Call for Applications For The Position of Scientific Secretary to the HTAi Policy Forum, 2016-17

Deadline: April 3, 2016

To submit an application and for all inquiries, contact: HTAiPF@southampton.ac.uk 

1. Overview of HTAi (www.htai.org )
Health Technology Assessment International (HTAi) is the global scientific and professional society for all those who produce, use, or encounter Health Technology Assessment (HTA). Health Technology Assessment international (HTAi) embraces all stakeholders, including researchers, agencies, policymakers, industry, academia, health service providers, and patients/consumers, and acts as a neutral forum for collaboration and the sharing of information and expertise. With members from over 60 countries, HTAi is a thriving global network.

2. HTAi Policy Forum
The HTAi Policy Forum provides a unique opportunity for senior people from public and private sector organizations using HTA to support decisions or recommendations about product development and coverage to meet one another, members of the HTAi Board, and invited international experts, for strategic discussions about the present state of HTA, its development and implications for health care systems, industry, patients and other stakeholders. The aim of the Forum is to provide an environment where senior people can engage in strategic discussions informed by the perspectives of their different organizations without the constraints associated with discussions of specific products or organizational policies.
Discussions at Forum meetings lead to range of outputs, typically including a short report and/or slide deck of the meeting for Forum members, a peer reviewed journal paper, and presentations and discussions at the HTAi Annual Scientific meeting.
For detailed information on the HTAi Policy Forum, its membership and activities see: http://www.htai.org/policy-forum/policy-forum.html 

3. HTAi Policy Forum 2017 Topic and Meeting
The HTAi Policy Forum has chosen the following topic for its main meeting in late January 2017 (referred to in the remainder of this paper as the 2017 meeting): ‘From theory to action: new developments in value frameworks to inform willingness to pay (WTP) and decisions on coverage, affordability, price and access’.
This topic will focus on the results of current new and real experiences on value frameworks used in decision making for coverage and pricing and how can they help to face the dynamics of very innovative health technologies. It will also address if a new conceptualization of value is arising from this new models or from the application of “traditional” models.
The Forum will have a scoping discussion of the topic in the course of its meeting on the morning of Wednesday 11th May 2016 ahead of the HTAi Annual Scientific Meeting in Tokyo. The Policy Forum Committee and Chair will then oversee development of a detailed agenda, background paper(s) and/or other materials for the 2017 meeting, with further input from Forum members.
It is anticipated that the meeting will include:
a) General discussion of the origins and drivers of the meeting topic, and the types of developments that are appearing in organisations and systems to respond to the challenges it represents; and
b) Sessions led by Forum members focussing on practical examples from within their organisations, to promote considered and informed discussion of the lessons learned from these real-life examples associated with the meeting topic.

4. Role of the HTAi Policy Forum Scientific Secretary 2016-17
The HTAi Policy Forum Scientific Secretary 2016-17 will:
a) Write a background paper to support general discussion at the 2017 meeting
b) Support and coordinate the development by Forum members of presentations, background materials and case studies for the sessions led by Forum members
c) Take notes of the discussions arising on the topic during the Policy Forum meeting (which will constitute key material for the development of the paper)
d) Lead the preparation of a short report and/or slide deck of the meeting for those attending, reviewing and complementing the short report/slide deck with identification of key discussion points and key messages supported by the Scientific Program Manager
e) Write a journal paper based upon the meeting, linked to any supporting papers (if produced)
f) Lead a presentation based on the journal paper for a Panel Session on the Forum meeting at the HTAi Annual Meeting in Tokyo in May 2016
g) Write a short commentary for publication following the Panel session at the HTAi Annual Meeting.

The Policy Forum Scientific Secretary works closely with the Policy Forum Chair, Scientific Programme Manager and HTAi Secretariat in accordance with clearly documented and agreed scientific and administrative processes and timelines. The Policy Forum Committee and Chair steer the content of the scientific materials, but the Scientific Secretary is expected to be the lead author of the background paper, the short report and/or slide deck for members, the journal paper and the panel session commentary. The Chair is responsible for the development and final content of the Meeting Agenda, in close discussion with, the Scientific Secretary and the Committee.
The duties of the Scientific Secretary 2016-17 are expected to take a suitably qualified and experienced person up to a maximum of 20 days across the twelve-month period from May 2016 to June 2017.

i) Responsibilities
1. Join the scoping discussion for the 2017 meeting on Wednesday 11th May 2016 in Tokyo, and develop summary notes of the key points from the discussion and materials developed before and during the discussion.
2. Join teleconference meetings of the Policy Forum Committee and regular project team discussions with the Chair and Secretariat as required throughout the twelve-month period (meetings are arranged to accommodate the availability of all parties wherever possible).
3. Prior to the January 2017 meeting:
a. Lead the drafting, in close consultation with the Chair, and Committee, of:
• a background paper to support discussions at the January 2017 meeting, and to be made available on the HTAi website for non-Forum members.
• case studies and/or such other material as may be required to support general discussion at the meeting.
b. Support the development by Forum members of presentations, background materials and case studies.
4. Attend in person the late January 2017 meeting. The Policy Forum will meet from Sunday 29th January until Tuesday 31st January 2017.  We are expecting the meeting to take place in Barcelona, Spain.
5. Following the 2017 meeting, lead the drafting, in close consultation with the Chair and Committee, of:
• A short meeting report and/or slide deck for Forum members
• A journal paper based on discussions at the meeting
• A slide deck based on the discussions at the meeting and the journal paper to present at a panel session during the HTAi Annual Meeting in Rome 17-21 June 2017
• A short commentary for publication following the panel session.

ii) Person Specification
A flexible person is required with a strong track record of relevant work in HTA, excellent drafting skills and a proven willingness and ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of partners and stakeholders.

Essential Qualifications
• An internationally recognised track record in policy work relevant to HTA, as demonstrated by relevant publication record and academic and/or policy positions
• Experience in successfully supporting complex policy and/or scientific discussions
• Excellent writing skills and a proven track record as a lead author of journal papers
• An understanding of, and sympathy for, the work of HTAi
• An understanding of the perspectives of both for-profit and not-for-profit organisations in HTA and health system policy
• A proven record of willingness and experience of working flexibly and successfully with a team of colleagues from around the world in the development of scientific materials
• Strong communication and relationship building skills.
Desirable Qualifications
• A track record of work relevant to the meeting topic.

iii) Compensation
• Compensation will be commensurate with experience and will reflect the time required – up to 20 days across the twelve-month period
• It is expected that the Scientific Secretary will be recognised as the lead author for those materials where he or she leads the drafting. Forum meetings and materials attract considerable interest at a senior level in the HTA field, and our journal articles are frequently one of the most downloaded articles in HTAi’s International Journal of Technology Assessment in Healthcare (IJTAHC) and it is hoped that this position might be helpful to the standing and career of the Scientific Secretary
• Travel (economy air fares) and reasonable expenses for attendance at the January 2017 meeting will be reimbursed
• Travel (economy air fares) and reasonable expenses for attendance at the May 2016 Scoping Discussion may also be reimbursed if the person appointed is not already planning to attend the HTAi Annual Meeting in Tokyo in May 2016.

5. How to apply
Interested applicants should:
1. Submit a short Letter of Intent (LOI) no more than two pages in length (single-spaced, 11 point font) stating qualifications and experience and expected level of remuneration, together with a Curriculum Vitae.
2. The letter and CV should be sent to the HTAi Policy Forum Secretariat via email to the following address: HTAiPF@southampton.ac.uk.  Any questions or queries should also be sent to this email address.
3. All applications should be received by 3rd April 2016.
4. It is anticipated that shortlisted applicants will be interviewed by telephone between 14.00 and 16.00 (BST) Thursday 12th April 2016. Potential applicants are asked to hold this time in their calendars until we have notified applicants of the outcome of shortlisting.