Supply Chain Specialist at Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Department  Health Systems Strengthening Unit

Band:  D-1

Reports To:  Supply Chain Manager, GF HIV

Job Context:

CRS is a Sub-Recipient to Family Health International (FHI 360) on the Global Fund New Funding Model HIV Program in Nigeria. The Program seeks to scale up gender sensitive HIV prevention services among children and adults in Nigeria.

Job Responsibilities:
Demand and Supply Planning

• Provide oversight and mentoring to Supply Chain Specialists at state level, to ensure that all project sites are properly provided with  commodities at the right time and in the right quantities.
• Quantify centrally for project commodity needs for the CRS’ GF program
• Ensure that supply chain teams at state level monitor stock status of ARVs, Opportunistic Infection Drugs and any other pharmaceutical commodity, and manage stock-outs and over stocks of product cycles   at the facilities.
• Provide oversight to Laboratory Specialists; working with the Clinical Coordinator, and ensure that ART laboratory equipment and  commodities are properly managed.

Commodity Management

• Centrally coordinate with Chemonics and 3PLs to ensure timelydelivery of commodities to CRS-supported facilities.
• Centrally collate comprehensive CRRIFF reports from the states, and ensure that these are timely submitted to the PR and Chemonics as    required.
• Collaborate with other implementing partners at the national level for the improvement of commodity supplies in CRS-supported facilities.

Program Management

• Manage CRS’s relationship with Chemonics, the 3PLs to ensuresmooth supply chain operations for the project.
• Manage CRS’s relationship with the PSM units of FHI, FMoH and NACA; as well as the LMCUs at supported states.
• Centrally manage the project LMIS, in collaboration with the PR and   GoN players as necessary.
• Develop, implement and periodically update a decentralized work plan   for the Supply Chain and Laboratory teams.

Training

• Mentor and supportively supervise Supply Chain and Laboratory Specialists, and ensure that their knowledge base and technicalcapacity is constantly up-to-date.
• Ensure that project supply chain and laboratory activities are aligned  with national guidelines and SOPs.
• Conduct monitoring and mentoring visits to supported states and facilities to ensure smooth implementation of supply chain, pharmacyand laboratory activities.
• Support capacity strengthening, provide technical assistance, and develop standard operating procedures for inventory management  and other aspects of supply chain management that will assure the    quality and availability of commodities at partner facilities.

CRS/Nigeria Program Responsibilities

The Supply Chain Manager will also participate as a full member of the CRS/Nigeria Program Department.This will include active   involvement in all Program Department activities as needed.

Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) from a reputable university, with a Masters’ Degree in Pharmacy, Public Health, Supply Chain Management or a related field strongly desired.
• Minimum of 5 years’ work experience with progressive responsibility inpharmaceutical, and/or supply chain management.
• Previous experience working with GF and/ or USG funded programs will be an advantage.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills
• Excellent training and facilitation skills.
• Strong computer skills- Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint required.
• Strong report writing skills will be an added advantage
• Experience in partner capacity strengthening preferred.
• Knowledge of CRS’ program quality standards will be an advantage.
• Proven ability to work remotely as part of a team and to workindependently.
• Cultural sensitivity, patience and flexibility.
• Willingness and ability to travel within the country up to 50% of the time.

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: Senior Program Manager, Clinical Coordinator, State Team Leads, Supply Chain and Lab Specialists, Technical Specialists.

External: Chemonics, FHI, FMoH, NACA, 3PL

Disclaimer Clause:
This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.