Technical Director at John Snow

John Snow Inc. (JSI), a Boston-based public health management firm dedicated to providing high quality technical and managerial assistance to public health programs throughout the United States and the world, is currently recruiting for a potential Technical Director to support the USAID-funded Zambia Program for Advancing Supply Chain Outcomes Activity (PASCO). The goal of PASCO is to ensure sustainable access to safe, effective, quality-assured, affordable lifesaving health commodities by strengthening capacity for transportation and distribution systems, including involvement of locally owned Zambian logistics private companies. The activity will be carried out by JSI and several partners that are providing technical and local expertise.

The Technical Director will provide program development and implementation leadership to the project and oversight of key technical areas. S/he will be part of the Senior Management Team (SMT), will be required to have strong supply chain technical expertise, and deep knowledge and experience implementing supply chain interventions, preferably in Zambia. The Technical Director will also directly provide support to the development and day to day implementation of detailed implementation / work plans as well as to other documents required under the PASCO contract.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide strategic and technical direction for the PASCO program on supply chain management and distribution services, in partnership with key stakeholders and partners at the national, hub, district and facility levels.
• Provide technical supervision and guidance to project staff, in alignment with other SMT members.
• Facilitate proper coordination between 3PLs and ZAMMSA/Ministry of Health personnel at the warehouse, District and health facility levels.
• Oversee Proof of Delivery (POD) collection, validation, reconciliation and reporting processes.
• Align the project detailed implementation / work plan with USAID, MOH, ZAMMSA, and related activities of other donors, projects, and stakeholders.
• Adopt leading practices and design and implement digital supply chain solutions.
• Monitor and strengthen quality and accountability of activities and services during project implementation, as needed to ensure successful implementation of PASCO objectives.
• In collaboration with the RMO, guide and oversee the data collection, data analysis, monitoring and evaluation, and data sharing functions to ensure that commodity distribution is managed effectively, efficiently, and securely.
• Support technical reporting and documentation on project objectives and deliverables to USAID and other key stakeholders.
• With other SMT members, develop and maintain the project’s relationships with partners and key stakeholders, including the MOH, ZAMMSA and other SC program donors and implementers.
• Liaise with ZAMMSA, the MOH, key MOH programs, and others on a regular basis to establish and reaffirm the quality of the services being provided, maintain effective coordination, and ensure direct communication of desired changes and/or adjustments to these services.
• Ensure that all sub-contractors meet their service obligations and provide high quality services consistently and reliably.
• Facilitate communications and feedback across the levels of the MOH (national, ZAMMSA, regional, districts, hospitals and health facilities) regarding supply and demand (ordering, picking and packing, communications, PODs, etc.) in order to anticipate and quickly resolve problems.
• Develop and submit progress reports to USAID and other key stakeholders.
• Provide second line support to the COP for client relations, strategic and technical needs, decision support, and other leadership and managerial requirements.
• Other duties as assigned by the Chief of Party.

QUALIFICATIONS

• A Master’s degree in supply chain management, business management, pharmacy, public health or a related field with a minimum of eight (8) years of professional experience, or a Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with a minimum of ten (10) years of professional experience.
• A minimum of eight (8) years of experience in managing and providing technical leadership in large, complex international projects with significant supply chain management and related technical assistance components.
• Experience in adopting leading practices and designing and implementing digital supply chain solutions.
• Experience leading supply chain management interventions, with USAID experience preferred.
• Experience developing detailed implementation / work plans, in partnership with key stakeholders, Ministry of Health and project implementing partners and/or subcontractors.
• Demonstrated ability in technical organizational capacity building, supply chain strengthening, policy and tools development. and health systems strengthening for supply chains.
• Leadership skills in working collaboratively and effectively with clients, donors, host country institutions, and international organizations.
• Excellent skills in building and maintaining collaborative working relationships with senior level government officials.
• High level of interpersonal, technical, and analytical skills, including a demonstrated ability to interact effectively and collaboratively with a broad range of public and private sector counterparts and other key stakeholders.
• Excellent organizational, analytical and oral and written communication skills in English.