Locations: Addis Ababa
Organization: Management Sciences for Health (MSH)
Job Description
OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES:
The SCS Activity Forecasting and Supply Planning (FASP) Manager will coordinate SCS’s FASP activities provide critical technical assistance to the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Service (EPSS), ensuring accurate and data-driven annual forecasting for national health programs with focus on HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria and MNCH, and developing and revising the corresponding supply plans on regular basis. The Manager ensures that forecasting and supply planning activities are conducted in a coordinated, timely and efficient manner by engaging all stakeholders to support proactive and strategic procurement and supply chain decisions.
By ensuring accuracy in data and planning, the Manager helps maintain an uninterrupted supply of essential health commodities for priority health programs. By meticulously aligning forecasting and supply planning efforts across major programs, the Manager contributes to a more efficient and effective health supply chain, ultimately maximizing the impact of donor funding (President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI)) and ensuring that vital health products reach the populations in need. The FASP Manager will coordinate its team to support MOH and EPSS teams by transferring critical knowledge and skills with the objective of ensuring technical independence at MOH and EPSS for sustainable impact.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
Under supervision of the Supply Chain Management Lead and in close collaboration with technical teams in SCS Activity, the FSAP Manager will carry out the following responsibilities:
- Provide strategic support in developing pharmaceutical supply chain strategies, projects, and action plans while advising MOH and EPSS leadership on initiatives to enhance forecasting and supply planning efficiency and effectiveness.
- Lead the coordination of multidisciplinary supply chain management Technical Working Groups (TWGs) encompassing HIV, TB, Malaria & MNCH, and other essential health commodities, ensuring seamless alignment of forecasting, supply planning, and related supply chain functions to guarantee uninterrupted product availability.
- Facilitate the development of robust data frameworks and support collaborative stakeholder coordination to ensure timely and accurate completion of all preparatory steps for quantification and supply planning, including scoping, data collection and validation, analysis, and information generation across HIV, TB, Malaria, MNCH and other program commodities, enabling effective trend analysis across all data types (consumption, service-based and population-based).
- Conduct in-depth analysis of historical consumption data, employing statistical modeling techniques such as time-series analysis and regression analysis to identify key demand drivers and develop accurate forecasting for HIV, TB, Malaria, MNCH and other program commodities.
- Prepare and validate forecasting datasets, evaluating forecast accuracy using established metrics and collaborate with relevant stakeholders to incorporate expert judgment and contextual factors into the forecasting process.
- Support the maintenance and utilization of stock status data and analytics to inform supply plan preparation, adjustments and procurement decisions for HIV, TB, Malaria, MNCH and other program commodities.
- Facilitate supply planning workshops and place requisition orders based on established supply plans.
- Perform a comprehensive capacity needs assessment for quantification, deliver targeted technical training on forecasting methodologies and supply planning tools, and establish a center of excellence for health commodity quantification within MOH and EPSS.
- Establish and maintain collaborative, cross-functional relationships with EPSS, MOH, EPHI, other partners and teams within SCS Activity, facilitating data exchange and process integration to ensure seamless alignment of quantification outputs with upstream and downstream supply chain functions, including procurement, warehousing, and distribution.
- Engage in other technical assignments and collaborative tasks as directed by SCS Activity and MOH/EPSS leadership, contributing to the optimization of supply chain management and forecasting/supply management processes through the application of specialized expertise of the position.
- Provide expert technical advice to MOH, EPSS and EPHI on the implementation of advanced forecasting and supply planning management practices, including the utilization of relevant software and methodologies, within the framework of the SCS Activity.
- Lead PEPFAR commodity quantification, developing a strategic work plan aligned with USAID objectives.
- Coordinate the alignment of financial commitments from the Global Fund (GF), PEPFAR, other donors, and the Ethiopian government, ensuring synchronized funding streams for health program commodity procurement and related logistics operations.
- Conduct a comprehensive demand forecast and analysis for Malaria program commodities, utilizing epidemiological data and consumption patterns to inform PMI’s Malaria Operational Plan (MOP) development.
- Track and report on USAID-funded procurement pipelines, engage in cross-functional collaboration with SCS Activity teams to address integrated supply chain challenges, and manage emerging supply chain disruptions and contingencies.
- Collect data, undertake stock status analysis and generate monthly health program commodity stock status analysis and risk mitigation report with recommendation via the Quantification Analytics Tool (QAT) in collaboration with EPSS and MOH Teams.
- Undertake follow-up and support EPSS, MOH and EPHI in the implementation of recommendations of the stock analysis and risk mitigation report
- Execute technical tasks and responsibilities as directed by the management, adhering to established protocols within project objectives.
QUALIFICATIONS
A)EDUCATION/TRAINING – Advanced degree in Pharmacy, Supply Chain Management Public Health or a closely related field; or a commensurate combination of education and professional experience.
B) EXPERIENCE – Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience with a bachelor’s degree or 5 years with a master’s degree.
At least 3 (three) years’ experience working on a U.S. Government or other donor-funded project, or Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) preferred.
Proven experience in shipping, freight logistics, customs, or procurement.
Prior experience in managing the custom clearance of pharmaceuticals or medical laboratory commodities is preferred.
C) KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
- Basic understanding of the operational and programmatic aspects of major public health programs, such as HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria, and MNCH, including their specific commodity requirements.
- Comprehensive knowledge of the Ethiopian pharmaceutical supply chain sector and related regulations.
- Hands on experience in product import and custom clearance process of Ethiopia as applied to donated products ais highly desired.
- Demonstrated ability to work with other implementing partners in implementing complex programs.
- Fluency in English and Amharic, including business terminology.
- Skilled in using ERP system, and generating, analyze and producing product procurement related data for decision-making.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, Project, and PowerPoint.
- Strong organizational abilities and proven capacity to collaborate effectively within a team-oriented environment.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, sound judgment, and effective communication abilities, with a demonstrated capacity to identify and resolve operational challenges.
- Demonstrated flexibility and the ability to prioritize and manage a wide range of tasks and activities.
- Strong leadership, mentoring, management, planning, analytical and organizational skills. These will be demonstrated in the ability to work both independently and within a team, assess priorities, and manage a variety of activities with attention to detail.
- Working independently within expressed parameters, regularly scheduled tasks and adherence to strict deadlines is essential.
- Demonstrated ability to work as an effective team member in a complex and fast paced environment.
- Familiarity with SCS Activity, USAID, MOH and EPSS systems is a significant advantage.
- Willingness and ability to travel within Ethiopia as required.
D) CORE JOB COMPETENCIES:
- Results seeker – Proactive, meets deadlines, identifies actions, and achieves goals.
- Innovator – thinks creatively, anticipates changes, and produces solutions.
- Adaptor – stays calm under pressure and handles constructive criticism well.
- Complier – follows procedures and encourages others to do as well.
MSH is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, religion, creed, citizenship, national origin, age, veteran status, or disability unrelated to job requirements. MSH will take affirmative action to ensure that qualified applicants are employed and that employees are treated without regard to their race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran and disability status.
