Rare Disease Program Specialist

About:

Direct Relief, a humanitarian aid organization, active in more than 100 countries and all 50 US states and territories, is improving the health and lives of people affected by poverty and/or emergencies. Direct Relief has built its reputation over 70 years, consistently earning top recognition from independent charity evaluators. We are the 3rd largest US charity and Forbes recently ranked Direct Relief #5 in their top 100 Charities. Charity Navigator awarded Direct Relief a perfect score of 100. Direct Relief’s vision is to be the world’s leading, most transparent, and most efficient provider of charitable medical resources to people most in need of assistance. Direct Relief is a nongovernmental, nonsectarian, and not-for-profit provider to people and communities regardless of politics, religious beliefs, ethnic identity or ability to pay.

Summary:

The Program Specialist, Rare Disease is responsible for the operational needs related to Direct Relief’s work supporting patients with Rare Diseases, including managing order fulfillment processes and shipment coordination, coordinating with external partner networks, forecasting product needs, and preparing reports. The position will collaborate closely with Direct Relief’s global rare disease healthcare provider network, healthcare professionals, and healthcare manufacturers to support patients with rare diseases enrolled in Direct Relief’s programs.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manage the order fulfillment process for the delivery of material aid to partners
• Coordinate with other Rare Disease Program staff to schedule shipment activity based on patients’ needs and geographic location
• Develop shipping documentation to facilitate the importation process
• Help vet new Rare Disease partner applicants and maintain partner accounts in CRM.
• Develop awareness of customs and logistics processes
• Collaborate with the Operations, Program Operations, Transportation, and Corporate Engagement teams as needed for efficient and timely processing of product donations and shipments
• Manage Transportation relationships specific to the Rare Disease Programs, including invoice submissions and reporting
• Provide overall customer/partner support answering questions via phone and email, as needed
• Monitor medical supply inventory for various Rare Disease Programs
• Communicate with donor company staff to relay product forecasting needs in line with programmatic activities
• Assist with Donor report preparation on a monthly, quarterly, yearly basis
• Represent DR at collaborative meetings, conferences, and other forums
• Prepare monthly shipping reports and usage reports for programmatic reporting
• Perform other duties to support the overall growth and development of the organization

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience; familiar with computers and standard software applications such as Microsoft Windows, Word, and Excel
• SAP or similar ERP system preferred
• Working knowledge of CRM systems
• Proficient in Excel
• Multi-tasking skills and the ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects
• Able to provide a high level of customer service to our partner
• Ability to interact and manage external parties with professionalism, discretion, and understanding of patient privacy
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral
• Detail oriented with the ability to take initiative and work independently
• Ability to travel, including to disaster areas

Physical Demands:

• Prolonged periods of sitting
• Must pass (clear) toxicology screening
• Ability to travel via automobile or airplane if needed

Travel Requirements:

• Minimal travel for conference, trainings, other opportunities