Supply Chain MEL Expert – BMGF Ethiopia Strategic Program Support and Services
The Ethiopian Pharmaceutical and Supply Agency (EPSA) has achieved considerable improvements in supply chain (SC) performance over the last few years, through critical support from an ecosystem of supply chain partners. However, significant gaps remain that impede full access to health and nutrition commodities. Improving SC functionality is a core objective of EPSA and is part of its recently developed 10-year strategic plan for pharmaceutical transformation. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) has been supporting EPSA strengthen its workforce capabilities and strengthen overall SC and organizational performance. The Foundation is currently supporting EPSA through two key investments focused on addressing this area of sustainably building EPSA’s institutional and workforce capacity: (a) comprehensively improving staff capabilities in SC competencies and (b) strengthening HR management policies for improved conditions of service.
Sustainably strengthening Ethiopia’s pharmaceutical supply chain management is a key strategy for the Foundation’s supply chain support in Ethiopia. The BMGF approach focuses on a comprehensive and systematic program that has identified and documented core competencies required at EPSA for functionality. It also recognizes and addresses the underlying factors such as structural and economic limitations, culture aspects, and behavior change. This approach focuses on long term systems performance needed for EPSA to sustainably improve its operations.
Project Overview
The overall goal of the pharmaceutical supply chain management work is to ensure the availability of essential medicines through improving EPSA’s supply chain operations managed by its workforce. Key objectives to achieving this goal are:
· Improving SC workforce capable of driving effective systems performance
· Improving the internal institutional capacity with strong governance and accountability within the SC system
· Streamlining and coordinating supply chain operations
The activities required to achieve these objectives should result in: a) an established competent, fit-for-purpose, EPSA workforce in core SC functions (quantification, procurement, fund management, inventory and distribution management, etc.); b) motivated and retained SC workforce; c) effective management, leadership, and governance using corporate and operational Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to objectively measure and evaluate staff performance in supply chain functions, while also using this as the basis for rewarding and retaining staff; and d) data systems, processes, culture aligned for greater SC functionality at EPSA. A separate grant is also providing technical partnership in supporting market shaping and quantification capacity.
At this stage, the Foundation has asked Social Impact to conduct an assessment validating and determining the effects of both investments and fulfillment of grant objectives through grant level data and other lines of investigation. The expectation of the assessment is to analyze key performance indicators to demonstrate progress (or lack thereof) against these objectives within EPSA, while also demonstrating the contributions of Foundation investments to the grant and Foundation objectives.
The Assessment will begin in September and is projected to be completed by the end of December 2021. Depending on the location of the assessment team leader, most data collection may be conducted remotely. Due to COVID-19, there is no international travel expected for this assignment. In-country team members will be expected to conduct in-person interviews in Addis Ababa and potentially other localities, if appropriate. The Team Leader position requires approximately 47 days of LOE.
Assessment Objectives and Deliverables:
Supply Chain MEL Expert Responsibilities:
Qualifications: