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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Vaccine Distribution Specialist

💰 $55,000 - $85,000

HealthcareLogisticsPublic HealthSupply Chain

🎯 Role Definition

The Vaccine Distribution Specialist is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing the distribution and storage of vaccines across clinical sites, clinics, pharmacies, mass vaccination events, and mobile units. This role ensures cold chain integrity, accurate inventory and forecasting, regulatory compliance with CDC/VFC and local health authorities, and timely fulfillment of vaccine orders. The position requires strong logistics and data‑management skills, familiarity with immunization systems (IIS/VMS), and the ability to coordinate with public health partners, carriers, and clinical staff to minimize waste and support high‑quality immunization services.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Logistics Coordinator or Supply Chain Associate with healthcare experience
  • Pharmacy Technician or Clinical Support Specialist involved in vaccine handling
  • Public Health Program Assistant or Immunization Clerk

Advancement To:

  • Vaccine Program Manager / Immunization Program Coordinator
  • Supply Chain Manager (Healthcare/Pharma)
  • Director of Immunization Programs or Public Health Logistics Lead
  • Emergency Response or Disaster Logistics Manager

Lateral Moves:

  • Cold Chain Specialist / Cold Chain Equipment Technician
  • Inventory Control Specialist / Materials Manager
  • Clinical Operations Coordinator (Vaccination Clinics)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage end‑to‑end vaccine distribution operations including receiving, inspecting, documenting, and storing inbound vaccine shipments to ensure every lot is handled in compliance with CDC, VFC, and manufacturer cold chain requirements.
  • Oversee cold chain integrity by implementing and monitoring temperature control systems (data loggers, remote monitoring, calibrated thermometers), responding to temperature excursions, documenting corrective actions, and coordinating investigations to reduce product loss.
  • Maintain accurate, real‑time vaccine inventory using Vaccine Management Systems (VMS), Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), or inventory modules in Electronic Health Records (EHR); perform weekly/monthly reconciliations and resolve discrepancies.
  • Forecast vaccine demand and prepare procurement plans in collaboration with immunization program managers, clinics, and external partners to optimize stock levels and minimize expiries and stockouts.
  • Coordinate vaccine shipping and receiving logistics with carriers, couriers, and internal fleet, ensuring shipments meet IATA, DOT, and manufacturer requirements (including dry ice handling, temperature-stable packaging, and expedited delivery procedures).
  • Prepare and maintain documentation for vaccine lot numbers, expiration dates, chain of custody records, temperature logs, packing lists, and delivery confirmations for audit readiness and regulatory reporting.
  • Develop, maintain, and disseminate standard operating procedures (SOPs), work instructions, and storage guidelines for vaccine handling, cold chain management, and emergency responses across clinic sites and partners.
  • Coordinate mass vaccination event logistics including site setup, cold storage staging, surge inventory planning, staff assignments, route and timing planning, and on‑site temperature monitoring to support high‑throughput clinics.
  • Train and coach clinical staff, pharmacy technicians, and external partners on vaccine receipt, storage, reconstitution (when applicable), inventory documentation, IIS entry, and temperature monitoring best practices.
  • Manage vaccine returns, redistributions, and transfers between sites; reconcile inventory adjustments and oversee safe disposal of expired or compromised product following environmental and safety regulations.
  • Serve as the liaison to local and state health departments, manufacturers, and third‑party logistics providers to schedule deliveries, escalate supply issues, and coordinate outbreak or surge response prioritization.
  • Implement continuous improvement initiatives to reduce wastage, shorten lead times, and improve accuracy of inventory records by analyzing cold chain incidents, shipping delays, and usage patterns.
  • Monitor regulatory and policy changes (CDC, ACIP recommendations, VFC program updates) and translate requirements into operational changes, training, and documentation updates across distribution channels.
  • Lead vaccine lot tracking and recall actions, rapidly identifying affected inventory, notifying stakeholders, and coordinating return or quarantine procedures to protect patients and comply with manufacturer and public health instructions.
  • Support data entry and reconciliation between Vaccine Management Systems (VMS) and Immunization Information Systems (IIS), ensuring accurate patient dose-level reporting and inventory adjustments after clinic events.
  • Conduct temperature excursion root cause analysis, prepare incident reports, and implement mitigation plans (equipment repair/replacement, protocol changes) to prevent recurrence and maintain product integrity.
  • Manage relationships and contractual logistics with third‑party cold chain vendors, refrigerated transport providers, and equipment service vendors including procurement, SLA monitoring, and performance reviews.
  • Prepare and submit operational reports for program managers and funders (grant reporting, usage metrics, wastage rates, temperature excursion logs) to demonstrate compliance and program effectiveness.
  • Participate in emergency preparedness and mass prophylaxis planning; maintain surge inventory buffers, deploy mobile units, and coordinate with incident command during public health emergencies and outbreak responses.
  • Audit vaccine storage sites for compliance with temperature control practices, security, documentation accuracy, and training completion; provide corrective action plans and follow-up audits as needed.
  • Coordinate packaging and labeling for temperature‑sensitive material, ensuring clear instructions for couriers and receiving sites to prevent mishandling during transit.
  • Support clinical and pharmacy teams with vaccine product selection, compatibility, and storage requirements for multi‑product clinics (e.g., combination of refrigerated and frozen vaccines), including pre‑positioning logistics.
  • Maintain spare parts and calibration schedules for refrigerators, freezers, and temperature monitors; schedule preventive maintenance and manage repair workflows to minimize downtime.
  • Provide subject matter expertise during cross‑functional projects (EHR/IIS integrations, inventory system rollouts, supply chain optimization initiatives) to ensure operational realities are addressed in technical solutions.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Cold chain management: experience with temperature monitoring devices, data loggers, remote alerting, and responding to excursions.
  • Vaccine inventory systems: Proficient with Vaccine Management Systems (VMS), IIS (Immunization Information Systems), VTrckS or state IIS portals, and EHR inventory modules.
  • Logistics software: experience using Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Transportation Management Systems (TMS), or courier tracking platforms.
  • Data analysis & reporting: skilled in Excel (advanced functions, pivot tables), SQL or basic data queries, and producing operational dashboards and wastage metrics.
  • Regulatory compliance: working knowledge of CDC/VFC program requirements, ACIP guidance, IATA Dangerous Goods rules, and DOT shipping regulations for temperature‑sensitive biologicals.
  • Temperature excursion investigation: root cause analysis, corrective and preventive action (CAPA) documentation, and incident reporting.
  • Cold chain equipment: familiarity with vaccine refrigerators/freezers (biomedical equipment), routine calibration, and maintenance scheduling.
  • Inventory forecasting & demand planning: ability to produce rolling forecasts, lead time calculations, and buffer stock modeling.
  • Documentation & audit readiness: experience preparing and maintaining chain of custody records, SOPs, and audit packages for regulatory and grant reviews.
  • Mass vaccination logistics: planning and executing pop‑up/mass clinics, including surge inventory staging and site-specific cold chain setups.
  • GIS/route planning (preferred): basic ability to plan efficient delivery/pickup routes for mobile or clinic deliveries.
  • Software integration: experience supporting integrations between inventory systems and IIS/EHR platforms, and performing data reconciliation.

Soft Skills

  • Excellent written and verbal communication for cross‑functional coordination and stakeholder reporting.
  • Strong attention to detail and methodical documentation habits to protect product integrity and ensure audit compliance.
  • Problem-solving mindset with the ability to triage and resolve cold chain and supply chain disruptions quickly.
  • Project and time management skills to manage multiple deliveries, events, and inventories simultaneously.
  • Leadership and training ability to coach clinical and logistics teams on best practices and SOP adherence.
  • Adaptability and calm under pressure during outbreak response or surge vaccination events.
  • Collaboration and relationship management to work with public health partners, vendors, and clinical operations.
  • Analytical mindset to identify trends and drive continuous improvement in supply chain performance.
  • Cultural competence and sensitivity when coordinating distribution in diverse communities and public health settings.
  • Ethical decision-making and accountability for patient safety and regulatory compliance.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or GED with relevant healthcare, logistics, or pharmacy experience.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Supply Chain Management, Healthcare Administration, Pharmacy, Biology, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Public Health / Epidemiology
  • Supply Chain Management / Logistics
  • Pharmacy / Pharmaceutical Sciences
  • Healthcare Administration
  • Biology / Life Sciences

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–5 years of progressively responsible experience in vaccine distribution, healthcare supply chain, pharmacy operations, or public health logistics.

Preferred:

  • 3+ years managing vaccine inventory, cold chain operations, or related healthcare logistics.
  • Prior experience working with IIS/VMS and implementing CDC/VFC program requirements.
  • Experience supporting mass vaccination events, emergency response, or large public health campaigns.
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