BACKGROUND: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity, and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.
The IRC responds to people’s acute and longer-term needs with integrated programs that improve health and safety, prioritize children’s education, foster economic wellbeing, and empower communities to regain control over their lives. Our work gives rise to some of the most pressing issues facing contemporary humanitarian action, including questions of access, conflict sensitivity, coordination, and impact.
The IRC Yemen began its programs in October 2012. Since establishing its presence in the South of Yemen, in the Red Sea Coastal city of Aden, the organization has grown from just an implementing small project to handling large scale emergency and relief operations. Following the war which broke out in Yemen in March of 2015 and the humanitarian disaster, which was crafted by the same, IRC launched one an emergency response program in the southern governorates of Aden, Lahj, Abyan, Shabwah and Al Dhale, and expanded later in Sana’a and Hodeidah in the North. Currently IRC Yemen is operating in eight governorates in the south and north of Yemen through direct programming and through local partnerships, in Health, WASH, Nutrition, Economic Recovery Development, Education, Child Protection, Gender and Women Protection and Empowerment.
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) have been working in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) for more than forty years. Today, the IRC has more than 2,200 staff working across the region, including in Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Syria, and Yemen to support those affected by some of the world’s most complex and protracted humanitarian crises.
SCOPE OF WORK:
The Pharmacy Assistant will supervise pharmaceutical, and nutrition commodities stores in Abyan and Shabwah,and West coast ensuring proper storage, distribution, and reporting of pharmaceuticals and nutrition commodities. This includes handling stock levels, ensuring compliance with IRC pharmaceutical SOPs, and collaborating with the main pharmaceutical warehouse for receiving and dispatching medications. In addition, the role coordinates with the GHO/DHO to request the quantities of nutrition commodities needed. The role ensures the safe and efficient supply of medications and nutrition commodities while maintaining accurate records and timely reporting.
.JOB SUMMARY:
The Pharmacy Assistant supports the efficient management of pharmaceutical operations in field locations, including supervising stock levels, ensuring proper storage conditions, and coordinating the distribution of medications to health facilities. Key responsibilities include supervising inventory, assisting in the procurement process, collaborating with the main pharmaceutical warehouse for stock handling, and ensuring all activities align with IRC SOPs and health regulations. In addition to requesting and supervising the nutrition commodities from GHO/DHO.
WORKING RELATIONS:
The Pharmacy Assistant will work closely with the country pharmacist, Field Health and nutrition officers, and the SC Team to ensure smooth operations. Direct collaboration will also occur with Health Facilities Supervisors for stock and distribution management. Indirectly, the role will interact with the Finance Department for budget management. The Pharmacy Assistant will report to the country Pharmacist and collaborate with the main pharmaceutical warehouse for receiving and dispatching medications and nutrition commodities.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES:
Review and verify drug requests from health facilities, advising on vital changes based on AMC, warehouse availability, and other requirements. Provide on-the-job training and coaching for field pharmacists. Ensure proper collection, recording, and evaluation of drug consumption data from field drug stores. Monitor and lead pharmaceutical stock using the relevant systems (COMMCARE/INTEGRA) to ensure accurate data entry, tracking, and reporting of stock levels in real-time Conduct regular monitoring visits to health facility drugstores to ensure accurate stock management, proper storage conditions, and up-to-date stock tools. Ensure drugs are distributed before expiration and report on short-expiry drugs for reallocation if they cannot be used within the available shelf life. Review monthly inventory of drugs and medical supplies, addressing issues such as short expiry dates, low stock, or overstocking, and report findings to pharmaceutical management. Follow up to ensure the timely distribution of drugs to drugstores and health facilities. Collaborate with the supply chain team on the dispatch and transfer of drugs to health units. Assist in financial year-end inventory and cycle count checks at the warehouse in coordination with the supply chain team. Receive, inspect, and record nutrition commodity deliveries at the warehouse and distribution sites. Maintain up-to-date inventory records of nutrition supplies across supported locations. Ensure proper storage conditions for nutrition commodities in compliance with standards. Collect and compile weekly/monthly commodity consumption data from supported sites. Support in preparing stock status reports and alerting management of any impending stock-outs. Coordinate with local authorities (GHO/DHO) on supply and reporting requirements. Monitor commodity losses and assist in investigations or audits as required. Review WFP waybills received by each site to ensure matching the quantity with the batch number for RUSF and WSB++.
Minimum Qualifications:
REQUIREMENTS: (Qualifications, Skills and Abilities):
A. Education:
Diploma in Pharmacy or Medical Assistant.
B. Experience:
Minimum five years of professional experience with drug management and nutrition commodities management systems
C. Skills and Abilities:
IRC/INGO experience preferred.
D. Proficiencies:
The candidate should have expertise in pharmaceutical and nutrition commodities storage, distribution, and inventory management, with strong attention to detail and compliance with IRC SOPs. They should be skilled in data entry, stock tracking, and reporting, and have experience training staff. Effective teamwork, problem-solving, and time management skills are essential. Knowledge of health and nutrition program supply chains and coordination mechanisms.
Professional Standards: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.
IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age, marital status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
IRC strives to build a diverse and inclusive teamat all levels who as individuals, and as a group, embody our culture statement creating a working environment characterized by critical reflection, power sharing, debate, and objectivity for us to achieve our aspirations as a team and deliver the best possible services to our clients.
Commitment to Client Responsiveness: By committing to Client-Centered Programming, at the IRC Yemen, we place the people we serve - our clients - at the center of our programming and services. The IRC Yemen Staff have an important role to play in supporting the implementation of client-responsive programming through raising awareness among the community and clients about the existing feedback mechanisms and how to use them including the response processes, access, and eligibility to services, and contribute to building an institutional culture that prompts staff to listen to clients.
Standard of Professional Conduct:The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.