Cold Chain Consultant

CTG Overview

CTG staff and support humanitarian projects in fragile and conflict-affected countries around the world, providing a rapid and cost-effective service for development and humanitarian missions. With past performance in 17 countries – from the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia, we have placed more than 20,000 staff all over the world since operations began in 2006.

CTG recruits, deploys and manages the right people with the right skills to implement humanitarian and development projects, from cleaners to obstetricians, and mechanics to infection specialists, we’re skilled in emergency response to crises such as the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Key to successful project delivery is the ability to mobilise at speed; CTG can source and deploy anyone, anywhere, in less than 2 weeks and have done so in 48 hours on a number of occasions.

Through our efficient and agile HR, logistical and operational services, CTG saves multilateral organisations time and money. We handle all our clients’ HR related issues, so they are free to focus on their core services.

Visit www.ctg.org to find out more

Overview of Position

CTG is looking to hire a staff for our operations in Nigeria to provide technical support on cold chain equipment management & logistics, ensuring effective storage & transportation of vaccines & supplies up to the last mile as well as monitoring functionality of cold chain equipment.

Role Objectives

• Provide rapid & relevant responses to evolving cold chain needs in relation to the situations facing immunization, including emergency situations, with a priority on achieving value for money.
• Support the development of annual & quarterly state work plans for EPI with special emphasis on vaccine management, cold chain & logistics to ensure conformity with Nigerian Strategy for Immunization & Primary Health Care System Strengthening (NSIPPSS) & State Logistics Working Groups (SLWG) workplans.
• Support the implementation of state work plans for EPI (vaccine security, logistics & service delivery) to ensure alignment with the workplan goals, Effective Vaccine Management Improvement Plan (EVM IP) including articulation of a well defined action tracker for monitoring implementation.
• Facilitate conduct of regular cold chain inventory, gap analyses & development of cold chain planning & deployment, including facilitation of site readiness for installations & maintenance.
• Ensure utilization of open LMIS & Thrive 360 in the state of assignment, ensuring timely & quality reporting & triangulation of cold chain equipment functionality to make informed decision.
• Support last mile vaccine delivery to ensure availability of potent vaccines at the service points.
• Facilitate tracking of wastage rates of vaccines & support implementation of activities targeted at reducing vaccine wastage rates.
• Undertake supportive supervisory field visits to LGA & communities to assess progress, identify problems & propose remedial or alternative strategies or courses of actions to accelerate/improve quality of EPI delivery in the assigned state.
• Carry out any other duties in support of our client led health interventions as assigned by supervisors or authority of our clients field & country office.

Support the development of Zonal Logistics Working Group (ZLWG) & their respective states work plans towards implementing the cold chain equipment & logistics management standards & ensuring cold chain equipment functionality & maintenance in line with Effective Vaccine Management (EVM) standards:

• Review the temperature records of state cold stores & advocate for solving identified gaps such as ensuring timely repair & routine maintenance of cold chain equipment; backup generators are functional, adequate funds are provided to operate generator as required on continued basis & provide regular reports.
• Ensure that computerized temperature monitoring devices, provided to stores are functional, maintained & Temperature Monitoring & Control (TMC) systems are adhered to.
• Facilitate the development of logistics campaign plans for implementation of polio & other non SIAs including MNCHWs outbreak responses in the target states & support their implementation.
• Facilitate tracking progress of implementation of the Effective Vaccine Management (EVM) improvement plans at zone, state, LGA & health facility level by the NLWG / SLWG.

Serve as State Technical Advisor in cold chain management, delivery & distribution of vaccines for the polio eradication & routine immunization programs:

• Assist with the implementation of guidelines & norms regarding cold chain & safety of immunization services delivery.
• Support the state team in ensuring timely planning & disbursement of logistics & other vaccine management funds to LGAs.
• Develop specific related vaccine security & logistics strategies for reaching the hard to reach, nomadic & minority groups in the high risk within the state.

Transfer of vaccine & cold chain management competences to zonal, state & LGA Cold Chain / Logistics Officers:

• Support capacity building of government & partners in immunization with special emphasis on VSL considering the lessons learnt & new developments from the Effective Vaccine Management (EVM) processes & new vaccine introductions.
• Support capacity building of Zonal & State Cold Chain Officers on new cold chain equipment technologies, in light of GAVI CCE optimization systems, for effective cold chain planning in respective states.
• Assist states / LGAs in building cold chain & logistics equipment inventory & efficient equipment management systems, utilize same for needs assessment & provide corrective trainings as the need arises.
• Support states in conducting trainings, supportive supervisions in vaccine management, logistics & cold chain maintenance.
• Provide regular comprehensive bottleneck analysis of stock, cold chain operational status & coverage (RI & SIA, including other outbreak vaccines) of states & support states in implementing the innovative solutions on a monthly basis.
• Support the CCO & SIO to be conversant with the use of digital tools for cold chain & vaccine management (IGA, Open LMIS, Thrive 360, EVM tools etc.), ensure completeness & accuracy of the data therein.

Deliverables:

• Weekly & monthly stock validation & submission of collated status of vaccine stocks on approved formats.
• Weekly temperature monitoring reports, incidence management & tracking of implementation of RTMD system.
• Monthly RI & SIA (where applicable) vaccine utilization / consumption, wastage rate tracking & reporting.
• Quarterly cold chain inventory status update & submission of updated IGA tool.
• Quarterly submission of state heat map for supervisory / targeted / standalone EVMA & continuous Improvement Plan (cIP) updates.
• Quarterly submission of status of EVMA cIP.
• Consultant must submit a detailed work plan to his / her supervisor at the beginning of each month for the entire contract period.
• Supervisors will have the flexibility to review with the consultant as needed on a monthly or quarterly basis.
• A monthly progress report should be provided by each Facilitator to their supervisor for payment of Facilitators fees.
• A detailed assignment report will be required at the end of the current contract period.

Project Reporting

• This role reports to the line manager.

Key Competencies

• Bachelor’s degree in basic sciences, pharmacy, health & allied / material management / engineering or physical sciences is required.
• At least 3 years progressively professional work experience with at least 1 year at providing technical support in immunization, logistics, supply chain management, cold chain or a master’s degree in public health / pharmacy, health sciences, basic medical sciences or engineering / physical sciences.
• Fluency in English & knowledge of any of the three major Nigerian languages is an added advantage.
• At least 3 Years experience
• Experience in managing cold chain system for vaccines or other related medical supplies & providing immunization services is an advantage.
• Proven ability to conceptualize, develop, plan & coordinate logistics activities as well as to transfer knowledge & skills.
• Good analytical & negotiating skills.
• Ability to work in an international or multicultural environment.
• Proficiency in computer applications including Excel & PowerPoint.
• Ability to work as a team member.
• Ability to monitor progress, collect & analyse data, effect corrections & prepare reports.
• Knowledge of managing inventory, transport & diverse logistics operations (e.g., program supply & logistics) in the international environment.

Team Management

• This role has no team management responsibility.

Further Information

• Female candidates are advised to apply.