Overview
This role ensures that medical supplies are safely sourced, quality-assured, compliant, and delivered on time to support humanitarian operations. It links pharmaceutical expertise with operational supply chain and procurement.
Key Responsibilities
- Support operations on sourcing and quality assurance of medical supplies (pharmaceuticals and medical devices).
- Perform market intelligence, leading end-to-end sourcing and procurement of medical supplies including market research.
- Ensure effective implementation of the quality management system and policies related to medical supplies.
- Support compliance with IFRC supply chain standards related to medical supplies globally.
- Perform supply market intelligence for medical supplies: pricing trends, availability, lead times, geopolitical risks.
- Lead end-to-end sourcing of medical supplies (pharmaceuticals and medical devices), including market research, supplier selection, RFQs, bid evaluations, and contracting and establishing long term FAs.
- Develop a mechanism of handling long term FAs, including amendments within the validity of the agreements and the involvement of legal and in line with IFRC regulations.
- Manage Framework Agreement call-off orders within core categories assigned to this role, including quote requests, PO placement, monitoring, and supporting finance with payment process.
- Ensure prequalification of potential suppliers, both local and International, conduct supplier onboarding, monitor performance indicators and manage supplier audits.
- Maintain and develop a sustainable network of qualified suppliers to ensure the Approved Vendor/Supplier List is always up to date.
- Support requesters and National Societies in the review of lists of medical supplies for compliance with National Essential Medicines Lists (EML) or WHO model EML.
- Provide support for the development of appropriate specifications and quality standards for medical supplies.
- Provide support on the technical and regulatory assessment of offers submitted for QA review from all IFRC regional offices for compliance with IFRC QA requirements and to recommend compliant offers for procurement.
- Ensure that different regions execute the Medical sourcing strategy and actions as required and agreed.
- Where compliance is an issue, find and eliminate root causes.
- Assist in ensuring compliance of medical donations.
- Ensure compliance with WHO, national regulatory authority (NRA) requirements, and donor-specific QA rules.
- Provide QA guidance to logistics, operations, and country teams (e.g., shelf-life, stability, cold chain conditions).
- Assist with investigations into quality issues, recalls, adverse events, or product failures and maintain risk logs for medical supply chain and propose mitigation strategies.
- Identify and drive cost reduction opportunities at global and regional level for the medical categories assigned to the role.
- Support in the implementation of revised Procurement and QA procedures for medical supplies in line with IFRC quality requirements and Good Distribution Practices.
- Assist in the development of training materials related to quality assurance on pharmaceutical and medical products and ensure its proper dissemination organisation wide.
- Work closely with relevant IFRC Health units, as needed.
- Execute tasks delegated by the Global Lead, Procurement, respecting GDP regulations.
- Manage complaint file related to pharmaceutical products and produce regular reports as required.
- Represent the IFRC externally at seminars, workshops, presentations in the medical procurement and pharmaceutical field.
Required Experience
- Required minimum of 5-8 years of relevant experience in managing medical/pharmaceutical operations/procurement in Humanitarian sector and/or commercial sector
- Preferred experience of working with global suppliers of medicines and medical devices
- Required Red Cross/Red Crescent knowledge and experience
Qualifications
- Required degree in pharmacy, health science or related field.
- Master’s degree in drug regulatory affairs or pharmaceutical quality assurance
