Senior Technical Officer, Supply Chain and Customs Clearance

Responsibilities

• Provides strategic leadership and oversight of the end-to-end importation and customs clearance of donor-funded health commodities into Tanzania, ensuring regulatory compliance, timely acquisition of tax and duty exemptions, import permits, waivers, product registrations, and efficient clearance and distribution to support program objectives.
• Build and maintain effect over working relationships with the Ministry of Health, Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA), Zanzibar Central Medical Store Agency (CMSA), Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA), Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), and other relevant government and regulatory agencies to facilitate timely approvals, clearance and resolution of importation issues.
• Ensures compliance with USG, Government of Tanzania, Global Fund, and organizational policies and requirements governing procurement, importation, customs clearance and delivery of health commodities.
• Reviews and validates shipping and customs documentation, including requisition orders, supplier documentation, certificates, Incoterms, quantities, product shelf life, modes of transport, to ensure completeness, accuracy, and regulatory compliance.
• Monitors changes in applicable regulatory frameworks and provides timely guidance on implications for commodity importation, customs clearance and program operations.
• Supports supply planning, forecasting, and quantification activities by providing timely information on regulatory approvals, importation processes, and clearance timelines, transportation arrangements and potential supply-chain constraints.
• Monitors end-to-end shipment status including Requested Delivery Dates (RDDs) and Estimated Delivery Dates (EDDs), regulatory and waiver approvals, custom clearance, lead times and delivery performance; proactively identifies and addresses potential delays and risks.
• Assesses factors affecting timely commodity delivery, including procurement schedules financing availability, procurement schedule, lead times, transportation mode, product registration requirements, shelf life, order size, and order specifications and recommends appropriate mitigation measures.
• Coordinates the clearance, handling, transportation, and delivery of temperature-sensitive health commodities, ensuring compliance with cold-chain requirements, applicable regulations, and organizational standards.
• Coordinates with Medical Stores Department (MSD), Central Medical Stores (CMS Zanzibar), national health programs, government authorities, suppliers, and implementing partners and logistics service providers to facilitate shipment pre-alerts, custom clearance, receipt and timely delivery of health commodities into Tanzania.
• Represents the organization in relevant supply-chain coordination forums, technical working groups, and stakeholder engagements.
• Monitors shipment status, supply tracker, waiver approvals, customs clearance progress, delivery performance, lead times, and associated risks.
• Prepares and communicates periodic supply chain reports, dashboards, management updates, present the information to donors, government stakeholders, and implementing partners.
• Identifies and escalates supply-chain risks and incidents, including shipment delays, demurrage charges, storage costs, inventory shortages, damages, expiries, inadequate shelf life, and transportation constraints.
• Leads and implements continuous process improvements that strengthen supply-chain performance, service levels, accountability, and compliance and operational efficiency.
• Leads the identification, coordination, and resolution of complex importation, customs clearance, and logistics challenges in collaboration with government ministries, regulatory and port authorities, suppliers, freight forwarders, and third-party logistics providers.
• Supports FHI 360, DOS Tanzania, Global Fund, Ministry of Health programs, implementing partners, and logistics providers to resolve complex supply-chain issues.
• Ensures Ministry programs and implementing partners have timely visibility of commodity movements, shipment status, clearance progress, and delivery timelines.
• Monitors potential regulatory, operational, and logistics risks affecting commodity availability and proactively escalate critical issues while supporting practical mitigation measures, requirements, and related compliance obligations.

Requirements

• Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible experience in health logistics, supply-chain management, importation, customs clearance, procurement, or distribution of health commodities.
• Demonstrated experience supporting large-scale donor-funded health programs, preferably USG, PEPFAR, Global Fund, or other international development initiatives.
• Strong knowledge and demonstrated experience applying Tanzania’s importation procedures, customs clearance processes, tax and duty exemptions, and regulatory requirements for health commodities.
• Experience coordinating and resolving complex supply chain and importation issues with government agencies, regulatory authorities, logistics service providers, and implementing partners.
• Experience managing shipment tracking systems, logistics databases, and reporting tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management, Procurement, Logistics, Public Health, or a related field required.
• Master’s degree In Supply Chain Management, Public Health, Business Administration, Logistics, or a related discipline is preferred.

Skills