State Project Manager at Malaria Consortium

Malaria Consortium is one of the world’s leading non-profit organisations specialising in the comprehensive prevention, control and treatment of malaria and other communicable diseases among vulnerable and under privileged populations. We increasingly find our work on malaria can be effectively integrated with other similar public health interventions for greater impact and therefore expanded our remit to include child health and neglected tropical disease interventions.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: State Project Manager

Location: Jigawa
Grade: 9
Department: Management
Length of Contract: 3 years
Role Type: National

Country and Project Background

• The Nigeria Country Office in Abuja, started operations in 2008, through the DFID / UKaid funded support to National Malaria Programme, SuNMaP (2008 – 2016). The office had presence in 23 states of the country and has managed at various times, about 15 projects. It follows the mandate of the parent organization in Nigeria and has been working specifically in the following areas:
  • Malaria control / elimination
  • Integrated community case management (iCCM) for malaria, pneumonia and diarrhoea
  • Nutrition
  • Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs)
• Malaria Consortium is a sub-recipient for the new grant of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GF) under the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) and Catholic Relief Services as the principal recipients.
• The goal of the grant is to contribute towards reducing the malaria burden to preelimination levels and bringing malaria-related mortality to zero by 2025 in Nigeria.
• This project aims to achieve seven objectives while delivering high quality malaria services in 14 states (MC implementing in 5 of the states – Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Niger, Yobe, and iCCM only in Jigawa and Niger) through improved service delivery mechanisms, demand creation and health system strengthening strategies.
• Improve access and utilization of vector control interventions to at least 80% of targeted population by 2025.
• Ensure provision of chemoprevention, diagnosis and appropriate treatment for 80% of the target populations at risk by 2025
• Improve generation of evidence for decision making and impact through reporting of quality malaria data and information from at least 80% of health facilities (public and private) and other data sources including surveillance, surveys and operations research by 2025.
• Strengthen coordination, collaboration, and strategic partnership to promote efficiency and effectiveness of malaria control activities towards achieving at least 75% improvement from baseline using a standardized OCA tool.
• Improve funding for malaria control by at least 25% annually through predictable and innovative sources to ensure sustainability at federal and sub-national levels

Job Purpose:

• To work with the country office team and GF Senior Project Manager to effectively manage project activities and resources, provide leadership and stewardship to the project team and maintain collaborative links with the project’s key stakeholders at national and sub-national level.

Key Working Relationships:

• The State Project manager would be working with the state team and stakeholders in their States, especially the State Ministries of Health and LGA Departments of Health / PHC, manage the rollout and implementation of the malaria and iCCM activities in project states.
• S / he would report to the Senior Project Manager.

Scope of Work:

• The State Project Manager (SPM) would support the programme activities at state levels, being in charge of state to ensure timely project delivery of the programme to achieve given targets and objectives.

Key Accountabilities
Project management (60%):

• Work with the programme team and other relevant personnel in the country office to lead activities for smooth project start up and planning in line with the GF Malaria Project Implementation Plan
• Work with the relevant personnel to prepare all necessary project start up and planning tools on time
• To build and performance manage an effective and technically unsurpassed GF project team in the states with their zone
• Work directly with the SPM and be responsible for coordinating overall project implementation in the states within the zone and see that activities are carried out on time and within budget
• Liaise regularly with the SPM to provide timely and comprehensive updates and reports as required
• Liaise with other PRs, SRs and partners relevant for successful GF malaria implementation in the state
• Work with the project team to develop and implement annual work plans
• Work closely with the SPM to prepare the programme monitoring and evaluation plan in conjunction with the Project M&E Manager. Work with the project team to implement it
• Work with the country finance team and project finance associate to prepare and track progress of project and activity budgets
• Be responsible for zonal project budget management and reporting
• Be responsible for preparing project Progress Update and Disbursement Request (PUDR) which is submitted to the Principal Recipient (PR) quarterly, including narrative reports on a timely basis
• Work with the project Finance Associate and SPM to prepare quarterly financial reports
• Work with the relevant country personnel and the SPM to prepare an exit strategy and to implement it, to see to the smooth end of the programme
• Coordinate with other donors and implementers to ensure complementarity of implementation of the GF malaria project in project states by leveraging resources and harmonizing efforts where possible
• Work with the Country Communication Manager, the Country Technical Coordinator, SPM, programme PRs and SR for social mobilization to see that a programme communications strategy is developed and implemented
• Coordinate the documentation of GF supported activities in form of activity-specific reports and ensure proper archiving of such for easy access and reference
• Contribute to quarterly preparations for PR-SR coordination meetings in form of progress updates and power point presentations
• Be responsible for quarterly lessons identification and learning documentation and dissemination
• Be responsible for building functional partner relationships among the project’s stakeholders
• Oversee project partner’s inputs and subcontractors’ activities to deliver harmonized, aligned and effective outputs
• Manage risks to Malaria Consortium including financial, reputation and security in a challenging environment
• Work with the project M&E Officer and Country M&E Specialist to ensure that high quality project data is collected, analysed and disseminated to relevant stakeholders at all levels and reported to PI

Technical Contributions (10%):

• Work with the project teams, SPM and the Country Technical Coordinator to determine technical support needs to implement the project effectively and with high quality. Liaise with the Country Technical Coordinator to obtain regional or global technical support
• Contribute to the development and production of dissemination documents to allow wider sharing of Malaria Consortium’s experiences, lessons and successes

Technical Performance Management and Quality Assurance (20%):

• Take the lead in monitoring and evaluating project performance
• Keep abreast with evidence and best practices that are related to the project

Representation (10%):

• Work with the Country Director, Country Technical Coordinator and SPM to participate in national level meetings and workshops to represent Malaria Consortium at programmatic and coordination events
• Liaise regularly with CRS’s focal persons on respective project activities and the GF PMU through the SPM keeping the relevant Country Team in loop of communication
• Work with the Country Director, Country Technical Coordinator and SPM to keep key national stakeholders abreast with the project
• To exert influence and to advocate for Malaria Consortium’s key technical positions and promote best practice in malaria and iCCM interventions

Person Specification

Qualifications and Experience
Essential:

• Postgraduate or Master's degree in Public Health, Health Policy, Epidemiology or another relevant specialty is a minimum requirement
• Extensive experience of working at national or state level in developing countries
• Excellent project planning, management and monitoring & evaluation skills
• Experience managing project budgets
• Proven leadership skills and team leading
• Experience in advocacy and policy influencing
• Excellent written and spoken English

Desirable:

• Experience on GF-supported project
• Advance knowledge of Microsoft office

Work-based skills and competencies:
Essential:

• Proof of strong interpersonal and negotiating skills
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills are also needed
• Understanding of public health issues in West and Central Africa

Core Competencies
Delivering results:
LEVEL C - Supports others to achieve results

• Displays a positive and enthusiastic approach and is not deterred by setbacks, finding alternative ways to reach goals or targets
• Supports others to plan and deliver results
• Supports others to manage and cope with setbacks

Analysis and use of information:
LEVEL C - Works confidently with complex data to support work:

• Interprets complex written information
• Works confidently with data before making decisions, for example; interpreting trends, issues and risks
• Acquainted with the validity, relevance and limitations of different sources of evidence

Interpersonal and communications:
LEVEL C - Adapts communications effectively:

• Tailors communication (content, style and medium) to diverse audiences
• Communicates equally effectively at all organisational levels
• Understands others’ underlying needs, concerns and motivations and communicates effectively in sensitive situations
• Resolves intra-team and inter-team conflicts effectively

Collaboration and partnering:
LEVEL C - Builds strong networks internally and participates actively in external networks and think tanks:

• Builds strong networks internally
• Participates actively in external networks and / or think tanks
• Engages with relevant experts to gather and evaluate evidence
• Shares and implements good practice with internal and external peers

Leading and motivating people:
LEVEL C - Effectively leads and motivates others or direct reports:

• Gives regular, timely and appropriate feedback
• Acknowledges good performance and deals with issues concerning poor performance
• Carries out staff assessment and development activities conscientiously and effectively
• Develops the skills and competences of others through the development and application of skills
• Coaches and supports team members when they have difficulties

Flexibility / adaptability:
LEVEL C - Supports others to cope with pressure:

• Responds positively to change, embracing and using new practices or values to accomplish goals and solve problems and supports others to do the same
• Adapts team approach, goals, and methods to achieve solutions and results in dynamic situations
• Sets realistic deadlines and goals for self or team

Living the values:
LEVEL C - Supports others to live Malaria Consortium’s values:

• Demonstrates personal integrity by using role position responsibly and fairly
• Cultivates an open culture within the wider team, promoting accountability, responsibility and respect for individual differences

Strategic planning and thinking and sector awareness:
LEVEL B - Is aware of others’ activities and vice versa in planning activities:

• Takes account of team members and others’ workloads when planning
• Maintains awareness of impact on other parts of the organisation, keeping abreast of other’s activities, objectives, commitments and needs
• Has a good understanding of the sector in which Malaria Consortium works

Salary
Competitive.

Application Closing Date
19th February, 2021.

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

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