Programme Specialist – Policy and Systems / Assistive Technology

ATscale, the Global Partnership for Assistive Technology is a cross-sectoral partnership with the goal of reaching 500 million additional people with assistive technology by 2030 to support them in participating in education, work, and everyday life. ATscale is hosted by UNOPS.

Today, over 1 billion people need at least one form of assistive technology (AT), such as wheelchairs, eyeglasses, or hearing aids, but over 900 million people (90%) do not have access to the assistive technology they require. The number of people who need assistive technology is expected to grow to more than 2 billion people by 2050.

Access to appropriate assistive technology enables persons with a loss of function, impairments, non-communicable diseases, and the aging population to participate in education, work, family, and community life. Lack of access to assistive technology has significant consequences for individuals, their families, and the wider society. Without assistive technology, individuals may experience isolation and exclusion from education, the labour market, and civic life. Lack of access to appropriate assistive technology causes poorer health outcomes including premature death, deteriorating mental health, and increased risk of chronic health conditions and secondary complications, all of which lead to a higher burden on health systems. Increasing accessibility and affordability of assistive technology unlocks unrealised economic potential and provides socioeconomic benefit for individuals, families, and countries by increasing productivity and participation in the workforce.

Despite commitments to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Sustainable Development Goals, including universal health coverage, a lack of political leadership towards improving access to assistive technology remains an issue. Assistive technology is not part of mainstream health and development agendas and strong political leadership, including support from the highest levels of government, is urgently needed.

Launched at the Global Disability Summit in July 2018, ATscale was developed in response to the need for a new, catalytic approach to overcoming the significant gap in access to appropriate, high-quality, and affordable assistive technology globally. As a cross-sector partnership for assistive technology, ATscale aims to bring greater resources and strategic focus to this significant global challenge.

ATscale has defined a strategy overview (https://ATscale2030.org/strategy) in which it describes two strategic objectives: 1) to develop an enabling ecosystem for increased access to AT by galvanising political will, mobilising investment, driving policy reform, and strengthening targeted, cross-product systems, particularly at country level; and 2) to build and shape markets for priority products and their related services by identifying and investing in interventions to overcome specific supply and demand-side market barriers.

ATscale has also published an investment case for the sector (https://atscale2030.org/investment-case), as well as thorough market analyses and strategies, called Product Narratives, for improving access to its five priority products: wheelchairs, hearing aids, eyeglasses, prostheses, and digital assistive devices and software (https://atscale2030.org/product-narratives).

Functional Responsibilities

As ATscale is a new organisation, the Programme Specialist – Policy and Systems / Assistive Technology will thrive in an exciting start-up environment and will be flexible in supporting different priorities. The Programme Specialist will support the CEO to develop and start to implement ATscale’s strategy to strengthen the Enabling Ecosystem for increased access to assistive technology (AT).

Overarching policies for the inclusion of assistive technology in health systems, supported by comprehensive data collection and effective financing mechanisms, will be crucial. Effective leadership and governance through national assistive technology policies can lead towards an adequate supply of quality, affordable products and appropriately trained personnel for effective service provision.

Strategic priorities to strengthen the Enabling Ecosystem therefore include building political will, increasing investment in AT, generating and using data and evidence and coordinating technical assistance for national policy & planning. The Programme Specialist will support the development of ATscale investments in innovative and cost-effective interventions to support the priorities at global and national level.

A. Enabling Ecosystem Strategy Development

• Support the CEO in the development of ATscale’s strategy for strengthening the Enabling Ecosystem in coordination with the broader ATscale strategy and operational plan.
• An emphasis on a coherent approach/plan for coordinated support at country-level is required, which could include:
  • support to national planning processes for AT and inclusion in health systems;
  • development of national Priority Assistive Product Lists;
  • identifying effective finance mechanisms;
  • establishing standards and regulatory mechanisms that ensure production, procurement and provision of quality assistive products; and,
  • strengthening data collection and information management systems.
• Articulate mutually supportive links between interventions that reinforce elements of the enabling ecosystem and those that focus on a specific product and its related services.

B. Enabling Ecosystem Programme Management

• Support the translation of the ATscale Enabling Ecosystem strategy and country approach into priority interventions.
• Oversee all enabling ecosystem interventions within ATscale’s 2021 operational plan.
• Support the prioritisation process for a coherent package of interventions to strengthen the enabling ecosystem to present to the Board in the 2022 annual operational plan and lead evaluation and selection of partners.
• Supported by expert input, lead the detailed scoping of interventions approved by the board for the first half of 2022.
• Oversee the processes leading to implementation of these interventions from the programmatic side, e.g. participation in competitive processes through drafting of requests for proposals, evaluation etc.
• Stay abreast of developments in the AT sector to inform recommendations for investment by ATscale.
• Lead engagement with experts to continue to refine ATscale’s strategy and portfolio of investments.
• Identify experts for ATscale to engage in its Expert Advisory Group and develop a database of expertise.

C. Partners and Stakeholder Management

• Foster and maintain partnerships at leadership and working level to develop and advance ATscale’s Enabling Ecosystem Strategy
• Engage with relevant partners in the assistive technology space, including organisations of persons with disabilities, national governments, UN and other multilateral agencies, bi- and multilateral donors, private funders, international NGOs, the private sectors such as manufacturers and suppliers of assistive technology, and technical experts including in academia

D. Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning

• Lead on monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEAL) of/from enabling ecosystem related ATscale investments and promote data utilisation among partners to guide the interventions.
• Use information gained from the regular partner reports and MEAL to inform policy and strategy briefs, current strategy, and to support advocacy.

E. Other

• Ensure all processes above remain aligned with UN host agency requirements.
• Provide the CEO and the team with regular updates on developments in the AT sector and potential opportunities.
• Prepare talking points, presentations, and other material to support the CEO.
• Prepare relevant Board Papers related to the enabling ecosystem for ATscale Board meetings

Travel for this position is estimated at 20% when COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.