Background

The Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (AGENCY) is a Statutory Government Agency established by the ZAMMSA Act No.9 of 2009 and charged with the procurement of medicines and medical supplies, storage of medicines and medical supplies and distribution of medicines and medical supplies to all public facilities in Zambia. The Agency’s responsibility is carried out on behalf of Government, ensuring that essential drugs and medical supplies are available and accessible to the public. ZAMMSA ensures quality and safety of the distributed medical products through strict quality assurance protocols, including inspections and compliance with regulatory requirement.

The Agency seeks applications from suitably qualified and experienced Zambian Nationals to fill the under listed positions at ZAMMSA:

Main Job Purpose

To manage the review of governance systems for integrity, effectiveness and compliance of internal controls and processes in order to mitigate risks, enhance operational efficiency and safeguard assets.

Main Responsibilities

The main duties and responsibilities for this post are but not limited to the following:

1. Policy and Strategic Planning

• Manages the development, implementation and review of internal audit policies, strategies, guidelines and procedures in order to ensure adherence to statutory provisions, standards and industry best practices.
• Manages the development and implementation of strategic plans for the internal audit function in order to align with organisational goals and objectives.

2. Internal Control Evaluation and Audit Planning

• Evaluates the effectiveness of internal controls and procedures in order to provide assurance on their adequacy, enhance operational efficiency, reduce fraud risks and ensure compliance with policies, standards and guidelines.
• Manages the development and implementation of audit plans covering financial, operational, ICT, compliance and specialised processes in order to identify risks and control weaknesses.

3. Risk Assessment, Compliance and Fraud Prevention

• Manages the identification and evaluation of potential risks to the Agency’s assets, operations and reputation in order to develop strategies and controls to minimise them.
• Manages the examination of adherence to regulatory requirements, industry standards and internal policies in order to mitigate legal and operational risks.
• Manages the implementation of measures to detect, investigate and prevent fraudulent activities in order to safeguard the Agency’s assets and integrity.

4. Audit Reporting, Recommendations and Process Improvement

• Manages the dissemination of audit findings, recommendations and corrective actions to management and stakeholders in order to facilitate informed decision-making.
• Identifies inefficiencies, weaknesses and gaps in processes in order to recommend improvements and enhance operational effectiveness and efficiency.

5. Stakeholder Engagement and Audit Quality Assurance

• Manages consultative engagements with management, departments and external auditors in order to ensure alignment, transparency and effective communication of audit findings and risk assessments.
• Establishes and maintains quality assurance processes in order to uphold audit standards and the accuracy and reliability of audit findings and reports.

6. Leadership and Management

• Provides leadership to the internal audit teams in order to foster a culture of excellence, teamwork and continuous improvement and achieve performance targets.
• Coordinates the timely preparation of the departmental budget in order to facilitate the acquisition of resources and implementation of programmes.
• Manages the monitoring and evaluation of programme implementation in order to assess the impact on service delivery and provide appropriate interventions.
• Manages the timely preparation of unit, quarterly and annual reports in order to facilitate informed decision-making.
• Manages the development of work plans and implementation of the Performance Management System (PMS) in order to monitor and evaluate performance.
• Manages human and other material resources in order to facilitate achievement of departmental objectives.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES

• Integrity
• Tact and Diplomacy
• Results-oriented

SKILLS REQUIRED

• Leadership and team building skills
• Metrics-driven leadership
• Analytical skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Good computer skills
• Ability to write clear strategic, technical and analytical papers
• Ability to communicate fluently in English

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Full Grade 12 School Certificate
• Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy, CA/ACCA/CIMA or its equivalent
• Minimum 6 years’ relevant work experience, 3 of which should be at supervisory level

• Manages the development, implementation and review of internal audit policies, strategies, guidelines and procedures in order to ensure adherence to statutory provisions, standards and industry best practices.
• Manages the development and implementation of strategic plans for the internal audit function in order to align with organisational goals and objectives.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of internal controls and procedures in order to provide assurance on their adequacy, enhance operational efficiency, reduce fraud risks and ensure compliance with policies, standards and guidelines.
• Manages the development and implementation of audit plans covering financial, operational, ICT, compliance and specialised processes in order to identify risks and control weaknesses.
• Manages the identification and evaluation of potential risks to the Agency’s assets, operations and reputation in order to develop strategies and controls to minimise them.
• Manages the examination of adherence to regulatory requirements, industry standards and internal policies in order to mitigate legal and operational risks.
• Manages the implementation of measures to detect, investigate and prevent fraudulent activities in order to safeguard the Agency’s assets and integrity.
• Manages the dissemination of audit findings, recommendations and corrective actions to management and stakeholders in order to facilitate informed decision-making.
• Identifies inefficiencies, weaknesses and gaps in processes in order to recommend improvements and enhance operational effectiveness and efficiency.
• Manages consultative engagements with management, departments and external auditors in order to ensure alignment, transparency and effective communication of audit findings and risk assessments.
• Establishes and maintains quality assurance processes in order to uphold audit standards and the accuracy and reliability of audit findings and reports.
• Provides leadership to the internal audit teams in order to foster a culture of excellence, teamwork and continuous improvement and achieve performance targets.
• Coordinates the timely preparation of the departmental budget in order to facilitate the acquisition of resources and implementation of programmes.
• Manages the monitoring and evaluation of programme implementation in order to assess the impact on service delivery and provide appropriate interventions.
• Manages the timely preparation of unit, quarterly and annual reports in order to facilitate informed decision-making.
• Manages the development of work plans and implementation of the Performance Management System (PMS) in order to monitor and evaluate performance.
• Manages human and other material resources in order to facilitate achievement of departmental objectives.

• Integrity
• Tact and Diplomacy
• Results-oriented
• Leadership and team building skills
• Metrics-driven leadership
• Analytical skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Good computer skills
• Ability to write clear strategic, technical and analytical papers
• Ability to communicate fluently in English

• Full Grade 12 School Certificate
• Bachelor’s Degree in Accountancy, CA/ACCA/CIMA or its equivalent