Country: United States of America
Closing date: 22 Nov 2016
Background/IRC Summary: Health programs represent the largest single sector within which IRC currently operates, constituting approximately 45% of the international budget and with activities in 25 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, rationale use of drugs are necessary and high cost activities for IRC health programs.
IRC Health Unit contributes to the effectiveness and comprehensiveness of IRC health programs through technical support, staff development, and institutional learning to ensure that pharmaceuticals for IRC health programs are selected in accordance with the essential drug lists, stock out and wastage are minimized, and pharmaceuticals are used rationally by the providers and patients.
Job Overview/Summary: The Specialist, Pharmacy, under the Drug Management Technical Advisor (TA) supervision, will support IRC in building and strengthening an efficient and resilient pharmacy management in order to support the delivery of international health programmes. The role will create practical management guidelines and tools, as well as providing technical support to IRC country health programs, including training of relevant staff.
Major Responsibilities:
- Assist all country health teams to routinely update the Essential Drug Lists (EDL) for IRC managed facilities based on the type of providers employed and services provided, and the IRC Global EDL developed by the Pharmacy TA; monitor country program compliance with the national/IRC essential drug list at the proposal stage, aligned with donor compliance; maintain an inventory of essential drug lists for countries where IRC implements health programs and update IRC global EDL.
- Provide technical advice to key country programs in pharmacy management; including estimation, forecasting, stock management in healthcare facilities, good dispensary management, controlled drug management, sharps management.
- Provide technical advice to key country programs in pharmaceutical stock management and information systems; including what information to record, how to communicate it in both electronic and manual formats to minimize pharmaceutical stock out and wastage.
- Work with the Pharmacy TA to develop/adapt and introduce methodologies and tools to assess and improve rational use of drugs and pharmacovigilance in IRC-managed/supported facilities, and other drug management guidelines and tools required by country programs.
- Work with the Pharmacy TA to d evelop training materials and support capacity building of the tools and skills required in pharmaceutical supply chain management to support Country Office, Regional Office and Emergency Health Unit capacity building.
- Collaborate with Global Supply Chain on issues that intersect with the Health unit, such as essential drug lists, compliance, quality assurance and warehouse drug management.
- Write and contribute to reports, risk registers, work plans and business cases, as required by the Pharmacy TA, to anticipate, inform and advise risk management activities in the health and supply chain teams.
Job Requirements:
Education: Pharmacy qualification; Master in Public Health and/or training in pharmaceutical supply chain is a plus
Work Experience:
At least two years' experience in pharmacy management/medical logistics
- Field experience: At least one year field experience in humanitarian setting
- Experience in Public Health relating to Essential Medicines or National Drug Policies
- Experience with policy development and preparing technical documents.
- Experience in capacity building and supervising clinical and logistic staff.
- Experience in drug management and/or health care facility stock management.
- Experience in data analysis.
- Experience of working with a diverse team and building relationships quickly, with a wide range of people
- Good knowledge of essential drugs, consumables and equipment.
- Experience in managing nutrition commodities is a plus.
- Experience in conducting pharmacy assessments/audits is a plus.
- Experience working with key institutional donors including ECHO, DFID, USAID/OFDA is a plus.
- Experience in clinical pharmacy and secondary care is a plus.
- Experience with using, implementing and managing manual and electronic PMIS (pharmaceutical management information systems) is a plus.
- Experience of working and travelling in insecure environments is a plus.
Demonstrated Skills and Competencies:
- Excellence in writing and presentation, Able to transfer technical knowledge and skills writing, training, written and spoken communication
- Competence with the Microsoft office package, including an advanced ability with Microsoft excel
- Ability to organize a substantial workload comprised of complex, diverse tasks and responsibilities
Language Skills: English proficiency is a must; French and/or Arabic would be an asset
Working Environment: NYC based, with up to 50% travel depending on country priorities.
How to apply:
Please follow this link to apply: http://www.aplitrak.com/?adid=YXN0cmlkLm1hdGhldy40NTcwMS4zODMwQGlyYy5hcGxpdHJhay5jb20