Mission’s Pharmacist/Medical Commodities Manager 71 views0 applications

International Medical Corps is a global humanitarian nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care training and relief and development programs.

Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, International Medical Corps is a private, voluntary, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in areas worldwide. By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at high risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, International Medical Corps rehabilitates devastated health care systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance.

Background

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) confirmed its tenth outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) on August 1, 2018, just days after the Equateur Province EVD outbreak ended. The National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) completed the sequencing of the virus’s genome and has determined that the new outbreak, in North Kivu and Ituri, is not linked to the Equateur Province outbreak. The Ministry of Health (MoH), as of September 23, 2018, has reported 150 cases of hemorrhagic fever, with 119 confirmed as EVD and 31 probable cases of EVD. There has been a total of 100 reported deaths, out of which 69 were confirmed EVD deaths in this outbreak.
Job Purpose

The primary responsibility of the Mission’s Pharmacist / Medical Commodities Manager is to establish and maintain a pharmaceutical or medical commodities supply and distribution system for the mission, both in emergency response and basic community health services.

Main Responsibilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function with or without reasonable accommodation. The tasks listed are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all-inclusive

• Ensure a close follow up and updates of the National Drug Supply Regulation particularly in regards to Pharmaceuticals importation permits and restrictions
• Lead Rational Selection and quantification of Pharmaceuticals/medical commodities for Country Mission need, based on National/International Treatment protocol, morbidity data, population demography, stock status and IMC’s priority for intervention
• Collaborate in budgeting and prepare Pharmaceutical and other medical commodities orders together with Medical/Health and Logistic Coordinators
• Support and participate in all Pharmaceutical and medical commodity supply processes and facilitate proper stock management and transport/storage procedures, in order to ensure the availability of essential medicines in all projects avoiding expiries/overstocks and stock-outs and ensuring its overall efficiency and effectiveness
• Oversea proper management of all pharmaceuticals and medical commodities in health facility pharmacies; supervise storage conditions (e.g. humidity, temperature, light exposure, cleanliness, pest and rodents control, stock security, maintenance of cold chain, etc.), classification, organization and inventory, in order to guarantee the quality of the medicines and other medical commodities and prevent damage, financial losses generated by expired items, deterioration of products and robbery
• Collect and analyze consumptions of Pharmaceuticals and medical supplies dispensed/used on regular basis, identify discrepancies between consumption reporting and morbidity pattern and enforce compliance to protocols and report on unusual patterns
• Supervise IMC run/supported health facility pharmacies across the mission, ensuring the proper implementation of IMC minimum quality standards in PSCM and National treatment protocols, EML and good dispensing practices to be followed by all staff
• Collect and analyze stock indicators according to physical/ automated records (stock levels, pre-stock-outs, over-stocking, donations, expired products, not moving stock, disposal across different projects and together with the medical coordinator/Medical Director/Health Program Manager take corrective decisions when necessary
• Function as technical Pharmacy support regarding all questions related to pharmaceutical information, medication use (protocols and rational drug use), management of side effects, adherence issues etc
• Regular technical visits to project sites to ensure appropriate follow-up of activities and management of field pharmacies supported/run by IMC
• Ensure appropriate storage and management of supply of narcotic and psychotropic medicines with respect to national legislation and permit traceability for these specific products
• Lead Local medical commodity’s vendor Prequalification processes in collaboration with Health/Medical Coordinator/Director in order to ensure local medical commodities purchases are made from approved sources when the situation permits
• Ensure the proper disposal of Pharmaceuticals and medical commodities according to National Regulatory Authority Safety standards and waste management protocols, and international standards
• Ensures that all inventories of Pharmaceuticals and medical commodities are updated, and participates in reporting according to IMC guidelines
• Establish a medical commodities dispatch and monitoring system during regular programming and any emergency response.
• Ensure medicines and medical supplies are stored, transported and handled in keeping with IMC and international guidance to ensure safety and high quality assurance of pharmaceuticals;
• Maintain stock inventory and monitor consumption of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies in partnership with medical and nutrition teams;
• Work with logistics and coordination team to predict needs and prevent stock rupture;
• Lead or advise field IMC quality assurance process for supplies arriving in warehousing and pharmacy;
• Lead or advise IMC local supplier prequalification process;
• Deliver, design and oversee training of pharmacy and logistics staff in pharmaceutical/ medical commodities supply chain management;
• Ensure pharmacovigilance in the project and appropriate reporting;
• Assist in hiring and building a team as part of overall response.

Code of Conduct

It is our shared responsibility and obligation to prevent matters involving Sexual Exploitation & Abuse, Trafficking in Persons, Child Safeguarding and any suggested violation to our Code of Conduct, which may involve Conflicts of Interest, Fraud, Corruption or Harassment. If you see, hear or are made aware of any suggested activities then you have an obligation to report.

Qualification

• The qualified candidate should be a seasoned pharmacist with Bachelor Degree in Pharmacology as first requirement. A master degree in Public Health will be an added and higher advantage. Candidate must have expertise in medical commodities management in humanitarian and emergency contexts.

Experience

• Five years’ experience in pharmaceuticals/medical commodities supply management with strong focus on primary and secondary health care of which three years at management level
• Experience in establishing new pharmaceutical/medical commodities management systems or establishing new pharmacies;
• Experience in complex cold chain management;
• Familiarity with international humanitarian operations, coordination structures, and the mandate of donors, UN agencies, and NGOs preferred;
• Knowledge and experience of budget preparation and management preferred;
• Profound cross-cultural awareness and insight into health care issues;
• Ability to exercise sound judgement and make decisions independently following consultative processes;
• Proficient in computer applications, especially with MS Word and MS Excel, MS PowerPoint;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English required; as well as working knowledge of French; knowledge of Swahili will be an added advantage;
• Must be able to demonstrate cross-cultural awareness and maintain a positive working relationship with clients and colleagues with professionalism and integrity;
• Demonstrated skills in creative problem solving particularly in limited resource settings
• Experience in managing, training and motivating multi ethnic and multicultural teams.

Equal Opportunities

International Medical Corps is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran.