National Logistics Contractor at UNICEF

Job ID: 542216
Contract Type: Consultancy
Level: Consultancy
Categories: Health
Duration of Assignment: 11.5 months

Background and Purpose of Assignment

• The humanitarian crisis is in its eleventh year in North East Nigeria and the 2021 UN Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO) estimates that 8.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in addition to 1.9 million people in the Lake Chad Basin areas who are in need. Armed conflict and military clearance operations continue to drive new displacements, but other causes include poor living conditions in some camp-like settlements, revolving security situations, voluntary or involuntary relocations and fear of attacks.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has further deepened humanitarian needs and complicated response. The economic impact of COVID-19 mitigation measures impairs livelihoods resulting in loss of income and purchasing power. Limited or lack of access to public services (including health care) and a depressed economic situation have stretched the coping capacities of the already vulnerable populations. To support health care access, Procurement of Life-Saving Commodities to Support USAID Health Implementing Partners Response in North East Nigeria (BHA 5) builds on existing efforts to ensure that USAID partners have regular uninterrupted supply of essential medicines and supplies.
• The imperative for providing lifesaving integrated primary health care services to the IDPs in the north east remains a priority for the Government of Nigeria and partners. In line with the Health Sector guidance, partners will implement a range of initiatives to ensure safety of staff and patients while seeking quality health care services and ensuring essential medical supplies are available. The overall purpose of the initiative is to meet the humanitarian needs of conflict-affected populations by procurement of relevant drugs and supplies to enable USAID Implementing Partners (IPs) to provide emergency life-saving health services to the population affected by the crisis in the North East.

Major Tasks to be accomplished during this Consultancy Include:

• Support central level and central to state supply logistics for the entire programme including supply monitoring of all commodities associated with this project including supply components to all USAID IPs.
• Work with UNICEF Abuja programme and supply section to ensure timely procurement of commodities for the health humanitarian response
• Prepare, disseminate and regularly update procurement and supply distribution plan for UNICEF’s health humanitarian response in the North East and North West.
• Support supply procurement planning and logistics for health humanitarian response commodities, including establishing and maintaining updated logistics tracker for UNICEF’s health humanitarian response.
• Support drug selection based on NAFDAC approved lists to ensure non-inclusion of items impacted by the customs prohibition list.
• Work closely with the USAID partners to ensure good forecasting of medicines using consumption data and guidance to ensure no stockouts or over stocking of medicines.
• Support the raising of partner specific sales orders (SOs) and packaging will be based on the SO to avoid potential mixing up of the orders. and communicate the information to the responsible IPs.
• Engage with NAFDAC to explore the possibility of getting waivers for some drugs and facilitating clearance for humanitarian supplies.

Minimum Qualifications

• A University Degree is required in Business Administration, Management, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Procurement, Contract/Commercial Law, International Development, Health or related social science field.
• At least 5 years professional experience in supply/logistics and institutional contracts management at the national and state levels including experience in procurement and supply management systems
• Fluency in oral and written English is required.
• Knowledge of local working language of the duty station and various states an asset. Knowledge of the latest developments and technology in related fields.
• Ability to make timely and quality judgments and decisions and very good training skills.
• Computer skills, including internet navigation and various office applications.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and establish harmonious and effective working relationships, both within and outside the organization.
• Willingness to travel to remote regions of the country, including emergency settings.
• Understanding of development and humanitarian work. Emergency experience an advantage.
• Health supply chain management experience an advantage.
• Initiative, passion and commitment to UNICEF’s mission and professional values.