Coordinator, Supply Chain - BVDnew

Organizational Context

The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, with 191 member National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. IFRC uses the Triple R – response, resilience and respect – to deliver on Strategy 2030. IFRC responds to disasters and crises, ensuring timely, coordinated and locally led humanitarian action. IFRC supports its members in building community resilience in the areas of climate and environment, health and wellbeing, and migration and displacement. IFRC promotes respect for our fundamental principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity, and universality, including in our work on values, power and inclusion. The IFRC focuses throughout on our core mandate – our raison d’être – of strategic and operational coordination, humanitarian diplomacy, National Society development, and accountability. 

IFRC is led by its Secretary General and has its Headquarters in Geneva and five regional offices in Africa (Nairobi); the Americas (Panama); Asia Pacific (Kuala Lumpur); Europe (Budapest); and MENA (Beirut) as well as representation offices, service centres and delegations across the globe.

The IFRC has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, abuse of authority, discrimination, and lack of integrity (including but not limited to financial misconduct). IFRC also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. 

The Bundibugyo Ebola virus disease (BVD) response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo requires a reliable regional supply chain capable of mobilising specialised commodities quickly, maintaining visibility from supplier to final destination, and coordinating cross-border movements across several countries. Critical items include safe and dignified burial kits, body bags and personal protective equipment, together with the transport, customs, storage and information-management arrangements needed to deliver them safely and on time.

Based in Nairobi for a six-month assignment, the Regional Supply Chain Coordinator works across regional, global and country structures to support the IFRC operation and the Democratic Republic of the Congo Red Cross. The position also coordinates with neighbouring National Societies and delegations, Movement partners, Emergency Response Units, suppliers, government authorities and external logistics partners. The post has no direct reports and operates through technical coordination, influence and service delivery.

Job Purpose

The Regional Supply Chain Coordinator establishes and maintains end-to-end visibility of the EVD supply pipeline and coordinates the timely mobilization and delivery of critical supplies to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and agreed neighbouring-country locations.

The post holder translates operational requirements into coordinated procurement, supplier-delivery, transport, customs, storage and last-mile plans; identifies bottlenecks and implements or escalates mitigation actions; and provides weekly analysis, projections and status reporting to operational decision-makers and other key stakeholders.

The position supports the establishment and operationalisation of the logistics hub in Uganda and, once the hub is functional, coordinates the import, storage and re-export of EVD items upon authorised request. The role also supports logistics information management, operational reporting and coordination through the Incident Management Support Team and other relevant forums.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Supply chain pipeline coordination and visibility

• Establish, maintain and regularly validate an end-to-end pipeline tracker covering all multilateral supplies, from approved requirement and procurement status through supplier readiness, dispatch, international transport, customs clearance, storage, onward movement and confirmed delivery.
• Liaise with bilateral Red Cross and Red Crescent partners and relevant external partners to exchange supply-tracking information and maintain a consolidated operational view while respecting agreed information-sharing protocols.
• Maintain forward pipeline projections using operational requirements, consumption rates, available stock, quantities in transit, procurement lead times and expected delivery dates, and identify anticipated gaps or excesses early.
• Monitor critical milestones, dependencies and bottlenecks; agree mitigation actions with accountable teams; follow actions through to closure; and promptly escalate delays or risks that could affect continuity of the EVD response.

Operational planning, procurement and supplier delivery

• Plan with the EVD operation and the Supply Chain Team in the Democratic Republic of the Congo the procurement, replenishment and delivery of safe and dignified burial kits, body bags, personal protective equipment kits and other approved critical items.
• Translate validated operational needs into time-phased supply plans and coordinate with relevant regional and global procurement and supply chain teams so that sourcing and delivery arrangements reflect priorities, lead times, quality requirements and available funding.
• Coordinate with suppliers on production and delivery schedules, item readiness, quality and transport documentation, packing and labelling, collection arrangements, dispatch dates and estimated arrival dates; address exceptions and supplier-performance issues without delay.
• Assess delivery options, including air, road, sea and multimodal routes, and provide clear recommendations based on urgency, cost, capacity, access, customs constraints and operational risk.
• Support timely mobilization and delivery of critical supplies, ensuring that agreed corrective or contingency measures are activated when planned timelines are at risk.

Cross-border movements and Uganda logistics hub

• Coordinate the delivery, prepositioning or authorised redistribution of safe and dignified burial kits and body bags with relevant neighbouring-country delegations and National Societies.
• Together with the Supply Chain Team in Uganda, support the establishment and operational readiness of the logistics hub, including workflows, roles and responsibilities, import and re-export arrangements, storage controls, inventory visibility, transport interfaces and supporting documentation.
• Once the hub is functional, coordinate the import, receipt, storage, order processing and re-export of EVD items against approved requests, ensuring stock accountability and timely dispatch.
• Coordinate cross-border movements with clear processes for customs, exemptions, transit documentation, freight forwarding, border handover, transport and last-mile delivery, working with the responsible IFRC and National Society teams in each country.
• Ensure that shipment files contain complete and consistent transport, customs, warehouse and proof-of-delivery records, and that shipment status is promptly reflected in the consolidated pipeline.

Job Duties and Responsibilities (continued)

Analysis, reporting and information management

• Prepare and share a concise weekly supply chain analysis and pipeline report with key stakeholders, covering stock position, requirements, procurement status, supplier readiness, shipments in transit, projected deliveries, constraints, risks, mitigation actions and decisions required.
• Maintain accurate and timely data for agreed supply chain indicators, including order status, lead time, stock coverage, customs dwell time, on-time delivery and unresolved bottlenecks.
• Support information-management dashboards, situation reports and operational updates with validated logistics-pipeline data, narrative analysis and forward projections, as applicable.
• Ensure that material changes, critical shortages, delayed deliveries and emerging cross-border constraints are communicated outside the regular reporting cycle when operational decisions are required.

Coordination and representation

• Ensure timely coordination among logistics and supply chain counterparts at global, regional and country levels, including the IFRC Country Delegation and the Democratic Republic of the Congo Red Cross, as appropriate.
• Coordinate with Movement partners, bilateral partners, Emergency Response Units, suppliers, freight and customs service providers, and other operational partners involved in the EVD supply chain.
• Represent supply chain in the Incident Management Support Team, relevant supply chain or logistics groups, and appropriate government and external coordination bodies, as delegated by the line manager.
• Work closely with Health, Operations, Finance, Procurement, Information Management and other relevant functions to align priorities, confirm decision ownership and maintain realistic delivery plans.
• Maintain clear action logs, decision records, contact lists and handover documentation so that pipeline management and partner coordination can continue without disruption at the end of the assignment.

Compliance, quality and risk management

• Ensure activities are coordinated in accordance with IFRC supply chain procedures, the applicable delegation of authority, donor conditions, national regulations and relevant quality, safety and documentation requirements.
• Identify and monitor risks related to supplier delay, product quality, transport capacity, customs clearance, cross-border restrictions, stock loss, data quality, security and last-mile access, and maintain practical mitigation and contingency measures.
• Support due diligence, audit-ready records, segregation of duties and transparent decision-making for transactions and movements coordinated through the position.

Duties applicable to all staff.

• Work actively towards the achievement of IFRC’s goals.
• Abide by and work in accordance with the Red Cross and Red Crescent principles.
• Perform any other work-related duties and responsibilities that may be assigned by the line manager.

Education

• University degree in supply chain management, logistics, procurement, business administration, engineering, economics or another relevant field, or an equivalent combination of education and substantial relevant professional experience. Required.
• Recognised professional qualification or advanced training in procurement or supply chain management (for example CIPS, CILT or equivalent). Preferred.
• Relevant training in emergency response, medical commodities, customs, warehousing, information management or project management. Preferred.

Experience

• At least 5 years of progressively responsible experience in humanitarian supply chain, procurement or logistics, including experience in a coordination role. Required.
• Demonstrated experience managing end-to-end supply pipelines and coordinating suppliers, international transport, customs, warehousing and last-mile delivery in an emergency operation. Required.
• Experience coordinating across country, regional and global teams and working effectively without direct supervisory authority. Required.
• Experience producing pipeline analyses, projections, dashboards or management reports for operational decision-making. Required.
• Experience with cross-border movements, import and re-export procedures, freight forwarding and customs documentation in Africa. Required.
• Experience in a public-health emergency or the supply of medical, infection-prevention, personal protective equipment or safe and dignified burial commodities. Preferred.
• Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement experience and operational experience in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda or neighbouring countries. Preferred.
• Experience establishing or operationalizing a regional logistics hub or emergency prepositioning facility. Preferred.

 

Knowledge, Skills and Languages

• Strong knowledge of end-to-end humanitarian supply chain management, including procurement, supplier management, transport, customs, warehousing, inventory control and last-mile delivery. Required.
• Strong analytical ability and practical skill in developing pipeline trackers, forecasts, lead-time analyses, status reports, risk logs and decision-ready recommendations. Required.
• Ability to coordinate multiple stakeholders, clarify accountabilities, negotiate solutions and drive time-critical actions through influence. Required.
• Ability to identify operational bottlenecks, evaluate routing and delivery options, and implement proportionate mitigation and contingency measures. Required.
• Knowledge of import, export, re-export, transit and customs-clearance processes and the documentation required for cross-border movements. Required.
• Sound understanding of supply chain compliance, supplier due diligence, quality assurance, audit trails and segregation of duties. Required.
• Advanced user of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and practical experience with ERP, shipment-tracking, warehouse or business-intelligence systems. Required.
• Ability to work under pressure, manage competing priorities and travel at short notice in accordance with operational and security requirements. Required.
• Fluent spoken and written English. Required.
• Fluently spoken and written French/Swahili. Required.
• Working knowledge of another language relevant to the response area. Preferred.

Competencies, Values and Comments

• Values: Respect for diversity; Integrity; Professionalism; Accountability.
• Core competencies: Communication; Collaboration and teamwork; Judgement and decision making; National society and customer relations; Creativity and innovation; Building trust.