Crown Agents
About the role
Location: Paramaribo and surrounding localities, Suriname
Start date: April 2022
Contract Length: Approx 4 Months (possibility of extension)
Objective of the Consultancy
The Logistics Expert will act as the key focal person for logistics on the project. He/she will work closely with a team of technical consultants and contribute technical expertise when required. The role requires both technical expertise, project management skills and stakeholder relationship skills, and the candidates will need to demonstrate their proven ability in each of these areas. We are looking for an energetic and committed individual, who has strong collaborative and people skills and excels in cross team working.
Scope of Work
- Enhance cold chain capacity in Paramaribo and the Interior, including to ensure the cold chain is sound, robust, fit for purpose and compliant with global standards.
- Enhance ultra-cold chain freezer capacity in Paramaribo
- Establish positive working relationships with the Ministry of Public Health, NCT and other key stakeholders supporting the programme, and represent Crown Agents in Country
- Provides technical advice and assistance to government officials and key stakeholders in the planning and management of the Covid-19 vaccine programme and ensure sustainability of interventions.
- Provide technical support to government and key stakeholders at all stages of the programme cooperation, including capacity building of government personnel and beneficiaries.
- Work closely with the team of Technical Consultants and Crown Agents HQ to implement key activities for the projects, track milestones and deliverables and develop project reports
Work location and Travel:
The Logistics specialist will be ideally be a national, based in Suriname. The expert is expected to work from home and travel to project site and meeting where needed. All travel costs will be reimbursed.
Contract Type
This will be a consultancy-based contract (Self-employed, independent contractor) with agreed number of days per month and day rate.
About you
- A Bachelor’s degree or professional qualification in Logistics / supply chain with demonstrable GDP training
- A minimum of 10 years relevant working across in international health / pharmaceutical supply chain
- Experience working with the Ministry of Health in implementing similar programs would be an advantage.
- Sound understanding of the National COVID-19 Response and Vaccination Programs
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Experience working in Suriname and/or the South American Region.
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Excellent communications skills, including writing and presentation skills
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Strong interpersonal skills, diplomacy and tact to effectively communicate with senior-level officials, multiple stakeholders and professionals from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds.
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Strong professional oral communication and writing skills, including the development of reports, oral presentations, and technical/persuasive documents.
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Ability to work in English and Dutch (preferable)
About us
You’ll be working with Crown Agents which is a high impact social enterprise passionate about transforming the future for millions of people. Since our creation in 1833 we have worked across the globe to improve public services and drive economic growth. Our expertise is finding new solutions to difficult problems for clients in the areas of health, governance, economic growth, humanitarian action and supply chain services. We work with and train leaders at local, national and international level to achieve lasting change drawing on our insight and experience.
Background:
Suriname detected its first case of the Covid-19 on March 13th, 2020, and has recently experiences it’s 5th wave of the disease. The best way to prevent new, more-dangerous or more-transmissible variants from emerging is to stop unconstrained spread, and that requires many integrated public-health interventions, and most crucially, vaccine equity. The country has developed a comprehensive National Vaccine Deployment Plan (NVDP) which details out the prioritisation for vaccinating the population using a two-dose regime. Suriname aimed to reach 75% vaccine coverage by the end of 2021, however, is currently falling well behind this target.
Between November to December 2021, Crown Agents conducted a thorough needs assessment to better understand the challenges hindering the national vaccine campaign and developed recommendations and an operational plan to overcome those identified challenges and support the Ministry of Public Health in enhancing the vaccination campaign. Challenges identified include the inadequate cold chain capacity outside of the capital, challenging last mile delivery to remote communities within the Interior, inefficient and under-resourced service delivery systems, low uptake levels among healthcare workers and high levels of vaccine hesitancy.
Following on from the assessment, Crown Agents, in partnership with Ministry of Health and our client, will operationalise this plan and implement a set of key integrated initiatives to improve vaccination coverage in key target areas, including RCCE, Service Delivery and Supply Chain. At the heart of the activities is a systematic approach to building a more resilient health system that can continue to protect its people from Covid-19 as well as respond to future outbreaks of disease.
We are seeking a highly motivated individual to coordinate and lead the project in country and ensure the project is running smoothly, on time and to budget.
We are seeking a highly motivated Logistics Specialist to lead and coordinate the logistics elements of all programme activities. The candidate will provide technical expertise and management to ensure the project runs smoothly, on time and to budget.