The Position:
The System Strengthening Associate position is located in the Country Support Team within Pillar 1 – Resilience and Capacity Development in the UNFPA Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU). The position reports directly to the System Strengthening Team Lead. The System Strengthening Associate will work closely with other SCMU colleagues, other HQ Business Units, the Regional Offices and the Country Offices and with a number of external partners.
The position provides assistance to the System Strengthening Team Lead to build sustainable national health supply chain systems for reproductive health products.
How you can make a difference:
UNFPA occupies a unique position in the sexual and reproductive health commodity ecosystem as a critical player in supply chain management, a leading public procurer of sexual and reproductive health commodities, a trusted partner to national governments, and one of the few organizations with the scale and partnerships necessary to build accountability for last mile delivery.
The UNFPA Supply Chain Management Unit (SCMU) is self-funded and was made operational in January 2022. It is tasked with ensuring that UNFPA is able to effectively and efficiently support the delivery of life-saving reproductive health products and other programme supplies to the end user when and where they are needed. To achieve this, it is important to strengthen the capacity of governments and implementing partners to ensure coordination, end-to-end visibility and accountability on all supply chain and logistics management related activities, in particular for programme supplies, across all UNFPA programmes.
Job Purpose:
In general, the System Strengthening Associate will provide foundational support and ensuring smooth day-to-day operation to enhance national health supply chain systems.
Main Task and Responsibilities
You will be responsible to support the System Strengthening Team Lead with:
1.Monitor and assist with the implementation of national health supply chain systems for reproductive health products.
- Propose revisions to the guidelines, SOPs and tools related to supply chain system strengthening and collaborate with the Regional SCM Desks to facilitate their adoption and use.
- Assist Country Offices and Implementing Partners through the analysis of findings and recommendations from the LMA process
- Coordinate and facilitate training, webinars, mentoring and coaching for UNFPA and Implementing Partner staff on Good Pharmacy Practices and Good Storage/ Distribution Practices in collaboration with SCMU Product Quality Assurance team.
- Develop and implement supply chain strengthening mission plans and budgets, in collaboration with the HQ business units/ teams, Regional Offices and Country Offices.
- Provide technical advice to Regional Offices and Country Offices as requested .
- Review applications submitted under the SCM thematic area for UNFPA Supply Partnership Transformative Action funding and make recommendations for funding.
- Collaborate with the UNFPA Supplies Partnership M&E team to track performance and guide countries to align implementation of their Transformative Action grants with the Partnership goals and supply chain system strengthening priorities for UNFPA.
- Research and identify a roster of third-party service providers and individual consultants with experience and expertise and management deployment and quality assurance of supply chain system strengthening missions, as per identified priorities and workplans.
2.Capacity Strengthening
- Support the implementation of UNFPA's capacity-strengthening initiatives.
- Train supply chain professionals whenever possible and support their development through sharing knowledge and experience.
3.Thought Leadership, Knowledge Sharing and Advisory
- Appreciate UNFPA's supply chain thought leadership through awareness and incorporating such initiatives into the overall approach to day-to-day activities.
- Actively contribute to an environment of knowledge retention and sharing by following best practices for supply chain implementation.
- Support improved supply chain execution by incorporating best practices and continuous improvement into day-to-day activities.
4.Partnerships and Resource Mobilization
- Support UNFPA’s value proposition and relationships with donors and partners.
- Assist with the preparation of SCMU’s resource mobilization proposals in particular with data and analysis.
5.Collaboration and Representation
- Maintain effective collaboration with relevant stakeholders within UNFPA to ensure coordinated and effective tailored solutions for each area of intervention.
- Maintain relationships with supply chain counterparts with the purpose of increasing the efficiency of UNFPA’s supply chain function.
- Attend and participate as required in SCMU and UNFPA in meetings related to supply chain management functions.
6.Carry out any other duties as may be required by the Chief, SCMU.
Qualifications and Experience:
Education:
- Completion of secondary education is required.
- A University degree at Bachelor Level in Medical Science, Pharmacy, Supply Chain Management, Public Health, International Development, Logistics, Business Administration, Economics, Data Science, Accounting and Audit or equivalent is an asset.
- A professional certification such as professional Supply Chain Management certification such as Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply (CIPS) at Level 2 Certificate and/or Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT-UK) at Level 2, Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE), GDP/GMP certification, and/or professional certifications in quality management systems such as ISO 9001 would be an asset.
Knowledge and Experience:
- A minimum of six (6) years of relevant, progressively responsible experience in supply management, quality assurance of medical products in the supply chain, particularly involving storage and distribution, supply chain monitoring and evaluation and logistics information systems is required. Candidates should demonstrate experience in the below key areas, with the understanding that these experiences may overlap:
- At least 1 year (1) year of hands-on experience working in development and/or complex humanitarian operating environments in low-resource countries. Candidates must demonstrate a deep understanding of the unique challenges and regulations specific to these contexts. This field experience is required.
- At least one (1) year of hands-on experience working with WHO Good Distribution/Storage Practices and National Medical Guidelines, Protocols and Standards
- At least one (1) year of hands-on in developing pharmaceutical master plans/strategies, logistics strategies for multi-year and significantly large dollar value projects funded by Donors such as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Union, the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and/or the Global Fund with an understanding of their compliance and reporting requirements.
- Strong interpersonal skills and capability to develop and maintain broad diversified partnerships is required.
- Professional written and spoken presentation skills, including for the development of reports, presentations, and the ability to synthesize complex supply chain documents for both technical and non-technical audiences is required.
- Experience using Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is required.
- Experience working in a matrix organizational structure is an asset.
- Basic knowledge of the principles and operational aspects of sexual and reproductive health commodities in global development and the humanitarian community is an asset.
Languages:
Fluency in English is required. Working knowledge of another official UN language is desirable.
Required Competencies:
Values:
- Exemplifying integrity
- Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system
- Embracing cultural diversity
- Embracing change
Core Competencies:
- Achieving results
- Being accountable
- Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen
- Thinking analytically and strategically
- Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships
- Communicating for impact
Functional Competencies:
- Strong interpersonal skills and maintaining broad diversified partnerships is required.
- Knowledge of the principles of sexual and reproductive health commodities in global development.
- Support the implementation of UNFPA's capacity-strengthening initiatives.
- Propose revisions to the guidelines, SOPs and tools related to supply chain system strengthening and collaborate with the Regional SCM Desks to facilitate their adoption and use.
Compensation and Benefits:
This position offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive net salary plus health insurance and other benefits as applicable.
UNFPA Work Environment:
UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, diversity, integrity and healthy work-life balance. We are committed to ensuring gender parity in the organization and therefore encourage women to apply. Individuals from the LGBTQIA+ community, minority ethnic groups, indigenous populations, persons with disabilities, and other underrepresented groups are highly encouraged to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities in terms of appointment, training, compensation and selection for all regardless of personal characteristics and dimensions of diversity. Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is at the heart of UNFPA's workforce - click here to learn more.
Disclaimer:
Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements.
UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.
Applicants for positions in the international Professional and higher categories, who hold permanent resident status in a country other than their country of nationality, may be required to renounce such status upon their appointment.