Inactive

For detail solicitation, please see the attachment USAID/Ethiopia is one of the Agency’s largest and most complex programs. In FY 2020, the overall USAID assistance to Ethiopia totaled $2 billion, wit... For detail solicitation, please see the attachment USAID/Ethiopia is one of the Agency’s largest and most complex programs. In FY 2020, the overall USAID assistance to Ethiopia totaled $2 billion, with the Health Office managing approximately $205 million by 56 staff. The Mission serves as one of the largest donors to the Health Supply Chain Sector in Ethiopia and has a strong partnership with other development entities like the Global Fund, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, GAVI, and UN Agency counterparts. In support of the Government of Ethiopia’s effort to accelerate progress toward Universal Health Coverage (UHC), USAID/Ethiopia is seeking a Logistics and Commodities Adviser to support efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2 and 3. A central component of achieving UHC is to ensure access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines both in the public and private sectors, which requires an effective supply chain for the delivery of primary health care services, including drugs and commodities for voluntary use of family planning, TB and HIV/AIDS, prevention, care and treatment, nutrition, malaria, and vaccines against global pandemics such as COVID-19 and other vaccine preventable diseases. In partnership with the Government of Ethiopia, the USAID/Ethiopia Health Office manages and receives funding for multiple presidential initiatives and priority health interventions, including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Presidential Malaria Initiative (PMI). The Health Office also receives funding for maternal and child health and voluntary family planning activities, TB and Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) programs. Since the beginning of the Global COVID-19 pandemic, the USAID/Ethiopia Mission has also received several allocations of supplemental funding to support emergency supply chain TA and commodity procurement to enhance the GoE’s response to Covid-19, and has recently received initial funding for support to the roll out of COVID-19 vaccines. Availability and access to priority health commodities are integral to achieving respective program results. Statement of Duties to be Performed: This is a critical time for the health sector in Ethiopia. The Ministry of Health (MOH) just completed and launched its second five year Health Sector Transformation Plan (HSTP-II) in alignment with the SDGs and UHC. The newly developed HSTP-II has highlighted critical challenges in supply chain that need to be addressed in order to meet the Ministry’s HSTPII target for 2024. In addition, incepting from the HSTP I & II, the Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Supply Agency (EPSA) also completed a 10-year Pharmaceutical Supply chain Transformation Plan (PSTP II) and their I-Supply Program, that specifies the strategic directions and ultimate goal of the EPSA managed pharmaceutical supply system in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Food and Drug Agency (EFDA) has similarly developed their own sub-sector strategy, HRSTP-II, for the regulatory sector, In response, the Health Office requires a highly specialized supply chain technical expert to carry out a full range of technical, consultative, advisory, and strategic planning responsibilities, including maintaining strong relationships with Government of Ethiopia officials, private providers and development agencies. The Logistics and Commodities Advisor (LCA) will provide technical and intellectual leadership in all facets of supply chain management. The LCA promotes strategies for optimal demand planning, forecasting, procurement, warehouse management, supply chain as well as rational use of medicines and use of medical equipment, effective management of information systems that monitor Ethiopia’s supply chain functions, including forecasting warehousing and distribution. The LCA is a member of the Health Systems and Resilience Team Logistics Cluster and oversees USAID’s health-related supply chain activities (including commodity procurement and end-to-end supply chain systems strengthening). Broadly, the LCA responsibilities are to advance commodity and distribution systems, both private and public to ensures a high-performance and high-maturity supply chain system, as Ethiopia moves along its pathway toward Universal Health Coverage. The LCA will also be responsible for planning, initiating, conducting, evaluating, and coordinating complex health, family planning, nutrition, malaria, TB, NTD and HIV/AIDS as well as vaccines for pandemics such as COVID19 and other immunization supply chain logistics and commodities program implementation, documenting results, and translating data into meaningful policy and program improvement. The LCA will serve in a high-profile technical leadership role for the USG in partnering with Senior FMOH officials to resolve issues and ensure efficiencies in the national drug supply system. In addition, the LCA will coordinate supply chain management efforts with other donors such as the World Bank, WHO, UNICEF, BMGF, GAVI, and the Global Fund. As a member of numerous Interagency Technical Working Groups and the Interagency Team, the LCA will provide technical leadership to the interagency PEPFAR team on HIV program commodity supply chain systems as it applies to HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care, Treatment, PMTCT, Lab and Health Systems Strengthening efforts. The LCA will ensure strong interagency collaboration and engagement around PEPFAR supply chain support and commodity procurement activities and working collaboratively to resolve critical or emerging HIV-commodity related issues. The LCA will also supervise a team of two CCN experts and will mentor other staff members who are responsible for overseeing USG-funded logistics and commodities programs. This position plays a leading role in thought leadership and strategic oversight of USG supported public and private supply chains and therefore deals at the highest levels in terms of overall program results. The LCA will provide high quality technical assistance to the USAID program, the broader USG program, and the Government of Ethiopia. The Logistics and Commodities Advisor will substantially increase the quality of USG programs and its support to the GOE. It is expected that LCA will work closely with the GOE transfer skills, innovative technologies, and best practices for sustainable programming. The LCA reports to the Health Office Director or her/his designee. The LCA collaborates across the Mission on logistics and supply chain related activities. The LCA will also provide high-level technical support to various USG Interagency Working Groups such as HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Treatment, PMTCT, Lab and Health Systems Strengthening groups. The Logistics and Commodities Advisor will interact with high level GOE officials, private providers, donor agencies as well as other USG colleagues. His/her principal responsibilities include: a. Technical Leadership in Health Commodity, Supply Chain Management, and Health Systems Strengthening (40%) Serves as a technical matter expert in supply chain management and logistics, including forecasting, procurement, storage and distribution, and overall health systems strengthening such as logistics management information system and sustainable financing for health commodities. Serves as an Activity Manager for specific projects and activities as assigned by contracting officers once s/he completes required USAID trainings, by providing technical guidance on activity design, budget development and review and subsequent activity progress monitoring and evaluation tasks. In addition, the LCA will participate in internal and external technical and advisory groups. Identifies new opportunities for integrating “state of the art” approaches and technologies into overall supply chain management system as well as specific program supply chain needs. Specifically, the LCA will: Serve as the principal advisor on all issues related to drug and medical equipment policy, supply, and distribution assistance, providing technical advice to USG officials and implementation support to the FMOH and agency (EPSA, EFDA) staff and implementing partner programs. Technical assistance will also be provided to health programs and the Feed the Future Initiative. The incumbent will guide the development and implementation of a coordinated USG strategy across USAID, CDC, the Embassy, and other agencies for an efficient supply chain and logistics system in support of Ethiopia and as needed, the development of coordinated strategies and plans among various health donors supporting supply chain-related activities. The plans and activities should be developed in such a way as to ensure that the programs remain or become more sustainable programs in Ethiopia. The incumbent will be required to represent USAID/Ethiopia and as indicated the USG in high-level meetings with the GOE, other agencies and donors on matters related to supply chain management and logistics in the health sector. Support the FMOH and agency commodity working groups in the coordination of forecasting, and procurements of HIV, TB, FP and Malaria as well as emergency service related (such as COVID pandemic related) commodities. Work with USAID and other USG partners to develop and finalize documentation required for USG/Ethiopia including the annual Country Operational Plan (COP), the Operational Plan (OP), TB operational plan (TOP) and the Malaria Operational Plan (MOP), emergency logistics plan as needed and the semi-annual and annual progress reports and ad hoc reports on a as needed basis. On request, prepare analytical progress reports for USAID Management as well as the US Embassy and dialog on the same. The incumbent is expected to dialog on how findings generated from data might impact USG or GOE programs and policies. Identify short- and long-term technical assistance required for successful development/implementation of logistics and supply chain management systems, when required. Draft, review and edit scopes of work (SOW) and assist in the identification, planning and processing needed to obtain required assistance. Establish and maintain strong linkages and cross-sectoral work with other teams in the design and oversight of logistics and supply chain management systems which have synergistic elements, including, but not limited to, the Health Team of USAID. Perform an instrumental role in keeping informed on national and international initiatives, policies best practices and technologies associated with supply chains and share information as appropriate with counterparts and USAID/Ethiopia Staff. b. Program Management and Advocacy (35%) The LCA is responsible for managing a complex portfolio of supply chain and logistics activities, including directly managing one or more activities once s/he acquires necessary USAID required skills in doing so and serving as technical advisor on others as needed. The LCA is responsible for leading project planning and design, communications, strategies and new program development and implementation, monitoring and evaluation of commodity and implementing partners. It is important to note that drug supply and distribution are lynchpins to the success of many USG funded activities in the health sector. Specifically, the LCA will be required to: Work closely with the colleagues at the FMOH to make technical decisions, which includes other appropriate partners on drug supply and distribution programs and projects. Policies should be closely aligned with health systems strengthening approaches to development. Provide technical expertise and oversight; serve as an Activity Manager/A/COR for USAID’s flagship logistics and supply chain management project (once s/he acquires necessary USAID required skills) budgeted at approximately $35 million/year for a total of $175 million over five years. Ensure that USAID’s project is coordinated with other similar efforts in Ethiopia. Ensure that suitable monitoring, evaluation, and reporting systems are in place. Provide technical input for Performance Monitoring Plans. Review, approve and ensure compliance with Implementing Partner annual work plans and budgets as well as USAID agreements and/or contracts. Conduct regular site visits and meetings to monitor activities. Guide Implementing Partners to adhere to USAID rules and regulations. Review all Implementing Partner written reports and provide feedback. Maintain project files. Work with the USAID SC Implementing partner and lead the SC team to strengthen risk mitigation strategies, solutions and information sharing including stock and procurement monitoring, demand and pipeline supply analyses and other risk mitigation strategies. Oversee supply chain financial budgets and pipeline and ensure that USG finances are tracked appropriately. Advocate and strengthen MOH and its agencies (EPSA and EFDA) to become stewards the entire health supply-chain in Ethiopia —orchestrating the different partners to achieve the goals of UHC. Oversee USAID procurement and distribution of health supplies and commodities annually. Commodities procured and distributed may include ARVs, HIV and Malaria test kits, contraceptives, TB and anti-malaria drugs, MCH commodities, laboratory reagents and supplies, vaccine supplies and equipment, and other commodities for HIV/AIDS and health programs. Participate on relevant PEPFAR Interagency Technical Working Groups, providing technical expertise on logistics and supply chain management. c. Liaise and Coordinate with Key Partners (25%) The LCA will represent the Health Office in high level meetings with implementing partners, donors, GOE, other USG agencies, private sector and international and local partners. The LCA may also be asked to work closely with USAID Washington staff on supply chain issues. The LCA will engage with other key technical partners and donors on a regular basis, through working groups, and other fora. The LCA is expected to work in a team environment with a broad range of partners and communicate highly technical information related to supply chain management information to both health and non-health audiences. Specifically, the LCA will be required to: Build and strengthen relationships with key relevant partner institutions, including the Ministry of Health, agencies (EPSA and EFDA) and other key national and non-governmental institutions including private sector in Ethiopia to ensure optimal coordination, harmonization, and alignment of logistics and supply chain management projects and programs. Foster significant collaboration and strategic partnerships among various donors supporting the sector, in particular UN Agencies, the Global Fund and the World Bank. Ensure the ongoing use of best practices for USG program planning, including promoting commodity security strategic planning and implementation in key USG focus areas. Supervisory Relationship The Health Office Director or her/his designee will provide overall supervision to the Logistics and Commodities Advisor; however, he/she will exercise independent judgment in planning and carrying out tasks, resolving problems and conflicts, and taking steps necessary to meet deadlines. While the Logistics and Commodities Advisor will work with maximum independence in completing agreed-upon work objectives and carrying-out his/her responsibilities, s/he will immediately inform his/her supervisor of problems and/or issues that arise that may affect the successful implementation of the USAID Health Office program in Ethiopia. At least once during each twelve-month cycle for the duration of the contract the Logistics and Commodities Advisor will work with the Health Systems and Resilience Team Leader to establish work objectives and performance measures upon which performance will be based. Once agreed upon, these work objectives and performance measures will be reviewed quarterly and be revised to reflect changing circumstances. An evaluation of the incumbent will be completed annually and will serve as the basis for any personnel actions. Supervisory Controls: The LCA will supervise at least two (2) CCNPSCs: The LCA is also responsible for: 1) establishing annual work objectives and performance measures for staff in collaboration with individual staffs; 2) reviewing work outputs and accomplishments to ensure compliance with Agency policies, and implementation of best practices; 3) providing regular feedback to staff throughout the Performance Evaluation Period; 4) preparing the annual Evaluation Report as/when required; and 5) obtaining input from the appropriate peers, counterparts, and team members.