Logistics Coordinator
Medical Emergency Relief International (Merlin)
Closing date: 30 Sep 2009
Location: Democratic Republic of the Congo (the)
Department: Programme - Logistics
Responsible to: Country Director
Responsible for: Logistics teamWorks with: Country Management Team (CMT) and Head Office Regional Logistics OfficerLocation: Democratic Republic of Congo
- Goma
Duration: 12 months
Start Date: ASAPAllowance: £17, 551 - £22,001 per annum dependant on relevant experience, an annual cost of living allowance of £5,946, insurance cover, accommodation and return flights.An additional bonus of £1,000 payable on successful completion of probationary period.
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.
Please note: this is an unaccompanied position.Merlin International ProfileMerlin is the only specialist UK charity which responds worldwide with vital health care and medical relief for vulnerable people caught up in natural disasters, conflict, disease and health system collapse.
year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries.Context and BackgroundThe 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 infrastrucutre destroyed.
Merlin has been operational in eastern DRC since 1997 when it established emergency medical support to populations in Maniema Province.
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 DFID, UNICEF, OFDA and ECHO funded primary healthcare projects in Manguredjipa and Biena Health Zones, in Rutshuru Health Zone and in Birambizo Health Zone with emergency support to IDP’s within the province.
Merlin’s Goma office is a management and support office for nine field-site projects in eastern DRC.
The office handles the financial and reporting aspects of a multi-million dollar grant portfolio, the HR and administrative requirements for approximately 30 expatriates and 300 national staff, most national and all international purchasing, and in-country transportation (almost exclusively by air) of staff and material between the Goma office and field sites.
Main purpose of the role
The Logistics Coordinator (LogCo) is responsible for managing and delivering an efficient and effective logistics service across all programmes and field sites.
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 international and country logistics staff in all areas of their roles.
LogCo represents logistics as an active member of the Country Management Team (CMT) and will ensure effective cross departmental interaction.
Overall Objectives (scope)
This role will:
- Develop the Country Programme Logistics Strategy and ensure its timely implementation.
- Provide logistics guidance, advice and support to all programme and field sites and the logistics staff in those locations as necessary or as requested.
- Ensure that Merlin’s policies, systems and guidelines are implemented, used and adhered to.
- Ensure constructive and effective working relationships are developed and maintained with the CMT, Field Offices and Head Office.
- Represent logistics as an active member of the CMT.ResposabilitesProgram Support
- Lead the logistics components of project planning and preparation of donor proposals and reports in collaboration with the CMT.
- Provide input and guidance on logistics matters to the CMT.
- Ensure donor compliance and produce regular, timely and accurate narrative and financial reports for Merlin
- Identify areas of improvement in the organisation of logistics and work with the CMT and local logistics teams to realise them.
- Represent Merlin with relevant external organisations and networks (for example NGO Logistic Coordination fora, the UN Logistic Cluster), actively networking and building relevant relationships.
Security
- Participate in development, review, implementation and monitoring of Merlin’s security measures in-country, in support of the Country Director (CD).
- Ensure proper functioning and maintenance of Merlin compounds in cooperation with the responsible department.
Technical
- Responsible for the appropriate selection, installation, use and maintenance of equipment across the following technical disciplines: Information Technology, Communications, Mechanics, Energy & Electricity, Cold Chain.
- Act as technical supervisor for the provision of specific WATSAN, Healthcare Waste management or construction activities as required by the programme ensuring that adequate skills are available and outsourced / recruited for where necessary.
- Ensure high quality, appropriate technology solutions, liaising with the Head Office Technology Manager where necessary.
Procurement & Supply Chain- Develop, in collaboration with the CMT, Project Coordinators and Field Logisticians, a coherent procurement strategy that takes into consideration Merlin’s Procurement Policy, donor requirements, project duration and needs, lead time and delivery constraints
- Maintain a high quality, country-wide procurement system, which is accountable, transparent and compliant with Merlin’s Procurement Policy and donor requirements.
- Ensure active monitoring of the purchasing process including overseeing local customs clearance of imports, until delivery of the goods and the official handover of items against signature of receipt.
- Ensure that the filing system to record and archive all procurements is rigorously maintained.
- Ensure the maintenance of the supplier database and develop robust local supplier relationships.
- Ensure effective and efficient links with Merlin Regional Logistics Officer for all logistical matters.
Warehouse Management
- Ensure that procured stocks are received, registered, and dispatched in an efficient and accountable manner.
- Ensure that the filing system to record and archive all stock movements is rigorously maintained.
- Ensure, in collaboration with the medical teams, Merlin’s Drug Management Guidelines are adhered to country-wide.
- Maintain control and accountability of all stock, monitoring storage, request and issuance in accordance with Merlin’s Warehouse Management Guidelines.
- Conduct physical stock checks periodically and investigate discrepancies. Asset Management
- Responsible for all asset and inventory management according to Merlin’s Asset and Inventory Management Policy.
Fleet Management
- Ensure country wide fleet requirements for the programme are met.
- Ensure safe operation of the fleet through driver selection and training, quality maintenance to include routine checks and regular service and establishing / enforcing local fleet operating procedures.
- Ensure appropriate use of vehicles by all staff (e.g. use of seatbelts, adherence to speed limits, vehicle booking process and movement monitoring system)
- Report monthly on fleet management according to Merlin’s Logistics Reporting policy.
- Ensure appropriate provision of servicing facilities and management of spare parts.
Human Resource Management
- Responsible for the line management of specified logistics staff in accordance with HR policies and procedures, including recruitment and performance management.
- Responsible for the technical line management of all Field Logisticians.
- Actively involved in the recruitment and selection of the country logistics teams.
- Responsible for the capacity building and training of all logistics staff to improve efficiency, give awareness of, and compliance with, logistics systems and procedures. Financial, Administrative & Reporting
- Work closely with the Finance & Administration Manager to ensure compliance throughout the procurement process against both internal policy and donor requirements.
- Collate reports from all field sites and produce monthly Countrywide report for distribution to the CMT & Regional Logistics Officer according to Merlin’s Logistics Reporting policy.
Person SpecificationEssential
Qualifications, experience and competences
- Substantial experience as a Logistics Coordinator within an international NGO and within difficult operating environments (e.g. insecurity, lack of infrastructure, natural disasters)
- Significant and demonstrable technical knowledge across the following technical logistics disciplines:
- Supply Chain- Information Technology- Communications - Mechanics- Energy & Electricity
- Cold Chain
- Substantial knowledge of at least one of the programme components:
- Health Provision- Rehabilitation- Construction
- Water and Sanitation
- Good experience of implementing security guidelines
- Good experience of leading and driving the development and implementation of a logistics departments strategy
- Good experience in recruitment and performance management of staff.
- Good, proven experience of training and developing staff
- Experience as part of a Senior Management Team
- Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English and French.
- Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office (particularly Excel and Word)
- 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
- Experience of financial management
- Experience of health related logistics / medical logistics
-Experience of emergency preparedness planning from a logistical perspective.
- Experience of working in the region
How to apply
Please download an application form from our website www.merlin.org.uk Completed forms should be emailed to applications@merlin-uk.org stating clearly in the subject field the job title, country and reference number (if any).
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