Laboratory Supply Chain Advisor
Overview
The Global Health Supply Chain Program Technical Assistance – Tanzania
(GHSC-TA-TZ) project, supported by the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID), provides expert technical assistance
to Tanzania to strengthen country supply chain systems across all health
elements, e.g., malaria, family planning (FP), HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis
(TB)and Reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH), and
essential health commodities. In coordination with in-country and
development partners, GHSC-TA-TZ assists Government of Tanzania health
programs by providing strategic planning and implementation assistance;
improving the delivery of health commodities to service sites; providing
capacity building support to broaden stakeholders' understanding and
engagement of the supply chain system; and strengthening enabling
environments to improve supply chain performance.
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Job Summary/function:
The Laboratory Supply Chain Advisor is expected to provide technical assistance to the HIV Pharmaceutical and Laboratory Services Unit under the National AIDS Control Program (NACP) as well as working closely with Assistant Director Diagnostics Services (ADDS) and Head of Laboratory Services (HLS) to ensure that HIV/AIDS commodities needs are accurately planned, forecasted, procured, stored, distributed and managed according to set standard, procedures and regulations. In addition, the advisor will be required to provide updated information and data on commodities status, risks and data quality issues and advice on appropriate corrective measures as may be needed. S/He will work to collaborate with key stakeholders including Medical Stores Department, PEPFAR, Global Fund, Pharmaceutical Supplies Unit, other sections within the NACP and other MOHCDGEC programs, as may be needed, to attain the best HIV/AIDS commodities availability and accessibility in the country.
Responsibilities
- Specific responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Develop interventions/solutions for addressing Laboratory Supply Chain bottlenecks such as using trends and peer-to-peer benchmarking to improve accountability.
- Support the development and execution of effective management of HIV/AIDS laboratory commodity changes and demand management strategies, procurement plans, storage, distribution and monitoring of activities gearing to improving availability of HIV/AIDS laboratory commodities.
- Provide technical expertise in annual HIV/AIDS laboratory quantification exercises and ensure quantification reports are written timely.
- Participate in quarterly review of supply plan and generate updated supply plan for laboratory commodity, and providing coaching to GoT counterparts in supply plan management.
- Update and monitor pipeline databases to ensure optimal laboratory supply of commodities.
- Prepare and submit monthly and quarterly supply chain performance reports to the program, and facilitate its distribution to relevant stakeholders such as PEPFAR and Global Fund
- Monitor HIV/AIDS laboratory commodities shelf life, prepare and follow through with action plans to avoid expiry of products in storage facilities
- Liaise with GHSC - PSM and Global Fund to facilitate better commodities supply plans, and importation protocols in accordance to importations requirements.
- Respond to laboratory supply chain queries from GHSC-PSM, PEPFAR, and USAID | Tanzania regarding USG funded shipments, ensuring productive collaboration between NACP and PSM.
- Work with MSD and TMDA in ensuring that laboratory reagents and consumables and other related supplies are reported in accordance with the guidelines
- Review HIV/AIDS laboratory shipment updates from PSM and Global Fund and provide guidance for responsible actors to take action where needed
- Build capacity within the NACP on order management processes such as placing orders with GHSC-PSM.
- Collaborate with key stakeholders including Medical Stores Department, PEPFAR, Global Fund, Pharmaceutical Supplies Unit, MOHCDGEC programs, and Implementing Partners as may be needed, to attain the best laboratory HIV/AIDS commodities availability and accessibility in the country and provide timely feedback as may be required.
- Coordinate key stakeholders which may include but not limited to MSD, PSU, TMDA, MOHCDGEC-Diagnostic Unit, NACP-PLSU, and other USG Implementing Partners to address supply chain issues including funding mobilization for HIV/AIDS laboratory commodities and leveraging of supply chain resources.
- Contribute to the development of supply chain research questions to help identify determinants of product availability.
- Support the preparations of annual work-plans and budgets and ensure smooth implementation of all activities.
- Contribute to the preparation of monthly, quarterly, and annual reporting, including development of project success stories.
- Other duties as assigned
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Qualifications- Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required:
- An advanced degree or a Master’s Degree in Public Health, , Laboratory Science or other relevant area
- Experience in working with USAID funded projects.
- Previous experience in HIV commodity management and supply chain data analysis.
- Knowledge in health supply chains in Tanzania.
- Knowledge on Tanzania Logistics Management Systems such the eLMIS, quantification tools (such as ForLab, Quantimed and Pipeline® is an added advantage.
- Ability to use infographic-style data visualization methods for senior-level management.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Strong verbal and written communication skills in English and Swahili
- Excellent technical writing and oral presentation skills highly desired
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Demand Planning Advisor
Responsibilities
The Demand Planning Advisor will strive to improve overall availability of medicines in Tanzania; provide technical expertise to demand planning and quantification, with specific focus on reproductive health, malaria, and TB; identify and encourage the adoption of leading practices for forecasting and supply planning; mentor and build the skills of relevant stakeholders within the GoT to forecast demand, and monitor supply plans; and recommend interventions to improve commodity security.
Responsibilities
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Responsibilities
The Demand Planning Advisor will strive to improve overall availability of medicines in Tanzania; provide technical expertise to demand planning and quantification, with specific focus on reproductive health, malaria, and TB; identify and encourage the adoption of leading practices for forecasting and supply planning; mentor and build the skills of relevant stakeholders within the GoT to forecast demand, and monitor supply plans; and recommend interventions to improve commodity security.
Responsibilities
- Specific responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following:
- Provide technical subject matter expertise on all areas related to demand planning management including but not limited to:
- Providing expert technical assistance in quantification of commodity needs, focusing on reproductive and child health, malaria and TB, and advocating for best practices in forecasting and supply planning
- Preparing for and executing quantification exercises, in partnership with GoT
- Conducting forecast accuracy analyses and identifying areas of improvement
- Coaching stakeholders from the GoT to review and analyze supply chain implications of product selection and changes in testing, treatment, and care guidelines, and adjust supply plans accordingly
- Providing guidance to estimate the cost of required commodities and identifying financial resources to meet commodity financing needs
- Coaching the GoT to perform pipeline analyses and monitor in-country supply levels
- Highlighting potential supply plan challenges, and develop recommendations to address them
- Consulting with project team members based in field to identify issues in data quality and availability, and identifying opportunities to improve data that informs quantification exercises.
- Ensure timely submissions of supply plans, PPMR, and PPMRm to GHSC-PSM
- Participate in routine communications with GHSC-PSM, and highlight issues that should be brought to national programs for decision making
- Participate in annual work planning process and provide inputs to the operations team to budget for demand planning activities including meetings, trainings, and other activities
- Identify lessons learned, best practices, and success stories
- Complete and submit timely written technical and trip reports
- Prepare presentations, participate and/or represent the project in stakeholder meetings
- Perform other duties as assigned
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Qualifications- Applicants for this position should be Tanzanian nationals or lawful residents who possess the following minimum qualifications:
- Higher qualification in Pharmacy,or other Public Health professions
- Experience with national quantifications for malaria, family planning (FP), HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH)
- Data analysis and data management skills
- Advanced skills in Excel highly desirable
- Experience in and knowledge of leading practices in quantification
- Knowledge of health supply chains in Tanzania
- Ability to coach and mentor public sector stakeholders to conduct forecasts and quantifications
- Experience with PipeLine, Quantimed, QuanTB preferred.
- Experience working with the Government of Tanzania and other NGOs preferred.
- Excellent written and verbal English.
- Ability to prepare and present information related to commodity availability
- Ability to work independently and on a team
- Previous work experience with USAID-funded projects desirable.
- Proficiency in common computer packages (eg.Word, PowerPoint, Excel) relevant to the work.
- Able to travel in-country to support technical activities.
- Able to travel internationally to attend trainings and conferences as needed.
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Business Analyst
Responsibilities
The Business Analyst will work under the guidance of the Management Information Systems (MIS) Team Lead, and will focus on facilitating all business architecture activities for the electronic logistics management information systems (eLMIS), and coordinating functional requirements for development and integration. S/he will work with in country stakeholders including the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MOHCDGEC) and the President’s Office of Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) to build consensus on business architecture decisions, where appropriate. This position will be based in Dar es Salaam, with occasional travel.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities
The Business Analyst will work under the guidance of the Management Information Systems (MIS) Team Lead, and will focus on facilitating all business architecture activities for the electronic logistics management information systems (eLMIS), and coordinating functional requirements for development and integration. S/he will work with in country stakeholders including the Ministry of Health, Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children (MOHCDGEC) and the President’s Office of Regional Administration and Local Government (PO-RALG) to build consensus on business architecture decisions, where appropriate. This position will be based in Dar es Salaam, with occasional travel.
Responsibilities
- Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Support the development of user requirements, including business process mapping and use case development or required system specifications
- Monitor the log of bug, enhancement, and wish list in the JIRA/confluence wiki; prioritize backlog in consultation with MIS team and key counterparts
- Periodically convene eLMIS (and related systems) subject matter experts on to gather and analyze user requirements, articulate objectives for requirements and document
- Facilitate government counterpart(s) involvement and active participation in the OpenLMIS community for new features and latest release/versions of OpenLMIS v3.x for alignment.
- Develop test plans and schedules for any system changes, in collaboration with software developers and the MIS team
- Maintain and manage relevant documentation for MIS, including technical documentation, user manuals, and related training curriculum
- Conduct trainings for users, as required
- Proactively identify and implement ways to improve eLMIS functionality and use, conducting regular reviews of performance
- Participate in in-country system linkages in areas of synergies for health facility level systems like GoTHOMIS, EMR and available registries like Health Facility Registry – HFR through the established Health Information Exchange platform(s)
- Work closely with software developers, advisors and clients/end users to ensure technical compatibility and user satisfaction
- Ensure BA assigned workplan activities are completed on time and of high quality
- Serve as a technical resource for project staff on MIS activities, and support other MIS activities as needed.
- Prepare presentations, participate and/or represent the project in stakeholder meetings.
- Complete and submit in a timely fashion written technical and trip reports.
- Perform other duties as assigned
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QUALIFICATIONS:- Applicants for this position should be Tanzanian nationals or lawful residents who possess the following minimum qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in IT, Computer Science, Health Information, Business Management, or related field. Advanced degree preferred.
- At least 4 years of practical experience in eLMIS, DHIS2, HMIS, and/ or related systems
- Experience working with MOHCDGEC, health programs and knowledge of the larger HIS ecosystem in Tanzania
- Experience with MIS technical documentation and user manuals
- Experience conducting training
- Familiarity with software development methodologies
- Experience in UI mock-up tool such as Visio, Lucidchart or Gliffy
- Strong analytic and problem-solving skills
- Proven communications and writing skills in English
- Ability to work in a dynamic team-oriented environment but self-managing of own time
- Ability to interact with and assist a wide range of end users
- Ability to work independently, take responsibility, and follow-through on assignments
- Experience with USAID-funded projects preferred.
