness,
delivery lead times, demand sustainabilization, etc.
- Understanding of blockages to treatment access scale-up, and of the role of commodity
market problems in these blockages (at global or national level)
- In-depth knowledge of the needs of people living with the diseases, especially from a
gender and vulnerability perspective, and of issues facing NGOs fighting the diseases (at
global of national level)

Desirable:
- Understanding of HIV, TB and malaria commodity procurement and supply issues (at
global of national level)
- Understanding of the political environment of global health initiatives including UNITAID,
Global Fund, International Health Partnership, PEPFAR and GAVI, and of issues related to
financing for development (at global of national level)
- Understanding of intellectual property determinants of access to health products (at global
of national level)

Requirements common to Boards of all global fight initiative:

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 Essential:
- Has time and ability to carry out the tasks derived from his/her role as a Board member
- Possess written assurance from employer regarding availability of up to 25% of working
time for Board related duties for at least 2 years.
- Fluent in written and spoken English (additional languages are preferred)*
- Knows how to work via computer and email
- Has strong experience in advocacy work
- Has influence/negotiation skills, as well as strategic thinking, ability to prioritize
- Is able and willing to recognize gaps in own abilities when new work requirements arise,
and to seek out and enlist outside help in order to fill these gaps
- Is able to act within a team setting
- Is significantly rooted in an organization that can facilitate communication and liaison, as
well as provide consultation and support
- Has minimum 3 years experience in civil society work in 1 or more of the 3 disease areas
- Is gender and vulnerability sensitive; has good skills in gender and vulnerability analysis
- Continuous access to internet-connected computer and international telephone

Desirable:
- Has experience of campaigning and media work

* UNITAID Board documentation will generally be provided in English (large volume), and group
discussions will be in English.

Length of terms:
• The solicited position is for 2 years (with possibility to apply for vacant Board member
position)
• The position is subject to a performance review that is conducted on a yearly basis, which
outcomes are binding and may cause either the Alternate or the Board Member to have
to step down
• Previous experience with the Delegation and participation in Civil Society Advisory Group
and Civil Society Contact Group is an asset
• A Call to Join the Contact Group will be issued annually through relevant listserves to
encourage future candidates to get involved in the delegation’s work before applying for
the Board position. Membership is however always open to anyone interested in joining
by contacting the Liaison Officer.
• Board Member and Alternate select members of the Civil Society Advisory Group through
an informal assessment process based on expressed interest and commitment to
UNITAID and the civil society delegations’ and the necessary level of expertise.
• The selected candidate is expected to continue support to the Delegation after the end of
his/her 2-year mandate at the Board

This process is intended to ensure that selected candidates are well versed in the mechanics of
UNITAID, prepared to effectively represent NGOs at the UNITAID Executive Board and are willing
to share their expertise after the end of term.

ANNEX 2: FULL TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR THE POSITION

An NGO member of the UNITAID Board represents the viewpoint and needs of NGOs involved in
the fight against HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, concerning the UNITAID and the issues it deals with
(see background information about UNITAID).

In particular, UNITAID NGO Board members actively promote UNITAID decisions that:
1. Respond to the needs of people living with the diseases, NGOs fighting the diseases, and
programs to provide care to people living with the diseases;
2. Lead to responsible and efficient use of the resources channeled through UNITAID, and
through other channels as well;
3. Have a positive impact on resources available to pre-existing essential institutions fighting
the three diseases, such as the Global Fund;

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 4. Advance the global fight against the three diseases, through facilitating the use of
compulsory licensing of drug patents to ensure generic competition in the market for
HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria drugs and diagnostics; financing UNITAID through additional
funding; and supporting evidence-based, comprehensive HIV prevention programs for all;
5. Maximize the accountability of UNITAID to people living with the diseases, to NGOs
fighting the diseases, and to programs providing care to people living with the diseases.

The role of an Alternate is that of a volunteer - there is no payment for participating. Travel and
per diem costs are covered by the UNITAID Secretariat. Previous NGO Board members have found
that the position can demand 25 to 50% of their working time.

Board Functions
For a full list of Board Functions please take a look at UNITAID’s Bylaws and Constitution
which can be found at http://www.unitaid.eu/index.php/en/Governance.html

• Determine, modify, and approve UNITAID’s objectives, scope and workplan;

• Consider, approve, monitor partnership arrangements with other organizations and
institutions
• Nominate and participate in the performance review of the Executive Secretary
• Monitor UNITAID’s progresses and approve its annual report
• Review the annual financial statement prepared by the Secretariat and approve the
budget
• Establish conditions for additional donors and other contributions
• Approve financial commitments
• Set operational guidelines, work plans and budgets for Secretariat and Expert
Advisory Group
• Establish a framework for monitoring and periodic independent evaluation of performance
and financial accountability of activities supported by UNITAID
• Monitor conflict of interest and transparency policies as appropriate
• Develop and implement strategic agenda regarding UNITAID in consultation with NGO
constituency;
• Represent the NGO constituency on policy, strategy, and implementation issues regarding
UNITAID
• Participate in committees and working groups of the Board.

Mandate and working methods

• Participate fully in all meetings of the UNITAID Executive Board, including Board retreats
• Read all relevant documents prior to a Board Meeting to ensure effective input in the
decision-making process
• Participate in teleconferences and other means of communications among NGO
delegation and Communities Delegation, NGO community, networks and other Executive
Board delegations
• Vote on all necessary electronic Board decisions
• Maintain a focus on issues of interest and importance to the community and NGO
movements
• Seek input from the constituency on issues being considered by the Board prior to its
meeting;
• Consult with and report to a broader community of NGOs and CBOs and communities
living with or affected by HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis before and after Board
meetings
• Represent the interests of UNITAID as necessary, both within the constituency and to
external stakeholders

*Main language of UNITAID and the NGO delegation is English, and group discussions will be in
English but many discussions and large volume of documentation also in French.

Cessation of Appointment
An NGO (Alternate) Board member will cease to be a member if:
• He/she resigns;

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 • He/she no longer has an employer who is supportive of the time commitment required or
he/she no longer has links to the organizations that secured his/her nomination and/or
selection to the Board;
• He/she is unable to perform the agreed upon tasks;
• He/she is unable to work with the other NGO Board members as part of a team;
• The outcomes of the performance review is that the person’s term is discontinued, or
• If a conflict of interest is declared.

ANNEX 3: LISTSERVES WHERE RESULTS WILL BE POSTED

The result of the selection, as well as the composition of the panel, will be announced (1
month maximum after the application closing date) through the following listserves.

UNITAID CS Delegations’ Advisory Group Health GAP listserve

UNITAID CS Delegations’ Contact Group Global Health Council Malaria Roundtable
ITPC listserve Global Health Council TB Roundtable
AF-AIDS Global AIDS listserve
AIDS-ASIA HAI networks
SEA-AIDS Healthdev.net
Stop-TB Break-the-silence Forum (BTS)
ProCaare Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS report
ICASO listserve The Drum Beat
GHA listserves INTAIDS
International HIV/AIDS Alliance PlusNews
HDN networks/listserves PWHA Net
IHP CSO Forum AIDS India

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 ANNEX 4: APPLICATION FORM

APPLICATION FORM
to join the NGO delegation to UNITAID as Alternate Board member

Applicants will answer the following questions:

Name
Country/city where you live
Organisation of affiliation: name and short 
description.
Position in organisation
Issues, diseases or populations about which you 
work focuses
Age
Gender
Email(s) and telephone number(s)

There are 4 to 5 UNITAID meetings per year: 
will you be able to reserve 2 to 3 days days prior 
to each meeting for preparation (not counting 
travel)? 
Between UNITAID meetings, will you be able to 
spend an average 5 hours per week on your 
Board­related duties? 
Are you fluent in spoken and written English ? 
Will it be easy for you to make written and 
spoken comments on Board documents ?
Do you work well via computer and email ?

Please describe your knowledge or experience in the following areas, using examples:

Access to drugs and 
diagnostics in developing 
countries, and especially 
market­related issues: prices, 
quality, formulation 
adaptedness, delivery lead 
times, demand 
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sustainabilization, etc.

The blockages to treatment 
access scale­up, and of the 
role of commodity market 
problems in these blockages 
(at global or national level)

The needs of people living 
with the HIV/AIDS, TB 
and/or Malaria, especially 
from a gender and 
vulnerability perspective, and 
of issues facing NGOs 
fighting the diseases (at 
global of national level)

HIV, TB and malaria 
commodity procurement and 
supply issues (at global of 
national level)

The political environment of 
global health initiatives 
including UNITAID, Global 
Fund, International Health 
Partnership, PEPFAR and 
GAVI, and of issues related 
to financing for development 
(at global of national level)

Intellectual property 
determinants of access to 
health products (at global of 
national level)

Advocacy work (please give 
examples of targets, issues, 
methods)
Any additional knowledge or 
experience area that you feel 
might be particularly relevant 

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for this work

[PLEASE DO NOT EXPAND THIS APPLICATION FORM, ONCE FILLED OUT, 
FURTHER THAN THE CURRENT 2 PAGES, NOR REDUCE THE FONT SIZE.]