About Relief International (RI)

Relief International (RI) is a leading global organization comprised of humanitarian activist-professionals committed to transforming adversity into renewal for the world’s most vulnerable populations. By partnering with beneficiaries and communities on the frontlines, RI innovatively bridges the gap between immediate relief and long-term community development. Within Sudan, RI is currently active in seven states (North Darfur, Blue Nile, Sennar, Al Jazirah, Gedaref, Red Sea, and Khartoum) covering Health, Nutrition, WASH, Protection and FSL.

Position Summary

The Pharmacy Officer will oversee all aspects of pharmaceutical management in supported health facilities (HFs), ensuring the availability, quality, and appropriate use of medications. This includes responsibility for inventory management, adherence to storage standards, forecasting supply needs, staff capacity building, and compliance with Ministry of Health (MOH) and WHO guidelines.

Key Responsibilities

1. Implementation

• Ensure the availability of essential medicines and medical supplies in supported HFs by maintaining efficient stock management and distribution systems.
• Monitor pharmaceutical inventory levels, ensuring timely procurement and replenishment to prevent stock-outs or overstocking.
• Oversee proper storage conditions in alignment with MOH, WHO, and RI guidelines, including temperature control, cleanliness, and security.
• Develop and implement medication dispensing protocols to promote rational use of medicines (RUM).
• Coordinate with the clinical team to ensure appropriate prescribing practices and minimize misuse of pharmaceuticals.
• Facilitate the implementation of waste management protocols for expired or damaged drugs.

2. Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL)

• Collect, compile, and submit accurate and timely pharmaceutical reports, including stock movement, consumption patterns, and forecasting data.
• Analyze trends in medication use and identify gaps to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of pharmaceutical services.
• Conduct regular supervision visits to ensure compliance with established pharmaceutical management practices.
• Support data-driven decision-making through regular updates to stakeholders on pharmaceutical supply and utilization trends.

3. Quality Assurance

• Conduct regular quality checks on medications and supplies to ensure they meet safety and efficacy standards.
• Monitor compliance with Good Storage Practices (GSP) and Good Distribution Practices (GDP) at all storage points.
• Provide on-the-job training and mentorship to health facility staff on proper dispensing, stock management, and rational use of medicines.
• Develop and enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) for pharmaceutical management.
• Identify gaps in staff capacity and recommend appropriate training and development initiatives.

4. Safeguarding

• Ensure pharmaceutical management adheres to safeguarding principles, including protecting clients from harm and misuse of medication.
• Train staff on safeguarding protocols, particularly in the handling of controlled substances and patient confidentiality.
• Monitor for potential safeguarding risks in pharmaceutical services and report concerns promptly.
• Uphold RI’s Code of Conduct and P4 safeguarding principles in all pharmaceutical activities.

Other Responsibilities

• Represent pharmaceutical management issues in internal and external meetings as required.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor to support the success of health programs.

Qualifications and Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from an accredited institution.
• At least 3 years of experience in pharmaceutical management, including stock control, forecasting, and staff training.
• Minimum 1 year of experience working with international organizations in health service delivery.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Strong knowledge of English, with the ability to communicate in Arabic.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and communication skills.

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Experience in community health or public health programs is an advantage.
• Strong understanding of MOH and WHO pharmaceutical guidelines and standards.
• Experience in building the capacity of health facility staff and managing teams.
• Ability to understand cultural contexts and work effectively with local health representatives.
• Strong interpersonal skills, teamwork, and collaboration.
• Resilient and able to work under high-pressure conditions with flexibility and adaptability.

RI Values:
We uphold the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence. We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities and value:

• Inclusiveness
• Transparency and Accountability
• Agility and Innovation
• Collaboration
• Sustainability