Supply Chain Specialist, 40 Hours

Directed by Dr. Gene Bukhman, the Center for Integration Science (CIS) in Global Health Equity develops, implements, and evaluates integrated care delivery models to address neglected health issues in highly constrained health systems. The most prominent of those models is PEN-Plus (the Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions - Plus). PEN-Plus is a proven integrated healthcare delivery strategy for delivering complex care to people living with such conditions as type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, and rheumatic and congenital heart disease in rural sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

The CIS is part of the Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and works closely with the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. The CIS is also the World Health Organization's Collaborating Center for Integration Science and Service Delivery. It further serves as one of two co-secretariats for the 22-country NCDI Poverty Network, as well as its strategic initiative, the global PEN-Plus Partnership.

To accomplish its ambitious mission, the CIS provides technical, policy, advocacy, and financing support for national NCDI Poverty Commissions in Network countries as they progress through a four-phase theory of change. This theory of change starts with situation analysis and ultimately leads to the implementation of PEN-Plus at a national scale.

The Supply Chain Specialist will drive the development and implementation of comprehensive approaches in supply chain for the Center and its PEN-Plus initiatives. This will include a range of activities including supporting efficient procurement and distribution strategies at PEN-Plus clinic sites, comprehensive data tracking, projects, and monitoring of supply chain initiatives, and robust partner engagement and technical input for advocacy activities in supplies. This position involves an extremely high degree of communication, collaboration, and coordination: with partner teams in PEN-Plus countries, with the NCDI Poverty Network Programs Team and REgional Advisors, and with other external partners. The focus is on working to ensure a seamless and uninterrupted supply of drugs and laboratory commodities, while documenting and learning from and communicating about all steps in the process along the way. They will also work across Network and Center teams to internally coordinate work around supplies for M&E, advocacy, and partner engagement.

This dynamic role at the Center for Integration Science will:

Support country-level PEN-Plus programs in strengthening procurement, distribution, and other supply chain components for priority PEN-Plus medications, equipment, and consumables:

• Work on a routine basis with implementing partners, governments, PEN-Plus Regional Advisors, and other in-country stakeholders to support supply chains for PEN-Plus. This includes virtual calls and in-person visits as needed.
• Liaise and help coordinate with Network partners (e.g. UNICEF, CHAI, other NGOs, etc) to streamline communication, product selection, optimizing pricing, quantifying, sharing of plans and best practices, etc.
• Lead key Network initiatives in supply chain such as a goal to provide long-acting analog insulin across the Network for all patients with T1D
• Support the development and implementation of robust procurement strategies to optimize efficiency and ensure the uninterrupted supply of drugs, equipment, and laboratory commodities at PEN-Plus sites. This includes, as needed, to advise and support in-country teams on selection, purchasing, importing, and registration of PEN-Plus commodities.
• As needed, advise and support supply chain distribution strategies, with particular attention to supporting coordination in countries with multiple PEN-Plus funders, actors, and stakeholders
• Support the development and implementation of training, approaches, and data systems to predict, detect, and respond to stockouts
• Proactively document and track supply chain experience for PEN-Plus across the Network, including regular reports, tracking of procurement agents and sources/prices/quantities, etc.
• Coordinate and communicate proactively with the Network Programs team, in particular the Regional Advisors, on all support for country-level PEN-Plus work
• For select items, lead the physical procurement, distribution, communication, and tracking of Network-procured items that are donated to countries (e.g.ultrasound machines)

Represent PEN-Plus and the NCDI Poverty Network in global partnerships, advocacy, price reductions, and market shaping efforts:

• Act as the Network's liaison for external partners working on supply chain and global market shaping, proactively leading routine communication and coordination
• Specifically, coordinate routinely with CHAI on market transparency, pricing, quantifying, and strategies to minimize mark-ups
• Work with partners organizations to source suppliers/manufacturers and select best products and negotiate optimal prices
• Routinely share Network data and information to support global efforts in advocacy, price reduction, market shaping, etc.
• Champion key Network priorities such as access to long acting analog insulin, hemoglobin A1C, hydroxyurea, and point-of-care sickle cell testing
• Working with the Network advocacy team and other partners, identify advocacy opportunities for price reduction, access to commodities, etc.
• Work with supply chain partners to formally evaluate new efforts and processes to foster iterative improvement and experience sharing

Proactively foster a strong PEN-Plus supply chain program with technical resource development and support, robust data tracking, and cross-site learning:

• Champion the co-creation, revising, and distribution of key PEN-Plus technical resources that can support governments and partners including: an up to date list of medication/equipment/commodity specifications; a projection tool or calculator to estimate quantities for new PEN-Plus clinics; tools for reporting on key indicators in collaboration with the M&E team; supply chain tools for local PEN-Plus teams as needed; and more
• Host virtual or in-person training sessions or workshops for supply chain specific topics and provide mentorship as needed to in-country PEN-Plus staff
• Proactively document and share real-time experiences on supply chain bottlenecks, challenges, and solutions
• Lead content-specific efforts and projects to solve specific commodity challenges: for example a formal evaluation of equipment with in-country partners to guide brand selection or systematically find which companies may be better positioned for sustainable in-country procurement of consumables
• Prepare documentation and presentations for external stakeholders including partners, funders, governments as needed, for example grant reporting, consolidation of price lists, sharing of experience and progress.

Qualifications:

* Degree in supply chain management, Logistics, or a related field or a related degree (e.g. MPH) with commensurate experience

* Minimum 5-10 years of experience in supply chain supply chain management and logistics, market shaping, advocacy, etc.), with a focus on resource-constrained settings, including geographic experience in Africa

* Knowledge of local regulations and challenges with operating in these environments

* Experience in program management in a complex and multi-national environment is highly desirable

* Familiarity with clinical programming, preferably in chronic NCDs (e.g. cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, and sickle cell disease)

* Experience with and exposure to common supply chain management software programs is preferred

* Advanced expertise in Microsoft Excel required

* Availability to travel up to 30% time

Skills/Abilities/Compentecies Required:

* Strong organizational and analytical skills

* Expertise in independently creating and giving presentations to a wide variety of stakeholders

* Excellent negotiation and communication skills

* Resourcefulness and ability to find innovative solutions to logistical challenge

* Expert in Microsoft Office suite

* Experience in program and budget management an advantage

* Commitment to ethical and sustainable supply chain practices

* Commitment to social justice

* Ability to adapt to and thrive in challenging and resource-constrained environments

BWH is an Affirmative Action Employer.