Supply Chain Management Specialist at American Institutes for Research Jobs In Kenya
- The incumbent will work as an Independent Consultant to conduct third-party monitoring of local entities contracted by USAID to procure, warehouse, and distribute health products. The Independent Consultant will conduct organizational capacity assessments on the local entities and monitor effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance of procurement and supply chain processes with contractual requirements and applicable policies and regulations. The Independent Consultant will verify that procured health commodities meet established quality standards, undertake risk assessment through regular on-site spot checks and off-site document reviews and clearly identify, prioritize, and summarize recommendations. The Independent Consultant will facilitate knowledge building and sharing by synthesizing and disseminating lessons learned and best practices.
Responsibilities
Scope of work includes:
- Capacity assessment: Conduct organizational capacity assessments on local entities contracted by USAID to procure, warehouse, and distribute health products, with a focus on financial management and administrative policies, procedures and internal controls that directly impact health commodity procurement and supply chain management functions.
- Monitoring: Monitor effectiveness, efficiency, and compliance of procurement and supply chain processes with contractual requirements and applicable policies and regulations. Verify transparency in the procurement processes as well as adherence to policies, procedures, and controls. Establish best practices that achieve value for money.
- Quality Assurance: Assess the sources of supplies and verify that procured health commodities meet established quality standards.
- Risk Assessment: Identify vulnerabilities in the procurement and supply chain processes which may lead to fraud, abuse, wastage, and other malpractices and propose mitigation measures.
- Spot checks: Develop and refine spot check and other monitoring tools, train research assistants and lead data collection through regular on-site spot checks and off-site document reviews on procurement, warehousing, and distribution processes.
- Data Analysis: Analyze distribution and spot check data and triangulate with other data sources to inform decision-making; clearly identify, prioritize, and summarize recommendations.
- Facilitation of knowledge building and knowledge sharing by synthesizing and disseminating lessons learned and best practices.
Qualifications
Education, Knowledge, Experience and Skills
- An advanced degree (masters or its equivalent) in pharmacy, procurement and supply chain management, public health, or related field.
- A minimum of 7 years relevant experience in managing or advising on the procurement, supply chain management and use of health products, particularly in developing countries.
- Experience in assessing procurement and supply chain management policies, systems, and structures in the public and/or private health sectors.
- Expertise in the procurement of health products, tendering processes, and applicable regulations, including U.S. Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and Agency for International Development Acquisition Regulations (AIDAR).
- Experience in supply chain/logistics management systems, including inventory, storage, and distribution management, from the central warehouses to the last mile.
- A good understanding of HIV/AIDS, TB, malaria, and family planning commodities’ market dynamics and existing global supply challenges.
- A good understanding of international health products procurement and supply management practices, applicable national and international laws, and recognized standards.
- Excellent report writing, communication and presentation skills, both written and oral.
- Team player who can work well independently.
- Professional training in procurement and supply management (PSM) of health products is a plus but not required.