Logistician

Position: Logistician Responsible To: Project Coordinator Working alongside: Medical and non-medical team Location: Rutshuru, North Kivu, DRC Contract Duration: 12 Months Starting Date: ASAP

Salary: £23,480 - £24,230 per annum (dependant on relevant experience), inclusive of annual Cost of Living Allowance

Benefits: Insurance cover, accommodation, R&R, annual leave entitlement of 24 days per annum rising to 30 days at the completion of 12 months of continuous employment with Merlin

Please note that this is an unaccompanied position.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be shortlisted on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date.

Merlin International Profile

Merlin specialises in health, saving lives in times of crisis and helping to rebuild shattered health services. Each year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries.

Context and Background

The Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire) is the third largest country in Africa and one of the poorest. Decades of dictatorship and an ongoing, unresolved civil war has left much of the national infrastructure destroyed.

Merlin has been operational in eastern DRC since 1997. Merlin teams have been providing emergency medical care to the most vulnerable, accessible populations in Maniema Province, Kasai Oriental Province, North Kivu and Orientale Province, and in response to the Goma volcanic eruption of Jan 2002. Activities include: emergency response, primary health support and supply, secondary health support and supply, reproductive health, institutional capacity building, nutrition, wat/san, rehabilitation of health facilities.

• Merlin is the sole source of essential medical support for over 200 primary & secondary health facilities, providing health care to over 1,800,000 beneficiaries.
• In Maniema Province, Merlin is implementing a DFID (British government) funded 3 years free health care project throughout 10 health zones. • In North Kivu, Merlin implements primary healthcare projects in Rutshuru, Binza and Birambizo Health Zones with emergency support to IDP’s within the province.

Complementary projects also are in place for rehabilitation and construction of health facilities and basic water and sanitation infrastructure. Merlin aims to continue to invest in provision of lasting healthcare services for the communities in DRC, through building solid partnerships at both local and national level.

The Rutshuru health zone is in Nord-Kivu, in the territory of Rutshuru. Merlin has 2 bases in Rutshuru where the programme – the main base in Katwe, and a sub base in Tongo. In total, the team is composed of 56 national staff, and 2 expat staff (Project coordinator and logistician).

Main purpose of the role

The Logistician is responsible for managing and delivering efficient and effective logistics service across Rutshuru territory, including Binza. He will be based in Rutshuru but frequently travel and support sub-bases in Binza. This includes implementing, monitoring and following-up across all logistics disciplines to ensure that Merlin’s standard policies and best practice is adhered to. The role will provide leadership, technical support and capacity building to the national logistics staff in all areas of their roles.

Currently, the logistics team is comprised of 25 people, of which 5 are line managed by the logistician.

Overall Objectives (scope)

The Logistician is a key post in the project team overseeing the logistics of the Merlin Rutshuru programme. Responsibilities include:

• The daily logistics operations of the projects and the Merlin bases in Rutshuru health zone • Ensure that Merlin’s policies, systems and guidelines are understood, implemented, used and adhered to • Oversee all health care facility rehabilitation activities • To participate in field assessments, project planning and the preparation of donor proposals and reports in collaboration with the Programme Manager and Medical Officer • To work towards the implementation of the Merlin strategic objectives 2012-2014 in the project area • Act as co-Security Focal Point for the project and undertake security analysis and maintain security networks • Assist in the logistics management and the opening and closing of sub-bases as necessary

Responsibilities

Logistics

• Overseeing Merlin Rutshuru logistical activities including national and local procurement, communication systems, vehicle fleet and office/residence equipment maintenance and management in co-ordination with the Deputy Logistics Coordinator and Programme Coordinator. • Ensure that the Merlin logistics standards, systems, policies and procedures including procurement, warehousing, supply/stock movement control, freight management, asset management, IT, as well as documentation, filling and reporting, are well established and fully implemented in Rutshuru office. • Be familiar with donor funding agreements, regulations and requirements and ensure that Merlin logistics operations such as procurement are undertaken in accordance and line with the donor procedures.
• Establish and maintain accurate and up-to-date fixed asset register records for Merlin project assets in the Rutshuru. • Ensure that all communications equipment (radios, etc.) are in good working conditions in all sites at all times and establish and maintain sound communication systems and mechanisms within the field sites as well as between field sites and Goma office. Submit timely monthly reports or any other adhoc information when requested. • Assure, in close collaboration with the medical team that the availability of drugs in supported health facilities and in the Merlin stock is closely monitored, and that precise and timely data on medical equipment and drug needs is communicated to the Goma support office. • Support the Binza sub base in all logistical activities as above.

Admin and Finance

• Participation in project planning and the preparation of donor proposals and reports in collaboration with the project team. • Prepare timely forecasting information for the project office including procurement plans. • Responsible for site communications. This includes: emails; co-coordinating all communications through project to Goma site

Human Resources

• Manage the project logistics national staff team and ensure that all logistics staff in Rutshuru have up-to-date job descriptions, carry out timely staff performance appraisals, provide guidance, training (including on the job training and mentoring) and support to enable them fulfill their duties and responsibilities effectively and successfully • Build the capacity of the logistics team through ongoing training and staff development with the aim of increasing skills and responsibilities within the national team • Plan and provide training on Merlin logistics systems, policies and procedures including procurement, communications and IT, to all relevant Merlin Rutshuru staff • Temporarily take over the functions of the Programme Coordinator in case of her/his absence • Support the Binza sub base in all logistical activities as above.

Security

• Monitor on the daily basis the security situation in the area and provide regular analysis to the Programme Coordinator and Security Focal Point (SFP) in Goma. • Participate in development, review, implementation and monitoring of Merlin’s security policy in the area. • Facilitate the evacuation of field based teams if necessary and put in place Merlin’s security procedures in case of any incidents or urgent security matters.

Other

• Covering other positions or posts in other areas if necessary and requested by the head of mission.

Person Specification

Essential

Qualifications, experience and competences

• Demonstrable technical knowledge across the following technical logistics disciplines:  Medical Warehousing  Procurement & supply chain  Fleet Management  Security Management • Good experience in recruitment, training, development & performance management of staff • Ability to live, work and travel in an insecure environment, following strict security guidelines at all times • Strong communication skills, with a good level of written and spoken French and English • Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office and Email • Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures • Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines • Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues • An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission and values

Desirable

Qualifications, experience and competences

• Previous experience as a based logistician within an international NGO and ideally in an insecure and volatile environment. • Strong knowledge of security management. • Experience in medical supply chain or medical logistic. • Experience in the working region. • Spoken Kiswahili is an advantage.

To apply for this position

To apply for this job, please go to www.merlin.org.uk/jobs and apply using our online recruitment system. In order to apply for a job with Merlin online you will need to complete a short registration process and create an account – the online recruitment system explains how to do this. Once your account has been created, you will be able to save the information that you have entered in your application and re-visit it at any time before you submit it.

If you are unable to apply online please download and complete an application form and email it to: applications@merlin.org.uk.

Please note that we do not accept CVs and any application must therefore be made online or by completing our application form. Unfortunately due to the number of applications we receive, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Data Protection

In accordance with the 1998 Data Protection Act Merlin will hold and use personal information that you have given for the purposes of recruitment and employment should an offer of employment be made. This information will be stored in manual and/or computer form. This information may also be disclosed to third parties in accordance with the Data Protection Act.

In cases where a job offer is conditional on ensuring that potential employees’ names do not appear on counter terrorism lists generated by the United Nations, European Union or the United States due to donor funding requirements, Merlin will use the information that you have given for checking that your name does not appear on these lists.