Background

Head of Pharmacy Operations & Clinical Procurement at Equity Afya Directs pharmaceutical supply chain, drug distribution networks, inventory control, and clinical procurement standards. Requires Bachelor’s in Pharmacy, PPB registration, and 8+ years’ pharmacy/supply chain experience. Full-time.

The Role Purpose

Reporting to the Chief Pharmacist, the Head of Pharmacy Operations & Clinical Procurement is responsible for providing strategic leadership for pharmaceutical operations, clinical procurement, supply chain management, and business growth initiatives across the network. The role is accountable for developing strategic partnerships, negotiating supplier contracts, ensuring regulatory compliance, and guaranteeing the continuous availability of pharmaceuticals and other clinical supplies while optimizing inventory costs, supporting clinic profitability, and maintaining high standards of patient care

The Key Responsibilities

Strategy and Leadership:

• Develop, implement, and evaluate long-term and short-term strategic plans to advance pharmaceutical services in alignment with EQA’s mission and objectives.
• Provide leadership and direction for the pharmacy section across multiple sites or facilities.
• Represent pharmacy interests at the management level and participate in organizational decision-making.
• Manage key strategic partnerships to optimize the performance of the pharmacy section.
• Collaborate with the clinical team, Franchisees and other stakeholders to conduct business research and align business needs with the overall EQA goals.

Partnerships and Business Support:

• Grow Pharmacy revenue, market share, brand growth & visibility.
• Proactively identify potential strategic partnerships for business growth and expansion.
• Manage relationships with Pharmacy accrediting and regulatory bodies to enhance partnership and collaboration.
• Serve as subject matter expert for drug procurement, medical devices and equipment and service providers related to pharmaceutical regulatory and donors’ requirements.
• Provide timely, accurate and credible reports on the status of the pharmacy section.
• Lead the identification, development, and management of strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, donors, and other healthcare supply partners to support business growth, affordability, and supply continuity.
• Negotiate and oversee commercial agreements, service level agreements (SLAs), and supply contracts to achieve optimal pricing, quality, availability, and value for the organization.
• Ensure effective supplier performance management through regular review of supplier service levels, contract compliance, pricing competitiveness, and product availability.
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships that strengthen access to pharmaceuticals, laboratory commodities, medical consumables, medical devices, and other clinical supplies across the network

Business Planning and Budgeting:

• Develop and manage Pharmacy department budget, optimize resource allocation, and oversee cost-containment strategies without compromising quality of care.
• Conduct internal and external periodic performance reviews against key metrices to monitor the performance of the pharmacy section and take prompt action to maintain quality service.

Clinical Supply Chain Management:

• Optimize purchasing of pharmaceutical supplies and drug formulary decisions to ensure affordability of medication without compromising quality.
• Negotiate favourable contracts and partnerships with pharmaceutical suppliers and vendors.
• Support the procurement processes of pharmaceuticals & clinical items for the medical centres.
• Identify & leverage on opportunities for continuous quality improvement and process reengineering to optimize operational efficiency and patient care at the Equity Afya facilities.
• Establish EQA Formulary for Pharmaceuticals, Non-Pharms, Lab and Other Medical supplies.
• Develop and implement EQA annual Procurement Plan for Pharmaceuticals, Non-Pharms, Lab and Other Medical supplies.
• Develop, implement, and continuously optimize inventory management systems and controls across the EQA network to ensure consistent availability of pharmaceuticals, laboratory commodities, nutrition products, medical consumables, medical devices, and other clinical supplies while maintaining optimal inventory holding costs and minimizing expiries, wastage, and stockouts.
• Manage end to end supply chain process for pharmaceuticals, nutrition products, medical devices and medical equipment requirements for EQA Kenya & the francophone countries that EQA operates in.
• Support in the development of processes to ensure compliance related to key supply chain requirements such as quality control, cold chain storage and distribution.
• Lead strategic supplier relationship management to continually identify process improvements and cost reduction opportunities.

Clinical Compliance, Risk and Process Improvement

• Develop, implement, and maintain a robust quality management system for the pharmacy section, in compliance with relevant regulations and guidelines.
• Drive initiatives to enhance operational efficiency through technology, process improvement, and innovation.
• Ensure that Equity Afya network adheres to existing regulations and guidelines of the Pharmacy & Poisons Board (PPB) and other relevant regulators within the region.
• Audit compliance of the facilities as per approved checklist and report to management any unfavourable trends in unmet indicators for timely remedial action.
• Perform risk assessments to identify potential quality issues and develop strategies to mitigate them.
• Provide leadership in clinical pharmacy services, including medication therapy management (MTM), drug information, and patient counselling.
• Monitor and improve medication-use processes to ensure patient safety and optimize therapeutic outcomes.
• Identify & leverage opportunities for continuous quality improvement and process reengineering to optimize operational efficiency and patient care at the Equity Afya facilities.
• Accountable for ensuring uninterrupted availability of all pharmaceuticals and clinical supplies required to support safe patient care, operational efficiency, and revenue generation across the network.
• Establish inventory planning, forecasting, replenishment, and stock optimization strategies that balance service levels, working capital requirements, and clinic profitability.
• Monitor inventory turnover, stock holding days, expiry rates, procurement savings, and supply chain performance to drive continuous improvement and cost optimization.
• Develop and implement supply continuity and risk mitigation plans to address supply disruptions, supplier shortages, and market volatility.

People Management

• Develop and cascade goals and Key performance indicators to ensure individual members of your team meet their performance expectations.
• Build and mentor a high-performing leadership team within the pharmacy department.
• Promote a culture of excellence, accountability, and professional development among pharmacy staff.
• Develop and implement training programs to enhance patient education regarding medications and treatment plans.

Core Accountabilities and Deliverables

• Implement a standard medicines optimization plan across all franchise sites with ≥95% formulary adherence and annual review updates.
• Achieve ≥90% compliance on quarterly clinical audits and close 100% of corrective actions within 30 days network‑wide.
• Deliver quarterly training/coaching sessions for all franchise pharmacy teams and maintain ≥85% staff competence scores.
• Maintain availability of essential pharmaceuticals and clinical supplies at ≥95%, achieve stockout rates of

• Develop, implement, and evaluate long-term and short-term strategic plans to advance pharmaceutical services in alignment with EQA’s mission and objectives.
• Provide leadership and direction for the pharmacy section across multiple sites or facilities.
• Represent pharmacy interests at the management level and participate in organizational decision-making.
• Manage key strategic partnerships to optimize the performance of the pharmacy section.
• Collaborate with the clinical team, Franchisees and other stakeholders to conduct business research and align business needs with the overall EQA goals.
• Grow Pharmacy revenue, market share, brand growth & visibility.
• Proactively identify potential strategic partnerships for business growth and expansion.
• Manage relationships with Pharmacy accrediting and regulatory bodies to enhance partnership and collaboration.
• Serve as subject matter expert for drug procurement, medical devices and equipment and service providers related to pharmaceutical regulatory and donors’ requirements.
• Provide timely, accurate and credible reports on the status of the pharmacy section.
• Lead the identification, development, and management of strategic partnerships with pharmaceutical manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, donors, and other healthcare supply partners to support business growth, affordability, and supply continuity.
• Negotiate and oversee commercial agreements, service level agreements (SLAs), and supply contracts to achieve optimal pricing, quality, availability, and value for the organization.
• Ensure effective supplier performance management through regular review of supplier service levels, contract compliance, pricing competitiveness, and product availability.
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships that strengthen access to pharmaceuticals, laboratory commodities, medical consumables, medical devices, and other clinical supplies across the network
• Develop and manage Pharmacy department budget, optimize resource allocation, and oversee cost-containment strategies without compromising quality of care.
• Conduct internal and external periodic performance reviews against key metrices to monitor the performance of the pharmacy section and take prompt action to maintain quality service.
• Optimize purchasing of pharmaceutical supplies and drug formulary decisions to ensure affordability of medication without compromising quality.
• Negotiate favourable contracts and partnerships with pharmaceutical suppliers and vendors.
• Support the procurement processes of pharmaceuticals & clinical items for the medical centres.
• Identify & leverage on opportunities for continuous quality improvement and process reengineering to optimize operational efficiency and patient care at the Equity Afya facilities.
• Establish EQA Formulary for Pharmaceuticals, Non-Pharms, Lab and Other Medical supplies.
• Develop and implement EQA annual Procurement Plan for Pharmaceuticals, Non-Pharms, Lab and Other Medical supplies.
• Develop, implement, and continuously optimize inventory management systems and controls across the EQA network to ensure consistent availability of pharmaceuticals, laboratory commodities, nutrition products, medical consumables, medical devices, and other clinical supplies while maintaining optimal inventory holding costs and minimizing expiries, wastage, and stockouts.
• Manage end to end supply chain process for pharmaceuticals, nutrition products, medical devices and medical equipment requirements for EQA Kenya & the francophone countries that EQA operates in.
• Support in the development of processes to ensure compliance related to key supply chain requirements such as quality control, cold chain storage and distribution.
• Lead strategic supplier relationship management to continually identify process improvements and cost reduction opportunities.
• Develop, implement, and maintain a robust quality management system for the pharmacy section, in compliance with relevant regulations and guidelines.
• Drive initiatives to enhance operational efficiency through technology, process improvement, and innovation.
• Ensure that Equity Afya network adheres to existing regulations and guidelines of the Pharmacy & Poisons Board (PPB) and other relevant regulators within the region.
• Audit compliance of the facilities as per approved checklist and report to management any unfavourable trends in unmet indicators for timely remedial action.
• Perform risk assessments to identify potential quality issues and develop strategies to mitigate them.
• Provide leadership in clinical pharmacy services, including medication therapy management (MTM), drug information, and patient counselling.
• Monitor and improve medication-use processes to ensure patient safety and optimize therapeutic outcomes.
• Identify & leverage opportunities for continuous quality improvement and process reengineering to optimize operational efficiency and patient care at the Equity Afya facilities.
• Accountable for ensuring uninterrupted availability of all pharmaceuticals and clinical supplies required to support safe patient care, operational efficiency, and revenue generation across the network.
• Establish inventory planning, forecasting, replenishment, and stock optimization strategies that balance service levels, working capital requirements, and clinic profitability.
• Monitor inventory turnover, stock holding days, expiry rates, procurement savings, and supply chain performance to drive continuous improvement and cost optimization.
• Develop and implement supply continuity and risk mitigation plans to address supply disruptions, supplier shortages, and market volatility.
• Develop and cascade goals and Key performance indicators to ensure individual members of your team meet their performance expectations.
• Build and mentor a high-performing leadership team within the pharmacy department.
• Promote a culture of excellence, accountability, and professional development among pharmacy staff.
• Develop and implement training programs to enhance patient education regarding medications and treatment plans.
• Implement a standard medicines optimization plan across all franchise sites with ≥95% formulary adherence and annual review updates.
• Achieve ≥90% compliance on quarterly clinical audits and close 100% of corrective actions within 30 days network‑wide.
• Deliver quarterly training/coaching sessions for all franchise pharmacy teams and maintain ≥85% staff competence scores.
• Maintain availability of essential pharmaceuticals and clinical supplies at ≥95%, achieve stockout rates of

• Bachelor’s in Pharmacy
• PPB registration
• 8+ years’ pharmacy/supply chain experience