Pharmacist at Care Best Initiative (CBI)

Job Summary

• The Pharmacist will be responsible for overseeing the supply chain and management of pharmaceutical and medical commodities in health facilities supported by a humanitarian health project in North-eastern Nigeria.
• This role includes managing health and nutrition supplies, ensuring proper stock management, and maintaining the availability of essential medications and therapeutic products, especially for acute malnutrition and primary healthcare services.
• The Pharmacist will work closely with healthcare workers to ensure that supplies are used appropriately and that services are delivered efficiently.
• Additionally, the Pharmacist will ensure that the health facilities maintain compliance with national and international pharmaceutical guidelines.
• The Pharmacist is expected to have experience managing health and nutrition supplies in emergency settings, particularly in facilities providing outpatient therapeutic programs (OTPs) and stabilization centres (SCs) for acute malnutrition.

Job Description / Principal Accountabilities
Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Management:

• Oversee the management of pharmaceutical and nutrition commodities in supported health facilities, ensuring that supplies are available, tracked, and properly stored.
• Ensure accurate forecasting and timely procurement of essential medications, therapeutic food, and nutrition supplements for the treatment of acute malnutrition and other health conditions.
• Implement and maintain an efficient stock management system, including the use of electronic records where applicable, to track inventory levels and usage patterns.
• Coordinate the distribution of medical supplies across multiple health facilities, ensuring that OTPs and SCs have the necessary supplies to manage acute malnutrition and other medical conditions.
• Ensure proper storage of pharmaceuticals and nutrition products according to international standards to preserve their efficacy and safety.
• Monitor stock levels and prevent stock outs by facilitating timely resupply of commodities in coordination with procurement teams and warehouse staff.

Health and Nutrition Supplies Management:

• Ensure that all health and nutrition-related commodities, including drugs, medical supplies, medical equipment, ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTFs) and other nutritional supplements, are available and distributed in accordance with clinical guidelines for malnutrition management.
• Work closely with health and nutrition teams to ensure proper use of supplies in stabilization centres and outpatient therapeutic programs.
• Support the development of a nutrition supply chain management plan to ensure consistent availability of key therapeutic foods and medicines for malnutrition treatment.
• Collaborate with warehouse staff to track shipments, manage stock levels, and ensure the integrity of supplies in emergency settings.

Technical Support and Capacity Building:

• Provide training and technical support to healthcare workers on the proper use of pharmaceuticals, therapeutic products, and nutrition supplies.
• Train health facility staff on drug storage, handling, and stock management procedures, ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards.
• Mentor pharmacy assistants and other relevant staff to build their capacity in inventory management, pharmaceutical dispensing, and accurate reporting.

Regulatory Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with national and international pharmaceutical guidelines, including WHO and local government regulations on the management of medical commodities.
• Implement and enforce protocols to maintain the safety, quality, and efficacy of all pharmaceutical products used in the health facilities.
• Work with local authorities to ensure that all medications are registered, approved for use, and procured through authorized channels.

Coordination and Reporting:

• Collaborate with health facility managers and other stakeholders to ensure that pharmaceutical and nutrition supplies are distributed equitably across facilities.
• Maintain strong communication with procurement teams and external suppliers to ensure continuous resupply and avoid stock outs, especially during emergency situations.
• Prepare and submit regular reports on stock usage, inventory levels, and supply chain performance to the project management team.
• Work with Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) officers to ensure accurate tracking of health and nutrition supplies for reporting and auditing purposes.
• Carry out any other task as requested by the line manager.

Job Holder Entry Requirements

Knowledge (Education & Related Experience):

• Bachelor’s Degree in Pharmacy. Licensed by the appropriate regulatory body.
• At least 2 years post NYSC experience in pharmaceutical management, including managing health and nutrition supplies in emergency settings within health facilities.
• Proven experience in stock management, procurement, and supply chain systems in low-resource or humanitarian settings.
• Strong knowledge of pharmaceutical protocols for the treatment of acute malnutrition, maternal and child health, and communicable diseases.
• Experience working in humanitarian projects is an advantage.

Skills (Special Training or Competence):

• Ability to observe and understand cultural and social contexts and reflect the understandings in programming
• Excellent analytical and report writing skills
• Strong community engagement and facilitation skill
• Ability to infuse positive energy to the team
• Attention to detail, keen at following procedures and meeting deadlines
• Ability to organize tasks simultaneously and prioritize work
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills working with cross cultural and multi diverse teams
• Ability to build strong working relationships for partnerships
• Standards of Professional Conduct especially on integrity, service, and accountability.

Key Behaviors:

• Interpersonal and intercultural sensitivity.
• Social and receptive (active listener).
• High degree of integrity.
• Ability to work independently and as a part of the team, as the situation dictates.
• Pro-active and ready to take initiative.
• Ability to assimilate and handle a wide range of information efficiently and effectively.
• High level of stress tolerance and ability to work under pressure with minimum supervision.
• Willingness to undertake extensive field trip within the project working area.

Key Relationships(excluding own line manager and staff):
Internal:

• Program Coordinator
• Finance and Support Services team
• Various staff based in all CBI core departments, as and when necessary (e.g. funding, MEAL, finance, logistics and procurement, etc.).

External:

• Partners
• Consultants
• Service Providers/Stakeholders (Other NGOs)
• Government agencies
• Community leaders/CBOs.