Technical Specialist 12 / SHOPS Plus Lab and Supply Chain Specialist at ABT Associates

Ref Id: 51252

Opportunity
Abt Associates seeks a Laboratory and Supply Chain Specialist to work on a TB services expansion project in Nigeria. SHOPS Plus is USAID’s flagship initiative in private sector health. The project seeks to harness the full potential of the private sector and catalyze public-private engagement to improve health outcomes in TB, family planning, HIV/AIDS, maternal and child health, and other health areas. In Nigeria, SHOPS Plus will capacitate private providers to scale up tuberculosis case finding, diagnosis, treatment and reporting in Lagos and Kano States.

The Laboratory and Supply Chain Specialist will support a TB services expansion project that will increase availability of TB services in the private sector, improve flow of suspected TB patients into detection and treatment centers, improve the quality of private sector TB services, and strengthen health systems to foster and sustain Public Private Mix (PPM) models for TB care.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Lead activities that strengthen the capacity of laboratory services.
• Troubleshoot network issues related to TB drug distribution and stock management within the network.
• Work closely with intermediary organizations to link network facilities with public sector sources of drugs.
• Provide assistance in reviewing technical resource materials (e.g., training materials, SBCC plans, strategy documents, job aids) and programming tools to support meeting project objectives.
• Lead special efforts to make TB drugs available, including coordinating with the Health Financing/Private Sector Specialist to address the high costs of drugs for MDR-TB.
• Contribute to communication, advocacy and knowledge management of lab management, including documentation.

Prerequisites/Preferred Skills 

• Advanced degree in Medicine, Laboratory Science, or related field.
• At least ten years of related work experience, including five years of relevant work experience in capacity building and training in the health sector, preferably in laboratory management, commodity logistics and supply chain.
• Experience in TB or other infectious diseases preferred.
• Ability to write technical papers and reports.
• Computer skills in MS Windows, Excel, Word.
• Ability to travel within Nigeria.

Minimum Qualifications

• (10+) years of experience and a Bachelor degree OR the equivalent combination of education and experience.