Country: United States of America
Closing date: 01 Jun 2019
Background/IRC Summary: Health programs represent the largest single sector within which IRC currently operates, constituting approximately 45% of the international budget and with health programs in 28 countries. IRC health programs worldwide provide drugs, medical and surgical equipment, and disposables to health facilities managed by the Ministry of Health or nongovernmental organizations. IRC is also engaged in direct provision of health care to beneficiaries where needed. Thus, procurement and rationale use of drugs, medical equipment, instruments and disposables are necessary and high cost activities for IRC health programs.
IRC Health Unit contributes to the effectiveness and quality of IRC health programs through technical support, staff development, and institutional learning. IRC Global Supply Chain provides operational support for pharmaceutical supply chain needs of IRC country programs, including comprehensive support for international procurement and guidelines for local procurement of pharmaceuticals. The two units work together to ensure that pharmaceuticals for IRC health programs are selected in accordance with the essential drug lists, good quality products are procured in a timely manner and at a reasonable cost, pharmaceuticals are stored and distributed appropriately, stock out and wastage are minimized, and pharmaceuticals are used rationally by the providers and patients.
Job Overview/Summary: The Lead Pharmacy Advisor will work closely with Global Supply Chain team and serve as a health unit focal point for all Pharmaceutical management issues ensuring that country programs are provided high quality technical assistance on rational selection, procurement and use of pharmaceutical products including training of health and pharmacy staff.
Key Working Relationships:
Reports to: Senior Technical Director, Health Unit
Works with: health technical advisors in the health unit, relevant colleagues in the Global Supply Chain, relevant colleagues in the emergency team, and program and operations teams in the country programs, including the health teams
Directly supervises: Pharmacy Advisor
Major Responsibilities:
- Lead strategies, Standard Operating Procedures and tools for all aspects of pharma management (drug selection, forecasting and supply planning, metrics, inventory management and quality assurance)
- Development of the Master IRC Essential Drug List, aligned with OEF & Emergency team strategies, included roll out with e-trainings
- Definition of the monitoring and evaluation parameters for reviewing Country Program Essential Drug Lists and Master IRC Essential Drug List.
- Focal point for lists of pharmaceuticals at Global Level for Country Program and Global Supply Chain to ensure better planning and use
- Develop a Gift in Kind SOP in collaboration with GSC, AMU and GPP.
· Donors’ compliance:
- Have full knowledge of donors’ requirements relating specifically to the selection of essential drugs and advise accordingly.
- Assess level of organizational compliance with internal policies and guidelines as well as universally endorsed protocols and standards for pharmaceutical management, and develop plan for mitigating risks
- Global E-trainings and follow up on the roll out of donors’ tool (audience: grants, supply chain & health staff)
· Pharmaceutical National regulations:
- Advise on programmatic approaches considering the context: National Drug Regulatory Authority effectiveness, staff regulations, products requested, security implications
- Advise on specific products (e.g. narcotics, reproductive health items) and guidance on national regulations and restrictions
· Quality assurance:
- Support continuous improvement of the in-country pharmaceutical management in all IRC operations
- Support the development of the Medical Supply Chain Checklist (Standardized risk assessment process and tool) to improve IRC pharmaceutical quality management activities
- Focal point for post-quality control review (quality control laboratory for products)
- Work with the Global Supply Chain Director team, health TAs and other key colleagues to develop & implement specific health supply chain performance measurement
- Advise Ethic & Compliance Unit (on demand)
· Country support:
- Regularly perform supportive supervision to country programs in order to support, advise, train and build the capacity of field health coordinators and pharmaceutical as well as logistics and program staff on all components of the pharmaceutical supply chain management.
- Develop capacity building for country health and pharmacy coordinators based on capacity need assessment.
- Support in identifying, recruiting, mentoring and professional development for country programs pharmacy managers
- Input to project design, proposal development
- Support and respond to requests and enquiries concerning drugs and pharmaceutical management by country programs through undertaking relevant research during field visits, remote support and other capacity building strategies such as distance learning
· Management:
- supervise global pharmacy advisor
- develop quarterly work plans and reports to share with the Health Unit and with other relevant headquarters teams
Job Requirements:
Education: Degree in Pharmacy; Master in Public Health and/or training in pharmaceutical supply chain is a plus
Work Experience: At least five years’ experience in drug management/medical logistics/ pharmaceutical supply chain, with progressive increase in responsibilities
Field Experience: At least one year field experience in humanitarian setting
Team work: Able to work with remote and multi-disciplinary teams
Communication Skills: Excellence in writing and presentation
Training Skills: Able to transfer technical knowledge and skills
Language Skills: English proficiency is a must; French and/or Arabic a big plus
Travel Requirement: 30 - 40% of the time
How to apply:
https://rescue.csod.com/ats/careersite/jobdetails.aspx?site=1&c=rescue&id=4102