State Team Director at the Management Sciences for Health (MSH)

The Management Sciences for Health (MSH), a global health nonprofit organization, uses proven approaches developed over 40 years to help leaders, health managers, and communities in developing nations build stronger health systems for greater health impact. We work to save lives by closing the gap between knowledge and action in public health.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: State Team Director

Job ID: 13-10531
Location: Abuja
Group/Office: TEG (Technical Excellence Group)
Dept/Unit: FAOGEN - FAO General
Project/Program: A576 - PMI - S
Reports To: Project Director
Grade: K

Overview

• PMI-S is a five-year PMI/USAID flagship malaria project implemented through a consortium led by MSH. The project is supporting the Government of Nigeria through its agencies at the federal, state, LGA and community levels to reduce under-five and maternal mortality by delivering quality services for management of malaria and its complications and, prevention of malaria during pregnancy and under-five children through SMC.
• PMI-S project is an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with several task orders focusing on strengthening the capacity of the National Malaria Elimination Program (NMEP) to develop national malaria control policies and guidelines for the implementation of the National Malaria Strategic Plan 2014-2020; and to analyze and use data to inform program decisions and investments.
• PMI-S will  target  eight states of Nigeria, namely; Akwa-Ibom, Benue, Cross-River, Ebonyi, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau and Zamfara to implement innovative strategies to increase malaria test rates and appropriate treatment with approved ACTs; increase reporting rates, accuracy and use of data for decision making; increase the uptake of IPTp among pregnant women attending ANC; and increase access to appropriate treatment of malaria, pneumonia and diarrhea through integrated community case management.

Job Objective

• The State Team Director position is a senior level position responsible for designing the PMI-S strategy for working with States, LGAs and Communities to plan, implement, monitor and report on malaria control services.
• In addition, the position provides TA to state and LGA coordination structures and platforms to own malaria control programming, increase domestic resourcing for malaria and steward efforts to address health system bottlenecks.

Specific Responsibilities

• The State Team Director will manage and supervise State Team Leads and ensure activities within the targeted states are meeting PMI-S task order goals and objectives; in alignment with USAID/PMI strategic objectives and NMEP Strategic Plan.
• In collaboration with the Senior Malaria Technical Advisor (SMTA)/Deputy Project Director (DPD), take lead in coordinating development of PMI-S state-specific plans ensuring adequate participation of relevant state and federal level stakeholders. While the SMTA)/DPD will provide malaria technical direction and assurance of quality of malaria services, the State Team Director will lead overall state level coordination and alignment between technical program - Surveillance Monitoring and Evaluation (SME) - Financing/Administration - and Learning Communication and Reporting
• As a member of the senior project management team, the State Team Director will participate in federal level activities to identify and leverage strategic involvement of NMEP and other federal level actors in state malaria programming.
• Define specific, quantifiable performance indicators and targets for programs and reporting results. Work with the Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor to assess activity progress and ensure that the project maintains close adherence to work plans and meets designated milestones, deliverables, and benchmarks.
• Document emerging good practices and/or best practices across states malaria programs to promote sustainable practices that lead to direct impact.
• With the Director Finance and Administration, adapt and implement management systems with standard operating procedures to administer all activities funded by the task order. Ensure there is sufficient financial staff for disbursing all local costs under this project, monitoring and tracking expenditures, and preparing financial reports of project expenditures for submission to USAID.
• With the Project Director and State Team Leads, ensure that the program has adequate staff to carry out high-quality work and that staff are recruited and hired in accordance with state-level, federal-level, donor, and MSH requirements.
• As a member of the PMI-S senior management team, meet regularly with USAID and other stakeholders to share progress, accomplishments, and challenges.
• Supervise staff as assigned. Supervisory responsibilities include, but are not limited to, regular meetings with supervisees to discuss issues, track work progress, provide guidance and support, and ensure consistent quality of work performed; conducting Performance Plan and Reviews; communicating, implementing, and ensuring adherence to MSH policies, guidelines, and values; developing staff skills and knowledge; approving time sheets; and facilitating supervisee success whenever possible.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Project Director.

Qualifications and Experience

• Post graduate degree in Public Health, Public Administration or Management, or a combination of equivalent relevant experience and education.
• Minimum of 15 years’ of progressively increasing responsibility managing malaria projects, or integrated health projects in a developing country.
• Substantial experience working with FMOH and State Health Teams in Nigeria.
• Demonstrated competence in assessing priorities and in managing a variety of activities in a time-sensitive environment, and in meeting deadlines with attention to detail and quality.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a technical and managerial team to meet project objectives in multiple country sites and across multiple technical areas.
• Familiarity with and understanding of US Government regulations and administrative procedures including, an understanding of the US Presidents’ Malaria Initiative (PMI) goals and objectives globally and within Nigeria
• Proven record of aligning diverse, multi-states teams with project mission and vision.
• Demonstrated strategic agility, lobbying and advocacy, diplomacy, conflict management, team building, written and oral communication, and negotiation skills.
• Demonstrated writing and editing capability and working with spreadsheets for planning
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively within Nigeria.

Application Closing Date
18th March, 2019.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note: Management Sciences for Health is an equal opportunity employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, citizenship, physical or mental disability, or veteran status.