The STO Demand Planning Laboratory Services provides technical assistance to the National AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Infections and Hepatitis Control Programme (NASHCOP) including the Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) unit. The National TB and Leprosy Programme (NTLP), The National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) and Laboratory Unit across disease areas to strengthen laboratory commodity planning and supply chain management. The STO ensures that HIV/AIDS, Malaria and TB laboratory commodities are accurately quantified, forecasted, procured, stored, distributed and managed according to national policies, set standard operating procedures and regulatory requirements. The STO will provide routine updates on commodities status, risks, data quality and work with MoH entities and related units to attain the best Laboratory commodities availability and accessibility in the country. The role contributes to strengthening laboratory systems by preparing knowledge of products related to laboratory services including preparation of technical reports and guidance materials, and evidence-based solutions. Working closely with project, NASCHOP & NTLP, the STO supports the evaluation of programmatic effectiveness, overseeing technical aspects, and providing technical assessment reports on laboratory services and associated supply chain activities.

Responsibilities or duties

Accountabilities:

Technical Requirements:

• Leads forecasting, quantification, and demand planning for laboratory commodities to ensure uninterrupted availability of HIV, TB, Malaria and other priority laboratory products.
• Develops, reviews, and updates national laboratory supply plans aligned with Ministry of Health priorities and disease programs.
• Analyzes consumption, morbidity, service utilization, inventory, and pipeline data to generate accurate forecasts and inform procurement decisions.
• Prepares quantification reports, procurement schedules, supply plans, and pipeline analyses.
• Monitors stock status, inventory levels, shipment performance, commodity pipelines, and product shelf life.
• Identifies supply chain risks and implement mitigation measures to prevent stockouts, expiries, and overstock situations.
• Strengthens and support implementation of LMIS/eLMIS and ensure high-quality data for supply chain decision-making.
• Establishes and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and supply chain performance monitoring frameworks.
• Coordinates with government stakeholders, Medical Stores Department (MSD), procurement agencies, donors, implementing partners, and laboratory programs.
• Maintains effective communication and provides timely updates to project leadership and key stakeholders.
• Collaborates with laboratory, logistics, procurement, and program teams to strengthen integrated supply chain systems.
• Provides technical assistance, coaching, mentorship, and supportive supervision to national and sub-national counterparts.
• Designs and implement capacity-building initiatives on forecasting, inventory management, supply planning, and commodity management.
• Conducts data quality assessments and support continuous improvement of laboratory supply chain systems.
• Prepares monthly, quarterly, and ad hoc technical reports, dashboards, presentations, and performance analyses for stakeholders.
• Documents lessons learned, best practices, and innovations to improve program performance and sustainability.
• Supports emergency preparedness, contingency planning, and long-term institutionalization of effective supply chain practices.
• Provides technical support in forecasting, quantification, and demand planning for laboratory commodities to ensure uninterrupted availability of HIV, TB, Malaria, and other priority laboratory products. Contributes to the development and revisions of national guidelines, SOPs, tools and policies related to laboratory commodities.
• Coordinates with national programs, Medical Stores Department (MSD), procurement agencies, donors, and implementing partners on laboratory commodity planning.
• Supports national procurement planning by preparing quantification reports, procurement schedules, pipeline analyses, and supply planning recommendations.
• Monitors commodity pipeline, shipment status, inventory levels, and distribution performance.
• Builds capacity of national and sub-national teams on laboratory commodity management, forecasting, and inventory control.
• Ensures compliance with national guidelines, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and best practices in laboratory supply chain management.
• Supports design and implementation of continuous quality improvement initiatives for laboratory commodity management and supply chain performance. Monitors key supply chain performance indicators and recommends quality improvement interventions to strengthen laboratory commodity security.
• Represents the project in national and technical working groups and supply chain coordination meetings.

Project Design Implementation:

• Participates in quarterly review of supply plan and generate updated supply plan and provide coaching to GoT counterparts in supply plan management.
• Prepares and submits monthly and quarterly supply chain performance reports to the program, and facilitates its distribution to relevant stakeholders such as PEPFAR and Global Fund.
• Monitors commodities shelf life, prepares and follows through with action plans to avoid expiry of products in storage facilities.
• Coordinates and ensures effective communication with timely feedback to Program Manager, Logistics Management Service (LMS), MSD, Diagnostics Unit, PSU and IPs.
• Coordinates with other stakeholders including implementing partners on areas of supplies availability, usages/consumption at Central and zonal levels.

Business Development and Client/Funder Support:

• Provides technical input to funding proposals, concept notes, and procurement plans related to laboratory commodities, diagnostics, and other essential health products.
• Contributes forecasting, quantification, budgeting, and work-planning inputs for demand planning and supply chain strengthening activities.
• Supports development of technical narratives, implementation plans, and cost estimates for donor and government-funded initiatives.

Qualifications or requirements 

Applied Knowledge & Skills:

• Demonstrated knowledge of supply chain management principles, demand planning, forecasting and quantification, and supply chain methodologies, particularly within Laboratory commodities and diagnostics.
• Proficiency with electronic database management software and online tools is required.
• Strong understanding of public health supply chain systems, commodity management processes, and the application of evidence-based approaches to forecasting and planning.
• Working knowledge of national health systems, donor-funded programs, policies, procedures, and regulatory frameworks that influence supply chain performance.
• Ability to collect, validate, analyze, and interpret complex data sets to identify trends, inform decision-making, and support forecasting and supply planning activities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate technical information clearly and effectively to government counterparts, donors, stakeholders, and project teams.
• Has sensitivity to cultural diversity and understanding of the political, contextual, and ethical issues in assigned areas.
• Articulates, professional, and able to communicate in a clear, positive manner with clients and staff.
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills.
• Strong interpersonal, collaboration, and influencing skills with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams and build productive relationships with stakeholders.
• Ability to identify operational challenges, conduct root-cause analysis, develop practical solutions, and implement corrective actions to improve program performance.
• Ability to solve problems and implement corrective action as needed.

Supervision Given/Received:

• Supervises junior level staff.
• Reports to Senior Technical Advisor, Systems Strengthening & Demand Planning

Education:

• Master's degree in laboratory sciences, Pharmacy, Public Health, Supply Chain Management, Health Logistics or a related field or its International Equivalent.

Experience needed

Experience:

• Minimum of 6 years of progressive responsible experience in laboratory commodity forecasting, national quantifications for Laboratory and diagnostic services, demand planning or supply chain management at national or sub-national level.
• Experience in managing data collection, analysis and interpreting logistics, consumption, service utilization and stock data to support evidence-based forecasting and procurement decisions.
• Demonstrated experience supporting or providing technical assistance in related demand planning activities.
• Experience working with non-governmental organizations (NGO), government ministries, implementing partners, donors or private organizations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Tanzania’s health supply chain systems and laboratory commodity management.
• Proficiency in national quantification and forecasting tools including., Quantimed, PipeLine, ForLab, or equivalent tools).
• Experience using LMIS/eLMIS platforms and other electronic logistics information systems for forecasting, reporting, and supply chain performance monitoring.

Typical Physical Demands:

• Typical office environment.
• Ability to spend long hours looking at computer screen and doing repetitive work on a keyboard.
• Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time.

Technology to be Used:

• Personal Computer/Laptop, Microsoft applications (i.e., Office 365, SharePoint, Skype/Zoom/Teams), cell phone/mobile technology, and standard office equipment.

• Leads forecasting, quantification, and demand planning for laboratory commodities to ensure uninterrupted availability of HIV, TB, Malaria and other priority laboratory products.
• Develops, reviews, and updates national laboratory supply plans aligned with Ministry of Health priorities and disease programs.
• Analyzes consumption, morbidity, service utilization, inventory, and pipeline data to generate accurate forecasts and inform procurement decisions.
• Prepares quantification reports, procurement schedules, supply plans, and pipeline analyses.
• Monitors stock status, inventory levels, shipment performance, commodity pipelines, and product shelf life.
• Identifies supply chain risks and implement mitigation measures to prevent stockouts, expiries, and overstock situations.
• Strengthens and support implementation of LMIS/eLMIS and ensure high-quality data for supply chain decision-making.
• Establishes and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and supply chain performance monitoring frameworks.
• Coordinates with government stakeholders, Medical Stores Department (MSD), procurement agencies, donors, implementing partners, and laboratory programs.
• Maintains effective communication and provides timely updates to project leadership and key stakeholders.
• Collaborates with laboratory, logistics, procurement, and program teams to strengthen integrated supply chain systems.
• Provides technical assistance, coaching, mentorship, and supportive supervision to national and sub-national counterparts.
• Designs and implement capacity-building initiatives on forecasting, inventory management, supply planning, and commodity management.
• Conducts data quality assessments and support continuous improvement of laboratory supply chain systems.
• Prepares monthly, quarterly, and ad hoc technical reports, dashboards, presentations, and performance analyses for stakeholders.
• Documents lessons learned, best practices, and innovations to improve program performance and sustainability.
• Supports emergency preparedness, contingency planning, and long-term institutionalization of effective supply chain practices.
• Provides technical support in forecasting, quantification, and demand planning for laboratory commodities to ensure uninterrupted availability of HIV, TB, Malaria, and other priority laboratory products. Contributes to the development and revisions of national guidelines, SOPs, tools and policies related to laboratory commodities.
• Coordinates with national programs, Medical Stores Department (MSD), procurement agencies, donors, and implementing partners on laboratory commodity planning.
• Supports national procurement planning by preparing quantification reports, procurement schedules, pipeline analyses, and supply planning recommendations.
• Monitors commodity pipeline, shipment status, inventory levels, and distribution performance.
• Builds capacity of national and sub-national teams on laboratory commodity management, forecasting, and inventory control.
• Ensures compliance with national guidelines, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and best practices in laboratory supply chain management.
• Supports design and implementation of continuous quality improvement initiatives for laboratory commodity management and supply chain performance. Monitors key supply chain performance indicators and recommends quality improvement interventions to strengthen laboratory commodity security.
• Represents the project in national and technical working groups and supply chain coordination meetings.
• Participates in quarterly review of supply plan and generate updated supply plan and provide coaching to GoT counterparts in supply plan management.
• Prepares and submits monthly and quarterly supply chain performance reports to the program, and facilitates its distribution to relevant stakeholders such as PEPFAR and Global Fund.
• Monitors commodities shelf life, prepares and follows through with action plans to avoid expiry of products in storage facilities.
• Coordinates and ensures effective communication with timely feedback to Program Manager, Logistics Management Service (LMS), MSD, Diagnostics Unit, PSU and IPs.
• Coordinates with other stakeholders including implementing partners on areas of supplies availability, usages/consumption at Central and zonal levels.
• Provides technical input to funding proposals, concept notes, and procurement plans related to laboratory commodities, diagnostics, and other essential health products.
• Contributes forecasting, quantification, budgeting, and work-planning inputs for demand planning and supply chain strengthening activities.
• Supports development of technical narratives, implementation plans, and cost estimates for donor and government-funded initiatives.

• Demonstrated knowledge of supply chain management principles, demand planning, forecasting and quantification, and supply chain methodologies, particularly within Laboratory commodities and diagnostics.
• Proficiency with electronic database management software and online tools is required.
• Strong understanding of public health supply chain systems, commodity management processes, and the application of evidence-based approaches to forecasting and planning.
• Working knowledge of national health systems, donor-funded programs, policies, procedures, and regulatory frameworks that influence supply chain performance.
• Ability to collect, validate, analyze, and interpret complex data sets to identify trends, inform decision-making, and support forecasting and supply planning activities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate technical information clearly and effectively to government counterparts, donors, stakeholders, and project teams.
• Has sensitivity to cultural diversity and understanding of the political, contextual, and ethical issues in assigned areas.
• Articulates, professional, and able to communicate in a clear, positive manner with clients and staff.
• Fluency in English and Kiswahili.
• Excellent organizational and analytical skills.
• Strong interpersonal, collaboration, and influencing skills with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams and build productive relationships with stakeholders.
• Ability to identify operational challenges, conduct root-cause analysis, develop practical solutions, and implement corrective actions to improve program performance.
• Ability to solve problems and implement corrective action as needed.

• Master's degree in laboratory sciences, Pharmacy, Public Health, Supply Chain Management, Health Logistics or a related field or its International Equivalent.
• Minimum of 6 years of progressive responsible experience in laboratory commodity forecasting, national quantifications for Laboratory and diagnostic services, demand planning or supply chain management at national or sub-national level.
• Experience in managing data collection, analysis and interpreting logistics, consumption, service utilization and stock data to support evidence-based forecasting and procurement decisions.
• Demonstrated experience supporting or providing technical assistance in related demand planning activities.
• Experience working with non-governmental organizations (NGO), government ministries, implementing partners, donors or private organizations.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Tanzania’s health supply chain systems and laboratory commodity management.
• Proficiency in national quantification and forecasting tools including., Quantimed, PipeLine, ForLab, or equivalent tools).
• Experience using LMIS/eLMIS platforms and other electronic logistics information systems for forecasting, reporting, and supply chain performance monitoring.