Background

The Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) is an indigenous medical organization that was established in 1991 as a limited liability not-for-profit Joint-venture between the Uganda Ministry of Health (MoH), Ministry of Defense and Makerere University Medical School (now Makerere University College of Health Sciences). JCRC is located on plot 101 Lubowa Hill Off Entebbe Road P.O. Box 10005 Kampala. Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) seeks to recruit competent, dynamic, motivated and innovative candidates for the following positions;

Job Purpose

The Advisor will work closely with project health leadership, health facility management teams, JCRC technical teams, Ministry of Health structures, National Medical Stores and other relevant supply-chain stakeholders to ensure that project-supported systems are aligned with Uganda Ministry of Health requirements, PEPFAR/DHAPP expectations, and project health-system priorities. The position will strengthen systems for forecasting and quantification, procurement coordination, warehousing, inventory management, distribution, stock monitoring, logistics data management, commodity accountability, equipment logistics, and last-mile assurance.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Supply Chain Strategy and Planning: Lead implementation of the supply chain and logistics component of the DHAPP Project. Develop annual and quarterly supply chain work plans and budgets. Conduct supply chain assessments to identify bottlenecks affecting commodity availability and service delivery. Develop strategies to strengthen commodity security across supported project health facilities. Support integration of project-supported supply chain systems into existing project health structures. Identify supply chain risks and develop appropriate mitigation measures.
• HIV and Health Commodity Security: Strengthen systems to ensure uninterrupted availability of ARVs, HIV testing commodities, laboratory supplies, medicines for opportunistic infections, prevention commodities, and other essential health products. Monitor commodity availability and identify facilities at risk of stock-outs or overstocking. Support timely redistribution of commodities between supported facilities where appropriate. Strengthen systems for management of short-dated, expired, damaged, and excess commodities. Ensure appropriate accountability and documentation for project-supported commodities. Collaborate with HIV, laboratory, pharmacy, and clinical teams to align commodity requirements with service-delivery needs.
• Forecasting, Quantification and Supply Planning: Support facilities to conduct routine commodity forecasting and quantification. Review consumption, morbidity, patient numbers, stock-on-hand, losses, expiries, and pipeline information to inform supply planning. Support development of facility commodity requirements and orders. Monitor consumption trends and adjust forecasts accordingly. Work with technical teams to ensure commodity forecasts reflect program targets and anticipated changes in service utilization. Identify potential supply gaps early and recommend corrective actions.
• Inventory and Stock Management: Strengthen inventory management systems at supported facilities and project stores. Ensure appropriate use of stock cards, bin cards, inventory records, electronic systems, and other approved logistics management tools.
• Supply Chain for Laboratory Commodities: Support forecasting and quantification of laboratory commodities based on testing volumes and program needs. Monitor stock status and expiry of laboratory commodities. Strengthen systems for appropriate storage and distribution of laboratory supplies. Coordinate with laboratory and technical teams to address supply interruptions.
• Equipment and Asset Logistics: Coordinate with the Biomedical Engineering team on logistics related to medical equipment. Support equipment inventory and asset tracking systems. Ensure appropriate documentation of equipment receipt, deployment, transfer, maintenance, and disposal. Support availability of essential equipment and associated consumables. Identify equipment-related supply chain bottlenecks affecting service delivery. Promote appropriate utilization and accountability for project-procured assets.
• Commodity Accountability and Compliance: Strengthen accountability mechanisms for project-supported commodities. Conduct routine commodity verification and reconciliation. Support investigations into losses, discrepancies, damages, and expiries. Ensure proper documentation and authorization for commodity adjustments and disposals. Promote compliance with JCRC, Ministry of Health, donor, and project requirements. Support preparation for internal and external audits and commodity verification exercises.
• Capacity Building and Mentorship: Assess supply chain capacity gaps among project health facility staff. Develop and implement supply chain capacity-building plans. Conduct mentorship and on-job training for stores personnel, pharmacists, laboratory staff, and facility managers. Strengthen skills in quantification, inventory management, LMIS, reporting, storage, and commodity accountability. Promote institutionalization of supply chain skills within the project health system.
• Supply Chain Data Review and Performance Management: Establish and monitor key supply chain performance indicators. Conduct routine stock analysis. Present supply chain performance during project and facility review meetings. Develop corrective action plans for underperforming facilities.
• Sustainability and Health Systems Strengthening: Develop strategies for sustainable supply chain systems within the project health system. Strengthen ownership of logistics systems by project health leadership and facility teams. Minimize parallel project systems and promote use of appropriate national and project systems. Support transition and institutionalization of project-supported supply chain functions. Identify opportunities for efficiency, cost reduction, integration, and sustainability.
• Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement: Work closely with project Medical Services and health facility leadership. Coordinate with Ministry of Health supply chain structures and relevant government agencies. Collaborate with National Medical Stores and other approved supply-chain partners as applicable. Work closely with JCRC procurement, finance, M&E, clinical, laboratory, pharmacy, biomedical engineering, and HSS teams. Participate in relevant technical working groups, supply chain review meetings, and project coordination forums. Maintain effective communication with stakeholders on supply chain risks and corrective actions.
• Monitoring, Reporting and Documentation: Prepare routine supply chain performance reports. Provide technical input into quarterly, semi-annual, and annual project reports. Document supply chain challenges, interventions, achievements, best practices, and lessons learned. Maintain accurate supply chain records and documentation. Provide evidence-based recommendations to project management and project health leadership.

Qualifications and Experience

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy, Procurement and Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Health Supply Chain Management, Public Health, Health Services Management, or a related field.
• A Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Public Health, Health Systems Management, Logistics, Procurement, or a related discipline is an added advantage.
• At least 5 years of progressive experience in health supply chain and logistics management.
• Demonstrated experience managing or strengthening health commodity supply chains in Uganda.
• Experience supporting HIV/PEPFAR-funded programs is highly desirable.
• Experience working with Ministry of Health systems, National Medical Stores, health facilities, or implementing partners.
• Experience in commodity forecasting, quantification, LMIS, inventory management, warehousing, distribution, and supply chain performance monitoring.
• Capacity building and mentorship.

• Lead implementation of the supply chain and logistics component of the DHAPP Project.
• Develop annual and quarterly supply chain work plans and budgets.
• Conduct supply chain assessments to identify bottlenecks affecting commodity availability and service delivery.
• Develop strategies to strengthen commodity security across supported project health facilities.
• Support integration of project-supported supply chain systems into existing project health structures.
• Identify supply chain risks and develop appropriate mitigation measures.
• Strengthen systems to ensure uninterrupted availability of ARVs, HIV testing commodities, laboratory supplies, medicines for opportunistic infections, prevention commodities, and other essential health products.
• Monitor commodity availability and identify facilities at risk of stock-outs or overstocking.
• Support timely redistribution of commodities between supported facilities where appropriate.
• Strengthen systems for management of short-dated, expired, damaged, and excess commodities.
• Ensure appropriate accountability and documentation for project-supported commodities.
• Collaborate with HIV, laboratory, pharmacy, and clinical teams to align commodity requirements with service-delivery needs.
• Support facilities to conduct routine commodity forecasting and quantification.
• Review consumption, morbidity, patient numbers, stock-on-hand, losses, expiries, and pipeline information to inform supply planning.
• Support development of facility commodity requirements and orders.
• Monitor consumption trends and adjust forecasts accordingly.
• Work with technical teams to ensure commodity forecasts reflect program targets and anticipated changes in service utilization.
• Identify potential supply gaps early and recommend corrective actions.
• Strengthen inventory management systems at supported facilities and project stores.
• Ensure appropriate use of stock cards, bin cards, inventory records, electronic systems, and other approved logistics management tools.
• Support forecasting and quantification of laboratory commodities based on testing volumes and program needs.
• Monitor stock status and expiry of laboratory commodities.
• Strengthen systems for appropriate storage and distribution of laboratory supplies.
• Coordinate with laboratory and technical teams to address supply interruptions.
• Coordinate with the Biomedical Engineering team on logistics related to medical equipment.
• Support equipment inventory and asset tracking systems.
• Ensure appropriate documentation of equipment receipt, deployment, transfer, maintenance, and disposal.
• Support availability of essential equipment and associated consumables.
• Identify equipment-related supply chain bottlenecks affecting service delivery.
• Promote appropriate utilization and accountability for project-procured assets.
• Strengthen accountability mechanisms for project-supported commodities.
• Conduct routine commodity verification and reconciliation.
• Support investigations into losses, discrepancies, damages, and expiries.
• Ensure proper documentation and authorization for commodity adjustments and disposals.
• Promote compliance with JCRC, Ministry of Health, donor, and project requirements.
• Support preparation for internal and external audits and commodity verification exercises.
• Assess supply chain capacity gaps among project health facility staff.
• Develop and implement supply chain capacity-building plans.
• Conduct mentorship and on-job training for stores personnel, pharmacists, laboratory staff, and facility managers.
• Strengthen skills in quantification, inventory management, LMIS, reporting, storage, and commodity accountability.
• Promote institutionalization of supply chain skills within the project health system.
• Establish and monitor key supply chain performance indicators.
• Conduct routine stock analysis.
• Present supply chain performance during project and facility review meetings.
• Develop corrective action plans for underperforming facilities.
• Develop strategies for sustainable supply chain systems within the project health system.
• Strengthen ownership of logistics systems by project health leadership and facility teams.
• Minimize parallel project systems and promote use of appropriate national and project systems.
• Support transition and institutionalization of project-supported supply chain functions.
• Identify opportunities for efficiency, cost reduction, integration, and sustainability.
• Work closely with project Medical Services and health facility leadership.
• Coordinate with Ministry of Health supply chain structures and relevant government agencies.
• Collaborate with National Medical Stores and other approved supply-chain partners as applicable.
• Work closely with JCRC procurement, finance, M&E, clinical, laboratory, pharmacy, biomedical engineering, and HSS teams.
• Participate in relevant technical working groups, supply chain review meetings, and project coordination forums.
• Maintain effective communication with stakeholders on supply chain risks and corrective actions.
• Prepare routine supply chain performance reports.
• Provide technical input into quarterly, semi-annual, and annual project reports.
• Document supply chain challenges, interventions, achievements, best practices, and lessons learned.
• Maintain accurate supply chain records and documentation.
• Provide evidence-based recommendations to project management and project health leadership.

• Supply Chain Strategy and Planning
• HIV and Health Commodity Security
• Forecasting, Quantification and Supply Planning
• Inventory and Stock Management
• Supply Chain for Laboratory Commodities
• Equipment and Asset Logistics
• Commodity Accountability and Compliance
• Capacity Building and Mentorship
• Supply Chain Data Review and Performance Management
• Sustainability and Health Systems Strengthening
• Coordination and Stakeholder Engagement
• Monitoring, Reporting and Documentation
• Health supply chain and logistics management
• Managing or strengthening health commodity supply chains
• Supporting HIV/PEPFAR-funded programs
• Working with Ministry of Health systems, National Medical Stores, health facilities, or implementing partners
• Commodity forecasting, quantification, LMIS, inventory management, warehousing, distribution, and supply chain performance monitoring
• Capacity building and mentorship

• Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy, Procurement and Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Health Supply Chain Management, Public Health, Health Services Management, or a related field.
• A Master’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Public Health, Health Systems Management, Logistics, Procurement, or a related discipline is an added advantage.
• At least 5 years of progressive experience in health supply chain and logistics management.
• Demonstrated experience managing or strengthening health commodity supply chains in Uganda.
• Experience supporting HIV/PEPFAR-funded programs is highly desirable.
• Experience working with Ministry of Health systems, National Medical Stores, health facilities, or implementing partners.
• Experience in commodity forecasting, quantification, LMIS, inventory management, warehousing, distribution, and supply chain performance monitoring.
• Capacity building and mentorship.