Senior Technical Advisor - Malaria

MAIN PURPOSE OF JOB

The Senior Technical Advisor - Malaria provides strategic and technical leadership for Management Sciences for Health (MSH) activities that strengthen the supply chain for malaria commodities in Cameroon. Reporting to the Technical Director, the Advisor works with the National Malaria Control Program, the Directorate of Pharmacy, Medicines and Laboratories, CENAME, regional and district health authorities, regional funds for health promotion, donors, and implementing partners to improve forecasting and supply planning, commodity availability, data use, and distribution to regions, districts, and health facilities.

The Advisor leads national and subnational technical assistance, promotes routine use of logistics and commodity data to identify supply risks and prevent disruptions, strengthens coordination and counterpart capacity, and guides regional supply chain personnel in implementing malaria priorities, including seasonal malaria chemoprevention activities where applicable. The position also supports the development of standards, tools, and training materials and contributes to performance monitoring, reporting, learning, and documentation of results.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Malaria Supply Chain Technical Leadership

• Provide strategic and technical leadership for MSH support to national and subnational malaria commodity supply chain systems.

• Coordinate technical assistance with the National Malaria Control Program, DPML, CENAME, regional and district health authorities, regional funds for health promotion, donors, and implementing partners.

• Guide the development and implementation of policies, guidelines, standard operating procedures, tools, and technical approaches that improve malaria commodity availability and accountability.

• Represent MSH in authorized national technical working groups and coordination forums and ensure timely follow-up on agreed actions.

Forecasting Supply Planning and Data Use

• Lead and support annual quantification, quarterly supply planning, monthly stock-status review, and routine updating of supply plans for malaria commodities.

• Promote accurate, timely use of data from national and global systems and support data entry, validation, analysis, and submission through approved platforms, including QAT and other relevant tools.

• Analyze consumption, inventory, pipeline, distribution, and campaign data to identify gaps, forecast inaccuracies, risks of stockout or overstock, and appropriate corrective actions.

• Support procurement and distribution planning, commodity prioritization, stock redistribution, and last-mile delivery strategies for routine services and malaria campaigns.

Track implementation of corrective actions and ensure timely escalation of supply risks, data-quality issues, and bottlenecks.

Capacity Strengthening and Regional Oversight

• Plan and facilitate coordination meetings, technical working groups, workshops, data-quality reviews, and data-validation sessions for forecasting and supply planning.

• Develop training materials and provide training, supportive supervision, mentoring, and on-the-job coaching to strengthen counterpart capacity.

• Provide technical direction and quality oversight to regional supply chain advisors and officers supporting malaria activities and promote consistent implementation of approved standards and tools.

• Guide supply chain planning and technical support for seasonal malaria chemoprevention and other malaria campaigns, where applicable.

Performance Reporting and Other Responsibilities

• Monitor progress against approved workplans, indicators, and technical priorities and contribute accurate inputs to monthly, quarterly, annual, and other project reports.

• Prepare technical reports, presentations, learning products, and documentation of results, good practices, challenges, and lessons learned.

• Ensure activities comply with approved project plans and budgets, donor requirements, Cameroon laws and regulations, and MSH policies, safeguarding standards, and ethical requirements.

• Perform other duties consistent with the position as assigned by the Technical Director

QUALIFICATIONS

REQUIRED MINIMUM EDUCATION

Required: Bachelor's degree in pharmacy, medicine, nursing, public health, supply chain management, logistics, or another health-related field, with specialized training or substantial experience in malaria commodity management.

Preferred: Master's degree or advanced professional qualification in public health, pharmacy, health supply chain management, pharmaceutical systems, or a related field. Physician, pharmacist, or nurse qualification is an advantage.

REQUIRED MINIMUM EXPERIENCE

• At least seven years of progressively responsible experience in health commodity supply chain system strengthening within Cameroon's health system.

• Three to five years of hands-on experience conducting long-term quantification, forecasting, and supply planning for health commodities.

• At least three years of experience supporting a malaria program, including experience with malaria commodity planning and distribution.

• Demonstrated experience leading technical assistance, coordinating multidisciplinary stakeholders, strengthening counterpart capacity, and guiding regional or field-based personnel.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Extensive knowledge of Cameroon's public health system and health commodity supply chain structures and functions.

• Advanced knowledge of forecasting, quantification, supply planning, stock-status monitoring, inventory management, distribution, and last-mile delivery for malaria commodities.

• Strong analytical skills and the ability to interpret historical and current logistics data, identify trends and supply risks, and present evidence-based recommendations.

• Proficiency with relevant forecasting and supply-planning tools, including QAT, PipeLine, QuanTB, and Microsoft Excel.

• Strong technical leadership, facilitation, coaching, problem-solving, coordination, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.

• Ability to work effectively with government counterparts, regional authorities, donors, and implementing partners.

• Demonstrated ability to translate supply chain data into operational decisions and corrective actions.

• Professional fluency in French and English is required.

COMPETENCIES

• Strategic and technical leadership, collaboration, and accountability.

• Analytical thinking, sound judgment, and practical problem-solving.

• Clear communication, stakeholder engagement, adaptability, initiative, and commitment to quality and results.

Ability to work under pressure and consistently deliver results within established timelines.

• Ability to prioritize competing demands and make timely decisions in a complex operating environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Work is performed in a standard office environment with regular use of a computer and participation in virtual and in-person meetings. The position requires travel within Cameroon, including visits to central medical stores, regional warehouses, health districts, health facilities, and implementation sites.

MSH is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected category under applicable federal, state, and local laws. MSH complies with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act, as amended, and all related applicable regulations.

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