Health Manager at the International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Health Manager

Requisition ID: req28530
Location: Yobe
Sector: Health
Employment Category: Regular
Employment Type: Full-Time
Open to Expatriates: No

Job Description

• The International Rescue Committee responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, IRC offers life-saving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster.
• At work today in more than 40 countries and in 22 U.S. cities, IRC restores safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted by conflict or disaster. IRC leads the way from harm to home.

Contextual Background

• The IRC has been present in Nigeria since 2012 when the organization responded to flooding in Kogi state. In February 2014 the IRC moved into Adamawa State in NE Nigeria to provide humanitarian interventions through a multi-sectoral, integrated approach for conflict affected populations.
• IRC Nigeria now operates a country office in Abuja and field offices in Mubi and Yola of Adamawa State, Maiduguri and Monguno of Borno state and Damaturu of Yobe State. Currently, IRC Nigeria implements programs primary health care, nutrition, environmental health, women’s protection and empowerment, protection, child protection, education, food security & livelihoods.

Job Overview / Summary

• This project employs a health system support and strengthening approaches to provide a high-quality primary health care service.
• Under the direct supervision of Senior Health Manager, the Health Manager is the focal point for IRC Borno State health project intervention in Yobe state.
• He/she will be responsible for supervising staff of health project and will carry over, implementation, monitoring, support with the overall capacity building of health program staff, and progress reporting of projects for health.
• The Health Manager ensures that the IRC’s health project interventions in Yobe are guided by the Nigeria Country Program SAP Implementation Plan.
• He/she reports to the Senior Health Manager and works closely with other health managers, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager and sectors.

Major Responsibilities

• Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy.

Health Program Management:

• Provide overall managerial oversight for implementation of the health program activities
• Ensure health projects implementation are of high quality and meets the IRC/MOH/International standards
• Provide technical support to health staff and provide the necessary mentoring and trainings as needed to build their capacity and enabling them to perform their tasks, including project management skills.
• Participate in emergency assessments and response when necessary and develop plans for rapid and appropriate responses in consultation with WASH, sexual reproductive health, protection, nutrition, and others.
• Coordinate with Yobe and other actors in the response and maintain good relations with them.
• Participate in the Cholera and Diseases Outbreak Control Coordination Team and carry out community-based public health interventions during communicable disease outbreaks.
• Monitor quality performance indicators ensuring adherence to technical standards, best practices, and donor guidelines
• Provide oversight and support trainings (antenatal care, basic emergency obstetric and neonatal care (BEmONC), postpartum care, integrated management of neonatal and childhood illness (IMNCI), sexual transmitted infections (STIs), immunizations, rational use of antimicrobials and IPC), of HWs and stakeholders in the supported locations.
• Coordinate all referrals of patients as per IRC referral guidelines
• Seek out and nurture quality partnerships with community structures
• Foster inter-program linkages, exchange information and experiences and contribute actively to protection and disaster risk reduction mainstreaming in the health program
• Collaborate with other relevant sectors especially Environmental Health, as well as Nutrition, Women Protection & Empowerment, and Child Protection to ensure holistic service package is available in response to the needs.

Program Development:

• Contribute to design, planning, and drafting new proposals.
• Contribute to donors’ reporting whenever necessary.
• In collaboration with Sr. Health Managers, develop expenditure plan, items forecast, review budget vs. actual expenditure for health grants monthly and take necessary actions.
• Ensuring budgets are used appropriately and efficiently and spending is in line with the IRC financial procedures and donor requirements.
• Ensure data collection, data compilation, timely preparation and submission of all internal reports including weekly and other associated monthly, quarterly, donor and special reports.

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:

• Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies.
• Develop and implement remote management capacity building approaches to build the strengths of the team in Yobe.
• Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Approve and manage all time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage; ensure monthly, accurate timesheet submission and carry out probationary reviews.
• Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least monthly.
• Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team, and providing guidance on career paths.
• As required identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
• Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate. As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train, and develop capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition role and responsibilities, by the end of assignment.
• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures and communicates through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.
• Promote a culture of learning whereby lessons-learned and good practices are documented and shared for institutional memory.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.

Monitoring Health Program Implementation:

• Monitor project implementation and provide on-spot support to field teams and propose modifications as necessary.
• Ensure regular health program data analysis and review, take follow up action on project implementation, and prepare relevant action reports.
• Supervise and provide technical oversight in the interpretation of data for improved programming and implementation.
• Monitor and promote integrated programming in a way that increases overall impact of health program at the community level.

Research, Learning and Analysis:

• Monitoring health program implementation:
• Make regular field visits to monitor project implementation and provide on spot support to field teams and propose modifications as necessary.
• Ensure regular health program data analysis and review, take follow up action on project implementation and prepare relevant action reports.
• Supervise and provide technical oversight in the interpretation of data for improved programming and implementation.
• Monitor and promote integrated programming in a way that increases overall impact of health program at the community level.

Coordination & Representation:

• Represent the program to Local government representatives, partner agencies, etc. as required.
• In coordination with the Health Coordinator actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders with government actors, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors.
• Attend all relevant meetings in relation to the health program as may be required and feed in the IRC priorities during meetings.
• Facilitate field visits for internal and external stakeholders, when required.

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: Senior Health Manager
• Indirect/Technical Reporting: Health Coordinator
• Position directly Supervises: Senior Health Officer and Health Officer.

Key Internal Contacts:

• Country Program: SPC, Deputy Director Program, Finance Manager, Supply chain Manager,
• Field coordinator, DDFM
• Region/Global.

Key External Contacts:

• YSMOH, YSPHCDA, Yobe State TH, and other INGOs (e.g., possible collaborative partners), Community leaders, health facility management team and CHIPS Agents.

Qualifications
Education:

• Health professional (MD or BNSc, with MPH preferred) with strong public health background and evidence of completion of NYSC (Discharge / Exemption Certificate)
• Must possess the practicing license or qualifying certificate.

Work Experience:

• At least 3 years’ experience in managing and implementing primary and secondary health programs.
• Able to lead a team and experience in staff management.
• Experience in outbreak response interventions
• Ability to work with displaced communities with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
• Experience in donor report writing and proposal development
• Have experience in general management including financial and budget management, HR, and logistics
• Demonstrated Technical Skills:

Demonstrated Technical Skills:

• Background in situation analysis, health assessments M&E and program implementation.

Demonstrated Managerial / Leadership Competencies:

• Skills and experience of remote management and willingness to travel to hard-to-reach areas
• Flexible, diplomatic and have ability and willingness live and work under pressure of workloads.

Languages: 

• Fluent in written/spoken English and Hausa

Computer / Other Tech Requirements:

• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.  Add position-specific (e.g., accounting software, statistical software, etc.).

Ability to Travel:

• 5% of time if applicable.

Standards of Professional Conduct:

• The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way - Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. 
• In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, and several others.

Gender Equality:

• IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions.
• We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

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

Note: IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.