Supply Chain Specialist
Abt Associates Inc.
Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) Vietnam
SUPPLY CHAIN SPECIALIST
Abt Associates is a mission-driven, global leader in research and program implementation in health, social and environmental policy, and international development. Known for its rigorous approach to solving complex challenges, Abt Associates is among the top global research firms and international development innovators. The company has multiple offices in the U.S. and program offices in nearly 40 countries, including Vietnam.
Objective:
Abt Associates seeks a qualified Supply Chain Specialist for the USAID-funded Local Health System Sustainability (LHSS) Vietnam Activity based in Hanoi, Vietnam. LHSS Vietnam Activity launched in October 2020 and is anticipated to run through September 2024.
To achieve its goal of ending HIV and TB by 2030, the Government of Vietnam (GVN) has significantly increased its domestic funding and management responsibility for the HIV and TB responses, including integrating HIV into services covered by social health insurance (SHI). However, significant challenges remain in ensuring sustainable transitioning of management, leadership, and funding of the full HIV and TB responses (including prevention) from international donors including PEPFAR and the Global Fund. The LHSS Activity builds on more than ten years of expertise providing health systems strengthening and health financing technical assistance to the GVN provided by Abt through a series of USAID-funded projects. LHSS is currently the only USAID-funded project focused on Health Systems Strengthening in Vietnam with a critical role in strengthening GVN’s ownership of the national HIV and TB responses and financing equitable access to health more broadly. Specifically, the LHSS Vietnam Activity is working to further the following objectives:
- Support the GVN to strengthen its public financial management (PFM) systems to mobilize domestic resources and increase available funding for public health while also achieving greater efficiencies in social health insurance (SHI).
- Support the GVN to sustainably finance HIV prevention and treatment services.
- Strengthen the capacity of Vietnam’s supply chain management system, including ensuring a continuous and uninterrupted supply of best-value, high-quality commodities that drive improved patient outcomes.
- Support the GVN to integrate TB services into SHI.
More information about LHSS Vietnam is available here: https://lhssproject.org/our-work/vietnam
Supply Chain Specialist will provide subject matter expertise to strengthen GVN capacity in supply chain management of HIV antiretrovirals (ARVs) and TB drugs to increase transparency, coordination and facilitate high-quality service provision. The Supply Chain Specialist will work with a variety of local agencies, including the Vietnam Authority of HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC), the National Centralized Drug Procurement Centre (NCDPC), National Lung Hospital (NLH), and Vietnam Social Security (VSS). The Specialist will report to the Procurement and Supply Chain Management Lead.
Local candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide technical support to GVN partners in drug supply planning and management, with a focus on SHI-covered ARVs and TB drugs.
- Assist GVN partners to develop and/or adapt a monitoring tool for drug supply, utilization, and closing stocks and propose solutions to ensure sufficient stock for drug distribution.
- Keep track of the progress of the drug supply at the national level and identify issues and/or challenges for timely interventions by GVN partners and LHSS.
- Track supply chain management policy changes and advise GVN partners on those changes as appropriate.
- Contribute to the timely production of quality deliverables for USAID, such as quarterly and annual reports, work plans, budgets, technical reports, and publications.
- Collaborate with project staff and partners in the implementation of cross-cutting activities.
- Coordinate with international and local subcontractors, working with regional and technical staff to ensure that all assigned activities and outputs are technically sound and appropriate.
- Sustain quality of program amidst adaptations from changing operational demands and client feedback.
Skills/Knowledge Required
- Bachelor’s degree (minimum) in Public Health, Pharmacy, Business Administration, Logistics Management, or other relevant fields.
- At least 7 years of relevant professional work experience in the medical supply chain in either large pharmaceutical companies, non-governmental organizations, or government.
- Experience with supply chain management system development and strengthening, including central level coordination and systems integration.
- Proven experience working with the GVN, the Ministry of Health, VSS, NCDPC, and NLH, and local medicine manufacturing/logistics management companies strongly desired.
- Knowledge of SHI issues and key health sector stakeholders in Vietnam is highly desirable.
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with government counterparts and coordinate various actors such as different Ministry of Health units, VSS, other ministries and government agencies, donors, and NGOs.
- Proven professional knowledge of MS Office applications and appropriate organizational skills.
- Fluency in Vietnamese, with excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
Note: This position is based in Hanoi, Vietnam with traveling to the provinces if needed.
To apply, please visit the below link:
Deadline: 31st August 2021
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interviews.