Government Engagement Specialist
VillageReach (International Postings), Congo
Job Description
VillageReach transforms health care delivery to reach everyone, so that each person has the health care needed to thrive. We develop solutions that improve equity and access to primary health care. This includes making sure products are available when and where they are needed and primary health care services are delivered to the most under-reached. Radical collaboration with governments, the private sector and other partners strengthen our ability to scale and sustain these solutions. Our work increases access to quality health care for more than 46 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. VillageReach in incorporated in Washington State and has offices in Seattle (USA), Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, and Mozambique.
The Government Engagement Specialist will work closely with VillageReach’s Senior Manager, Private Sector to support the government to incorporate private pharmaceutical distributors into their supply chain strategy and plans and to develop management mechanisms that enable on-going collaboration. This position is cross-cutting and will require working with government projects (PDSS and the MNHIMultisectoral Nutrition and Health Initiative), government agencies (FEDECAM, DPM, PNAM, DPS), donors such as the World Bank, and key FEDECAM members such as Association Régionale d'Approvisionnement en Médicaments Essentiels (ASRAMES). This role will be part of the Private Sector Engagement team and will be based in Kinshasa. A successful candidate will have significant experience developing government capacity to work with the private sector.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time.
• Government - distributor collaboration (40%): Define a collaboration strategy based on learnings to date and government priorities. Support development of collaboration agreements between Government and distributors/wholesalers, including Service Level Agreements. Contribute to the development of a performance evaluation framework for private sector distributors and participate in private sector distributor performance evaluations in collaboration with the DPM and the IGS. Ensure a continuous analysis of risks.
• Government capacity building (40%): provide technical assistance (TA) to strengthen central government and provincial collaboration with private sector distributors/wholesalers; provide technical assistance to DPS in the project scope so that they can optimize their supply chain by integration private sector distributors. TA will include definition of skills development plans; assessment of skills and provision of training. Organize and conduct provincial-level workshops using the Africa Resource Center-managed Outsourcing Toolkit (OSTK) to develop government awareness on how to work with private sector distributors.
• Private sector distributor advocacy (20%): Assess perception of private sector distributors by government departments. Identify achievements and lessons learned to date from PDSS implementation. Develop advocacy plan and conduct advocacy with the Ministry of Health to integrate private for-profit distributors into the national supply system for essential medicines (SNAME). Work closely with VillageReach’s Senior Manager Private Sector Engagement to develop policy proposals and action plans.
The following competencies reflect what is expected of all VillageReach employees; including examples of how one might demonstrate each of these competencies in one’s role.
- Personal Motivation and Drive: Is self-directed in one’s approach to work, but asks for help when needed; holds oneself accountable; undertakes self-development activities; seeks to build and master new skills; looks for and takes advantage of opportunities within the organization
- Collaboration amp; Effective Communication: Establishes and maintains effective relations with coworkers, partners amp; stakeholders and external parties; works collaboratively with others to accomplish organizational and team goals and objectives; works actively to resolve conflicts; expresses ideas and thoughts effectively; selects and uses appropriate communication methods and maintains meaningful communication with virtual coworkers and other parties to keep them informed
- Commitment to Diversity amp; Inclusion: Takes personal responsibility for and supports others across the organization in creating and sustaining a diverse work environment where individuals are welcomed, valued, respected and supported; personally committed to attaining cultural competency including self-awareness of one’s own attitudes about culture and cross-cultural interactions; exhibits the willingness and ability to engage openly and r