Pharmacist

The Terre des hommes Foundation (Tdh), with headquarters in Lausanne and an office in Zurich, is the leading Swiss child rights organisation with more than 2000 employees worldwide. We stand together with children to uphold their rights, protect their lives and improve their well-being. We achieve this through innovative programmes focused on health, migration and access to justice, specially designed to have a positive and sustainable impact.

Tdh has been working in Afghanistan since 1995 and carry out projects related to Child Protection, Mother and Child health and Livelihood Programs in Kabul, Balkh, Kunar and Nangarhar provinces.

Job Summary :

The Pharmacist is responsible for ensuring the effective management of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies in the Office stockrooms and within supported health facilities. This includes procurement planning, storage, stock management, quality assurance, rational use of medicines, reporting, and capacity building of healthcare staff to ensure uninterrupted access to safe, effective, and quality medicines in accordance with national guidelines and organizational protocols.

Main responsibilities:

1. Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Management

• Ensure continuous availability of essential medicines and medical supplies at supported health facilities.

• Prepare and submit Purchase Requests (PRs) for medicines, medical supplies, and consumables in coordination with program and logistics teams

• Follow up with logistics/procurement to ensure timely procurement and delivery.

• Support quantification and forecasting of medicine needs based on consumption data and project targets.

• Monitor stock levels and consumption trends by reviewing the consumption reports prepared by the Project Officers/Managers or field teams.

• Ensure accurate monthly forecasts and replenishment requests by the health team.

• Coordinate receipt, verification, and distribution of medicines and medical supplies.

• Maintain stock levels within agreed minimum and maximum thresholds.

• Together with the storekeeper, monitor medicine expiry dates and implement First-Expired-First-Out (FEFO) stock management practices.

• Ensure proper management and documentation of damaged, expired, or quarantined products.

2. Pharmacy and Stockroom Management

• Provide technical supervision over storekeepers in stockroom or pharmacy management, ensuring the following:

• Medicines are stored according to manufacturer recommendations and international pharmaceutical standards.

• Storage conditions are monitored, including temperature and humidity, and related records are maintained. Ensure cold chain integrity for vaccines and temperature-sensitive medicines (2–8°C).

• Physical inventory counts and reconciling discrepancies are routinely done (monthly and quarterly).

• Storage is secured and accountability of controlled medicines and other sensitive pharmaceutical products is ensured

• Accurate stock cards, inventory databases, and warehouse documentation are well maintained.

3. Quality Assurance and Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure compliance with Ministry of Public Health and WHO prequalification standards, regulations, organizational policies, and international pharmaceutical standards.

• Ensure alignment with Essential Medicines List (EML) and donor-approved lists.

• Monitor the quality of medicines and medical supplies throughout the supply chain.

• Report and document any suspected substandard, falsified, damaged, or expired medicines.

4. Rational Use of Medicines

• Promote rational prescribing, dispensing, and use of medicines in supported facilities.

• Help reduce misuse of antibiotics and prevent antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

• Conduct regular prescription reviews and identify inappropriate prescribing practices.

• Provide technical guidance to healthcare workers on medicine indications, dosage, contraindications, and drug interactions.

• Support implementation of standard treatment guidelines and essential medicines lists.

5. Capacity Building and Supervision

• Train and mentor stockroom staff, BHC dispensers, nurses, midwives, and other healthcare workers on topics not limited to pharmaceutical management, stock management, rational drug use, proper storage practices

• Support clinicians with treatment guidelines (WHO/MoPH protocols).

• Conduct supportive supervision visits to health facilities and provide recommendations for improvement.

• Develop and update pharmacy-related tools (e.g. average monthly consumption tool, pharmacy management tool), guidelines, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).

6. Reporting and Data Management

• Together with the storekeeper, compile and submit timely monthly pharmaceutical reports, including stock status, consumption, losses, and forecasting data.

• Analyze pharmaceutical consumption patterns and identify trends, risks, and supply gaps.

• Maintain accurate pharmacy records, either electronic or paper-based (bin cards, stock cards, LMIS tools)

• Contribute pharmaceutical data to project monitoring, donor reporting, and health information systems.

7. Emergency Preparedness and Response

• Support emergency medical supply planning and prepositioning activities.

• Participate in rapid response interventions, outbreaks, disease epidemics, and humanitarian emergencies when required.

• Ensure availability and management of emergency medical kits and essential medicines.

8. Coordination and Collaboration

• Coordinate with health facility staff, logistics teams, procurement teams, and relevant health authorities.

• Participate in project meetings and technical coordination forums.

• Support pharmaceutical assessments and health facility evaluations.

Other Responsibilities

• Adhere to humanitarian principles, medical ethics, and organizational policies.

• Ensure confidentiality and accountability in all pharmaceutical activities.

• Work closely with Logistics, Health and Nutrition teams, Finance (for budgeting and tracking expenditures).Coordinate with MoPH/PPHD and partners when required.

• Perform any other related duties assigned by the supervisor.

Education :

• Bachelor's degree in Pharmacy from a recognized University

• Successfully passed the MoPH exit exam.

• Valid registration/license to practice pharmacy in Afghanistan.

Experience / Skills :

• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience in pharmaceutical management, preferably with NGOs or INGOs in BPHS/EPHS

• Solid knowledge of pharmaceutical supply chain management, and essential medicines management.

• Strong skills in medicine quantification, forecasting, inventory control, and prevention of stock-outs and expiry-related losses.

• Proficiency in pharmaceutical record-keeping, stock reporting, data analysis, and use of logistics management information systems (LMIS).

• Good understanding of rational medicine use, national pharmaceutical regulations, quality assurance standards, and storage requirements.

• Ability to coordinate effectively with health facilities, project team, and related departments to ensure continuous availability of medicines and medical supplies.

• Strong communication and report-writing skills, with the ability to prepare pharmaceutical reports.
  

Languages:

Fluency in local Languages and Working knowledge of English (written and spoken) is required.

IT knowledge :

Microsoft Office package

Tdh General Code of Conduct and Ethical Policies :

• Commits to promoting and complying with the Global Code of Conduct, systematically reporting any violations of the Code through Tdh's formal reporting mechanisms and dealing with any violations of procedures and processes appropriately.

• Raises awareness of the Foundation of the risks of policy non-compliance, violence and abuse, and related rights, towards children, community members and our own employees.

• Undertakes to comply with key ethical policies and guidelines, including the Safeguarding Policy, the Anti-Fraud and Corruption Policy, the Conflict-of-Interest Policy and other policies related to the prevention of terrorist financing and criminal activities, as well as workplace behavior.

• Commits to putting values and principles into practice through exemplary behavior, in full compliance with the Code of Conduct, and always respecting established procedures and processes.

• Commits to developing a compliant and enlightened management culture within the organization and in our work with children and the communities in which we operate.

References :

Please note that all job offers will be subject to satisfactory references and checks (criminal record and anti-terrorism funding check). Terre des hommes will ask the Human Resources of previous organisations to provide references on any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment as well as fraud and corruption, during employment, or incidents under investigation at the time the candidate left employment.

Only complete applications (updated and accurate CV + covering letter) received through Tdh online application platform will be processed. It is essential that all information provided is complete, truthful and verifiable, as any discrepancies may affect your eligibility in the recruitment process.

Additional documents (diplomas, work certificates, etc.) will be requested at a later date. 

Please note that

• Only applications submitted through the online platform will be considered. Applications submitted by email, in person, or through other means will not be accepted.

• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for the next stages of the recruitment process.

• Tdh upholds the principles of equal opportunity, diversity, and inclusion, and maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward any harm, abuse, or exploitation of children or vulnerable adults by staff, representatives, or partners.

• Female candidates and persons with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Tdh values the diversity, perspectives and contributions each individual brings to the team.