The Senior Program Associate for the Strengthening Pharmaceutical Systems (SPS) Program provides direct technical assistance to improve pharmaceutical systems in developing countries in support of USAID Strategic Objectives. He or she must be fluent in reading, writing and speaking Portuguese, and his or her work will be based in the MSH Center for Pharmaceutical Management (CPM). He or she will manage one or more SPS field-based technical assistance portfolios. The successful candidate must also have demonstrated work experience in Portuguese-speaking developing countries. Technical assistance and managerial responsibilities may include the following:
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I. Technical Assistance: Provide technical assistance in seven general technical areas that are described below in paragraphs A through G. The work will typically involve collaboration with other CPM staff and in some cases, collaboration with external staff. Specific technical responsibilities may include work in any of the following areas:
A. Policy Options Analysis, Strategic Planning and Implementation
1. Plan, organize and conduct pharmaceutical sector assessments of public and private sectors and conduct policy options analyses based on the assessment findings. Develop detailed reports that define problems and gaps in services and recommend steps to remedy deficiencies.
2. Provide technical assistance to evaluate client health systems and to determine the optimal mix of methods for financing necessary pharmaceutical supply, and to implement reforms including cost-sharing programs and revolving medicine funds.
3. Assist clients in developing and implementing appropriate pharmaceutical benefit management systems.
4. Assist clients in developing or revising local or national medicines policies and in developing appropriate pharmaceutical service delivery models for the local environment.
B. Selection & Formulary Management
1. Provide technical assistance helping clients to implement effective systems for medicines evaluation and to develop appropriate formularies and essential medicines lists.
2. Assist clients to develop and implement Medicines and Therapeutics Committees and train committee members in their roles and responsibilities.
3. Assist clients to develop appropriate monitoring systems to track therapeutic effectiveness and adverse reactions for medicines used in the health system.
4. Provide technical assistance to ensure that pharmacoeconomics is appropriately incorporated into the medicine selection process of client health systems.
C. Supply Chain Management
1. Based on policy options analysis, assist clients to identify best options for organizing their supply systems for maximum effectiveness and efficiency, including consideration of various combinations of centralization/decentralization and public/private service delivery. Perform cost analysis modeling the impact of options considered.
2. Provide technical assistance to implement and sustain effective supply chains for medicines, contraceptives, vaccines and related commodities.
This may involve work on: - quantification of needs- supplier pre-qualification/selection- procurement/tender management- inventory management- customs/port clearance management- warehouse management- distribution and transport- financial management in supply chain- human resource management- management information - performance monitoring
D. Pharmaceutical Regulation and Product Quality Assurance
1. Assist clients to evaluate needs for pharmaceutical regulations and regulatory procedures, evaluate functionality of existing regulations and enforcement procedures, and recommend appropriate modifications or new approaches.
2. Assist clients to implement appropriate medicine registration procedures including implementation of automated information systems as appropriate.
3. Assist clients to evaluate capacities and needs in the area of product quality assurance testing, and to identify the best options to assure appropriate access to QA testing; this may include helping clients to implement thin-layer chromatography techniques.
4. Assist clients to develop and implement product quality monitoring systems, involving appropriate involvement by public and private sectors.
E. Private Sector Collaborations
1. Contribute to design and completion of pharmaceutical sector assessments by focusing on private sector capacities, as well as documented performance and interests in supporting public health objectives.
2. Based on assessment of public and private sector capacities, performance, and interests, help clients to design and implement appropriate country-level public/private collaborations to strengthen medicine, vaccine and/or commodity management for public health.
3. Provide technical assistance as required to global public/private collaborations, helping to design, implement and monitor medicine management systems appropriate to the specific type of program.
F. Rational Use/Behavior Change
1. Design and implement appropriate programs to allow policy makers, health care providers and consumers to access and use information, covering areas such as therapeutics, medicine efficacy, pharmacoeconomics, pharmacovigilance, medicine product quality, supplier performance, and pricing.
2. In collaboration with CPM Technical Deputy Director, design and/or implement studies to determine usage patterns and the underlying causes of irrational use for medicines, vaccines and related commodities in public or private sector.
3. Assist clients to develop, implement and evaluate the impact of medicine use review programs.
4. In collaboration with CPM Technical Deputy Director, design and/or implement programs to promote rational use of medicines, vaccines and related commodities aimed at health care providers in public and/or private sectors, and programs to determine medicine-seeking behavior of consumers and to improve adherence to prescribed therapy and independent choices made by consumers.
G. Clinical Programs
1. Develop, implement and provide technical assistance to programs aimed at containing antimicrobial resistance.
2. Develop, implement and provide technical assistance to improve medicine management for priority disease-programs such as HIV-AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health, and neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
3. Develop, implement and provide technical assistance to programs that help clients monitor and evaluate the therapeutic effectiveness of clinical services and strengthen clinical service delivery.
II. Country Program Management: In close coordination and collaboration with working with local counterparts, partners and USAID clients, develop, launch, and manage country programs as assigned. Country programs may involve work in any or all of the above-listed technical areas 1A through 1G. Responsibilities include work plan and budget management and supervision of hired staff working on the specific country program.
III. Medicine Management Training Courses: As necessary, plan, organize and conduct training courses covering technical areas described in 1A-1G above. In cooperation with the Senior Manager for CPM Training and Capacity Building, develop training materials relevant to the targeted training group. Courses may be based in the United States (Washington D.C. or Boston), Europe, or in developing countries.
IV. Tools/Manuals: As necessary, collaborate with CPM Tools/Publications staff to develop, test, and deploy electronic and hard copy tools and manuals to support research and technical assistance programs.
V. CPM Administration and Development: In coordination with other CPM staff, maintain liaison with international organizations, donor agencies, foundations, universities, and voluntary organizations. As part of an overall CPM and MSH strategy, seek opportunities for new projects: research, publications, and other development activities; and develop necessary technical and budgetary proposals.
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1. Master’s degree or other professional degree in a health related field required; physician or pharmacist qualification strongly preferred.
2. At least 5 years of work experience providing professional consulting services to medicine, vaccine or contraceptive management programs in developing countries preferred.
3. Experience with programs supported by international agencies such as WHO, World Bank and bilateral agencies such as USAID.
4. Fluency in Portuguese reading comprehension, as well as written and spoken Portuguese required.
5. Demonstrated work experience in Portuguese-speaking developing countries required.
6. Ability to write lucid technical reports and documents in English and Portuguese is required.
7. Competence in use of word processing programs required, and experience with spreadsheets and database applications preferred.
8. Ability and availability to travel internationally 30% of time or more.
Management Sciences for Health is an equal opportunity employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship, physical or mental handicap, or status as a disabled or Vietnam Era veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.
To apply for this position, please visit the Employment Opportunities section of our website at www.jobs-msh.icims.com. If you cannot apply online or have difficulty doing so, please email an explanation of your problem to iRecruiterproblem@msh.org .
