Regional Survey Manager And Market Analyst, Sexual And Reproductive Health

i+solutions is an independent international not-for-profit organization, specializing in pharmaceutical supply chain management for low and middle income countries. We offer high quality integrated supply chain and consultancy services in the fields of HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and reproductive health.

We help to meet the needs of countries and organizations by supporting them taking greater responsibility for their procurement, capacity building, and facilities and systems, to increase self-sufficiency in local pharmaceutical supply chain management. Our key areas of expertise include:

• Procurement & Supply Services
• Training & Consultancy Services
• The Development of Innovative Projects

i+solutions is a young and dynamic organization located in Woerden in the Netherlands with an office in Washington DC. We employ about 45-50 persons and work with sub-contractors across the globe. Our clients include international organizations such as WHO, UNFPA, Ministries of Health and of Foreign Affairs, USAID, the Global Fund, UNITAID, NGO’s and private companies. We are the major pharmaceutical procurement partner in the US Government-funded PEPFAR program and the Voluntary Pooled Procurement program (VPP) for the Global Fund, with a total yearly procurement volume over 200 million USD.

As a result of our growing international activities we are looking for a:

Regional Survey Manager and Market Analyst, Sexual and Reproductive Health

i+solutions is a partner in a consortium implementing the SRH Next project, a sexual and reproductive health (SRH) programme (funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs) in Rwanda, Burundi and DRC (South Kivu).
In the project, i+solutions is responsible for improving supply chain management and also has a team dedicated to SRH market dynamics. In this latter element we are assessing the markets for a selected range of SRH commodities both internationally and locally to understand whether local patients and consumers are able to access a broad range of SRH products at affordable prices.

In order to better understand the local markets we are looking for a Regional Survey Manager and Market Analyst. The successful candidate will be responsible for carrying out price and availability surveys in the three countries using a methodology developed by i+solutions. Further, he/she will be responsible for undertaking a preparatory survey in each country using stakeholder interviews and already available information (including a web and literature review) to provide a high-level overview of the local SRH market.

The position will report into the Market Dynamics Team Coordinator.

The candidate should be based in either Rwanda or Burundi and should have the ability to travel frequently in the region:

Key Areas of Responsibility:

• Undertake high-level preparatory assessments of the SRH market in the three countries with the deliverable being a local SRH market report (roughly 3 weeks per assessment, per country, including reporting)

1. Web and literature review
2. Meetings with key stakeholders, e.g. Ministry of Health staff, local offices of international donors, hospitals/health facilities, normative health bodies.
3. Collection of key documents, e.g. national policy documents, standard treatment guidelines, national essential medicines lists and other relevant reports
4. Collection of broad user information, e.g. data on preferred methods of contraception
5. Collection of key information on reproductive health commodities in each market including: private/public mix; level of donor vs. national funding; the distribution network in country; and importation and registration requirements

• Manage in country surveys (at district level) in the three countries based upon a methodology developed by i+solutions

1. Develop a sampling design and data collection and management protocol that is standardised for the three countries. Basic demographic variables should be captured.
2. Recruiting and training survey personnel
3. Organising training seminars to train data collectors
4. Visiting potential survey locations, e.g. health posts, pharmacies and health centres.
5. Supervising and coordinating data collection and data entry into a suitable database/software for cleaning and analysis
6. Conducting data quality assurance and data analysis
7. Analyse and interpret the findings
8. Develop and submit a report to by i+solutions. The report should be a detailed and comprehensive overview of the market dynamics of reproductive health commodities in the three countries. The raw data, the database containing both qualitative and quantitative data and data collection tools should be submitted together with the report. i+solutions has sole ownership of all final data and any findings shall only be shared or reproduced with the permission of i+solutions.

• The successful candidate will also be expected to work closely and in collaboration with i+solutions’ Regional Supply Chain Expert and provide cross-functional support when required.

Candidate Requirements:

• The candidate should have a strong academic background: Masters or PHD level or equivalent thereof and would ideally have strong links with one or more local academic institutions.
• Ideally the candidate will have pharmacy background, however related qualifications will be considered (e.g. public health or health economics).
• Experience in the field of SRH is a asset
• Excellent verbal, writing and presentation skills in both English and French are essential
• Have experience with undertaking surveys and/or developing survey methodologies. Familiarity with the price and availability survey methodology developed by WHO/Health Action International would be a strong asset.
• Have a good understanding of statistics and statistical methodologies
• Experiencing in recruiting and managing local human resources
• Experience in training and organizing training seminars
• Good report writing and communication skills
• Relevant experience in international public health. Experience in pharmaceutical management and health systems strengthening is highly preferred, particularly where related to SRH
• Ability to travel frequently within the region

Conditions of Employment:
The position will be based upon a ‘level of effort’ basis, although it is expected that the position will be in full-time for around 6-9 months, leading to further ad-hoc assignments thereafter.

Other terms of employment are to be negotiated with the selected candidate.

Your Response:
Please send your CV and cover letter with your motivation, to: bsmith@iplussolutions.org, subject “Vacancy: Regional Survey Manager and Market Analyst”, or to: i+solutions, att., HR Dept, Westdam 3b, 3441 GA Woerden.

For further general and/or detailed information on the vacancy, please contact: Ben Smith, Project Manager,
at (+31) 348489655.