E-DRUG: Vacancy: Logistics Specialist Health (UNICEF Ethiopia)
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07/25/2007
*Region: UNICEF ESARO
*Country: Ethiopia
*Duty Station: Addis Ababa
*Section/Department: Health
*Post Title: Logistics Specialist Health
*Level of TFT: L-3
*Duration of Contract: 6 Months with possible extension.
*Closing Date: Aug/07/2007
*Applications should go directly to requesting office c/o:
UNICEF Ethiopia, Biruk Shiferaw; bshifera@unicef.org
Terms of Reference:
1. Background
The Government of Ethiopia increasingly recognizes the importance of
logistics for its health care system. It is working on improving
health care logistics on all levels in the system. A 5-year Master
Plan for Health Care Logistics was developed in 2006 and is now being
implemented.
Health care logistics in Ethiopia is highly complex due to its
political, economical, demographic, and geographic situation. The
Health Care Logistics Master plan was designed in the context of an
ambitious Health Extension Plan to expand health care coverage by
deploying 33,000 new Health Extension Workers to 15,000 Health Posts
and increase the number of Health Centers from 423 in 2004 to 3153 in
2009, including an accelerated programme to roll-out free Anti
Retroviral Therapy to 140,000 patients by end of 2007.
Some other complicating factors are that Ethiopia is one of the
poorest countries in the world, leading to severe funding constraints
and many areas are difficult to reach due to geographical and seasonal
factors or security concerns.
UNICEF has been a partner of the Ministry of Health in these
improvements from the start, e.g. by delivering Procurement Services,
by playing an important role in the design of the Logistics Master
Plan and implementation of the Health Extension Plan. The Logistics
Master Plan should lead to a complete overhaul of the country's
logistics system for health care commodities. UNICEF is an important
partner of the Ministry of Health during implementation, especially in
the areas of regional coordination, resource mobilization,
forecasting, inventory management and monitoring and evaluation.
The complexities of logistics in the country are also reflected in
UNICEF's own logistics operations. UNICEF is operating as procurement
agency for the Government of Ethiopia delivering ARV drugs, diagnostic
equipment and related materials totaling approximately $75 million in
2006. In addition to this UNICEF procures supplies for the country
programme, in 2006 for a value of approximately $38 million.
Given the complexities of health care logistics in Ethiopia, and the
fact that the MoH has asked UNICEF to be one of the key implementing
partners for implementation of the Logistics Master Plan, the Ethiopia
Country Office created an L3 position to coordinate this support, as
well as to provide logistics support to the Health section internally.
2. Objective of the post
Under the direct supervision of the Chief Health section, coordinates
the support and provides logistics advise to the Pharmaceutical
Logistics Master Plan Implementation and Support Team in the agreed
focal area's and works closely together with the Health- and
Supply/Logistics section to coordinate distribution of Health supplies
and logistics capacity building in support of the UNICEF Country
Programme, the Logistics Master Plan and the Ethiopian Health
Extension Programme.
3. Duties and Responsibilities
Support the implementation of the Pharmaceutical Logistics Master Plan
in the agreed focal areas of regional coordination, resource
mobilization, forecasting, inventory management and monitoring and
evaluation, in any way necessary.
Proactively work with the MoH and other partners (e.g. MSH-RPM+,
JSI-Deliver, CHAI, WHO, SCMS, UNFPA) on implementation planning,
monitoring and control, to ensure that the Logistics Master Plan
implementation activities are on time, recourse needs are addressed
and duplication is avoided.
Liaise with the Supply and Logistics Section as well as the Ministry
of Health to facilitate clearance, storage and distribution of Health
programme supplies and equipment.
Coordinate and perform UNICEF's logistics capacity building effort in
the health care system and liaise with UNICEF departments and other
stakeholders to coordinate these activities.
Participate in the Pharmaceutical Logistics Master Plan Technical
Working group plus the Logistics sub-committees on ART and the Health
Extension Programme, to provide updates on progress and raise
logistics issues that need attention.
Supervise and monitor work plan activities and assist logistics
capacity building of the Senior Programme Assistant Logistics.
Provide logistics support to health emergencies in the field by
conducting field visits as requested by the supervisor and attending
bi-weekly emergency core group meetings.
Deliver asked and unasked logistical expertise for the section and
carry out any related tasks requested by the supervisor.
4. Educational Qualification and Experience required:
Educational qualifications: Advanced University degree in the field of
logistics or related technical field.
Work Experience: Minimum five (5) years of professional work
experience in the fields of logistics management (preferably medical
logistics) at the national and international level, two years of which
should be in developing countries. Experience in capacity building
and/or consulting is an asset.
Competencies:
- Excellent knowledge of and skills in logistics and procurement planning,
including forecasting.
- Basic or in-depth knowledge of health sector and pharmaceutical commodities.
- Good capacity for analysis and presentation.
- Good negotiation and communication skills.
- Excellent (self-) organization 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.
- Fluent in English both spoken and written. Knowledge of Amharic is
considered
an asset.
- Ability and willingness to travel freely throughout Ethiopia.