Health Supply Chain Manager – P4  

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.

And we never give up.

For every child, For every child, health.

Include information about the country/specific programme. Ideally include a link to a video

How can you make a difference?

The Health Supply Chain Manager reports to the Principal Advisor/Chief of Health as per the Country Office (CO) set-up and is responsible for managing the supply chains of a medium to large-sized health program and emergency response operations. The supply chain operations include planning, procurement, contracting, customs clearance, warehousing, in country transport and distribution, as well as monitoring of supplies, services for health programmes. This work includes programs supported by the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, and encompasses immunization, health in emergency, primary health care and maternal and child health. The incumbent collaborates closely with Supply Section in defining supply interventions to meet programmatic needs and achieve results for children, and provides technical and advisory support to governments, national systems, and partners on supply chain management.

Key functions/accountabilities:

Management of the supply component of the health section

• Establish the annual work plan for the supplies for the health section; determine priorities/targets and performance measurements and monitor work progress to ensure that results are achieved according to schedule and performance standards.
• Supervise and coach Health supply staff, ensure timely performance management of staff. In collaboration with Supply Section, Supply Division and Regional Office ensure knowledge sharing and learning is prioritized in order to continuously build capacity of individuals and the team.
• Ensure establishment and maintenance of operational capacity to handle CO health supply chains, including staffing (appropriate staffing structure, timely recruitment, clarity of roles and responsibilities)

Supply chain service delivery and emergency response

• Participate in the Country Programme Action Planning and advice on Supply requirements for the Plan of Operations and Health Annual Work Plans. Ensure appropriate planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the supply chain operations, including establishment of performance indicators, and assessment of fit for purpose of products and services.
• Analyze Health supply spend and establish procurement strategies in consultation with Supply Section based on identified needs, in order to focus on strategic, essential supplies and services that contribute to results for children.
• Analyze supply dashboards, implementation rates of key performance indicators and supply information/data from various systems and conduct root cause analysis of supply chain bottlenecks and challenges, with a view to drive improvements and ensure efficient and effective supply chains for children.
• Develop an emergency health supply & logistics strategy based on risk assessment analysis and Programme assumptions. Ensure an emergency health supply and logistics preparedness action plan for the CO is established in line with Core Commitments for Children in Humanitarian Action (CCC).
• Participate in high level emergency and other coordination, implementation and monitoring meetings with internal and external partners and establish close collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Management Working Group at a national level.

Collaboration with programme and implementing partners.

• Establish close collaboration with implementing partners including WB, ADB, ISDB among others and other national stakeholders such as MOPH, AFDA, AFIAT, etc through involvement in programme design, planning, and preparation for implementation of health supply components as well as monitoring and evaluation. Establish accountability framework with health programmes, for delivery of results for children.
• Provide supply input to donor dialogue, and support development of supply components of proposals to donors including budgeting for health supplies and services.
• Support assessment of and collaboration with implementing partners including civil society, establishment of Programme Cooperation Agreements (PCAs), and monitoring of supply components under Harmonized Approach to Cash Transfers (HACT).
• Develop and maintain partnership and collaborative relations with Government, UN organizations and bilateral counterparts in supply and logistics activities including harmonized and collaborative procurement.

Technical and advisory support to government/national systems

• Promote/drive supply chain strengthening and change management initiatives with governments and partners, to ensure efficient and effective health supply chains for children.
• Implement capacity development initiatives in health supply chains for children, in close collaboration with Supply colleagues and other programmes. Support supply and logistics components of health systems strengthening as might be relevant in the country context.
• Advisory support to Governments/national systems in defining and determining supply solutions for children

Other Skills

• Ability to resolve difficult, complex and sensitive situations often under pressure.
• Ability to initiate and manage change in a diverse environment.
• Ability to clearly and concisely express ideas and concepts in written and oral form.
• Ability to manage and monitor the effective use of financial and material resources.
• Ability to supervise and direct a team of professional and support staff.
• The ability to allocate appropriate time and resources for successful achievement of goals and foresee risks and allow for contingencies when planning.
• Ability to implement clear goals that are consistent with agreed strategies, identify priority activities and assignments, adjust priorities as required.
• Ability to work strategically to realize organizational goals, develop strategies, set clear visions.
• Advanced communication and negotiation skills to establish and maintain trusted partnerships for achievement of objectives and to develop close and effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Skill in the identification of new opportunities or requirements to meet challenges in the field and propose changes.
• Strong understanding of supply chain processes, from programme needs assessment, through planning, procurement and contracting, logistics and delivery, monitoring and evaluation.
• Strong overall knowledge and understanding of UNICEF programmes, public procurement principles, financial and legal aspects of supply chain issues, ethics, and risk management of supply chain operations.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• An advanced university degree (Masters) is required in Business Administration, Management, Economics, Supply Chain Management, Pharmaceutical Sciences, International Development, Health or related social science field.
• A minimum of eight (8) years of relevant experience, at the national and international levels, in supply, logistics, procurement, contracting, administration and/or other directly related technical fields is required.
• Health supply chain management experience and/or experience in pharmaceuticals supply chains is an advantage.
• Emergency experience an advantage.
• Understanding of development and humanitarian work is an advantage.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF’s Core Values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability and Sustainability (CRITAS) underpin everything we do and how we do it. Get acquainted with Our Values Charter: UNICEF Values

UNICEF competencies required for this post are…

(1) Builds and maintains partnerships (2)Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness(3)Drive to achieve results for impact(4)Innovates and embraces change(5) Manages ambiguity and(6) Thinks and acts(7) Works collaboratively with others(8)Nurtures, leads and manages people.

During the recruitment process, we test candidates following the competency framework. Familiarize yourself with our competency framework and its different levels: competency framework here.

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.
We offer a wide range of benefits to our staff, including paid parental leave, breastfeeding breaks and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. UNICEF strongly encourages the use of flexible working arrangements.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF is committed to promote the protection and safeguarding of all children. 

Remarks:

UNICEF’s active commitment towards diversity and inclusion is critical to deliver the best results for children. For this position, eligible and suitable Female are encouraged to apply.

Mobility is a condition of international professional employment with UNICEF and an underlying premise of the international civil service. 

UNICEF appointments are subject to medical clearance. Issuance of a visa by the host country of the duty station, which will be facilitated by UNICEF, is required for IP positions. Appointments are also subject to inoculation (vaccination) requirements, including against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid). Should you be selected for a position with UNICEF, you either must be inoculated as required or receive a medical exemption from the relevant department of the UN. Otherwise, the selection will be cancelled.

All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks and will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.

Government employees that are considered for employment with UNICEF are normally required to resign from their government before taking up an assignment with UNICEF. UNICEF reserves the right to withdraw an offer of appointment, without compensation, if a visa or medical clearance is not obtained, or necessary inoculation requirements are not met, within a reasonable period for any reason.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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