COVID-19 Manager - HeRON at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) - 3 Openings

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: COVID-19 Manager - HeRON

Requisition ID: req36736
Locations: Yobe (Damaturu), Borno (Maiduguri) and Adamawa (Yola)
Employment Type: Full-Time
Employment Category: Fixed Term
Sector: Health
Open to Expatriates: No

Project Overview

• Health Resilience of Northeast Nigeria (HeRON) COVID-19 Activity will support the BAY (Borno, Adamawa & Yobe) states to scale up the implementation of the scale 3.0 COVID-19 vaccination strategy by providing technical and logistical support to the state ministries of health (MoHs) in the 3 states.
• The project will provide training and deployment of additional vaccination teams, improvement of social marketing, and community sensitization to reduce vaccine hesitancy and improve vaccine uptake. Furthermore, IRC will work with state MoHs, State Primary Health Care Development Agencies (SPHCDAs), and partners to strengthen the planning and integration of the COVID-19 vaccination into routine PHC and immunization services and support the digitization of the reporting systems.
• IRC is leading the consortium, working with other humanitarian and development partners (Society for Family Health - SFH) to achieve project objectives and mandates.
• Scope of Work:
• The HeRoN covid19 manager will report to the HeRoN senior covid19 Manager. He/She will be responsible for working with the ministry of health, departments and agencies, and local government health authorities in the state of assignment, to promote COVID-19 vaccination services in line with the NPHCDA covid 19 scales 3.0 strategy.
• The position will maintain collaborative working relationships established among key government officials and will support the states establish additional mass vaccination sites, training and deploying additional covid 19 vaccination teams, coordinating mass vaccination activities/campaigns, strengthening the integration of covid 19 into routine PHCC services and coordinates with SFH to ensure covid19 vaccine demand and social marketing is improved.
• He/she will coordinate with the M&E manager to ensure data quality checks at the mass vaccination points and Fixed post, and coordinate with the SPHCDA to ensure vaccine and cold chain carriers’ availability and vaccine delivery to mass vaccination sites and PHCCs.  
• The position requires experience working with the government health care system, Experience working in partnership with or directly with the Ministry of Health, the Ability to plan and collaborate with States &LGAs, and an Ability to manage a wide range of stakeholders for collaboration, coordination, and consultation. He/She will work collaboratively with the SFH program leads to achieve harmonized concepts, and approaches

Major Responsibilities
Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy

• He/She will liaise with the State Primary Health Care Development Agency and State Ministry of Health, and other stakeholders to implement guidelines on COVID-19 vaccine rollout in the state of assignment.
• He/She will work with the SHCDA/SPHCMB to strengthen the planning and integration of the COVID-19 vaccine into routine PHC immunization services and support for the digitization of the reporting system.
• He/she will support the roll-out of mass vaccination sites and will provide technical leadership to implementing partners to roll out community-based strategy to improve social marketing to increase the coverage and efficiency of vaccine delivery
• Liaise with the State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA/SPHCMB) and State Ministry of Health (SMOH), and other stakeholders to adapt the operational plan for the project in line with the SCALES 3.0 model.
• Coordinate the implementation of all planned advocacy, communication, and social mobilization activities to support community linkage to PHC at State, LGA, and ward levels
• Coordinate engagement of traditional, religious, and other community structures with health institutions to drive targeted community engagement for demand creation
• He/She provides technical support to the LGA and states in planning, implementing, and monitoring of COVID-19 impact/interventions and provides technical support and mentoring to the actualization of COVID-19 initiatives in supported communities.
• Conduct training on COVID-19 vaccination for additional vaccination teams in collaboration with the state government Authorities
• He/ She will provide training and deployment of vaccination teams (including supervisors and recorders) to promote vaccine uptake and reduce vaccine hesitancy
• Coordinate with the COVID-19 situation rooms in the respective SPHCDA
• Liaise with relevant stakeholders at the respective LGA levels to coordinate the rollout of COVID-19 vaccination and initiate emergency support to exhaust stock doses set to expire to avoid wastage
• The Manager will coordinate with the state’s ministry of health to ensure  COVID-19 activities are implemented in alignment with Government needs, plans, and priorities, and in compliance with donor guidelines
• Ensure complete and qualitative reporting of all COVID-19 vaccination activity. Monitor and provide technical assistance to the state government, and other stakeholders using surveillance tools and dashboards.
• Coordinate with other IRC departments to respond to acute CoVID-19 emergency needs as approved by the donors and collaborate with other USAID-funded partners to maximize effective use of COVID-19 resources within the state of assignment.
• Monitor the purchase and use of materials, equipment, and COVID-19 supplies
• Identify opportunities for program development and coordinate with other actors, TWGs, and covid 19 task force
• Perform any other relevant task as directed by the supervisor

Coordination & Representation:

• Participate in all internal coordination meetings
• Participate in technical Coordination meetings (TWGs, Cluster meetings, covid 19 task force, etc.) at the State level, as required.
• Partnership with LGHA, community structures, gatekeepers, and traditional leaders (emirate council) for improved vaccine uptake
• Facilitate the planning processes at LGA levels and states levels to ensure an inclusive approach that engages stakeholders and communities to adopt and adapt COVID-19 centered approach
• Jointly planning with stakeholders and organizing LGA and facility level meetings
• Participate at program coordination meetings with implementing partner (SFH)
• Facilitate and support field monitoring visits for internal and external stakeholders, as required.
• Coordinates/liase with the consortium leadership for mentoring and guidance

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:

• Build the capacity of HeRON Covid19 team members in relevant technical and management competencies.
• Develop and implement remote management capacity-building approaches to build the strengths of his/her team.
• 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 perform in their positions successfully.
• 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 to strengthen technical capacity, exchange knowledge within the team, and provide guidance on career paths.
• As required, identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these per 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 perform in their positions successfully.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs
• Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate.
• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures; and communicate a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations through words and examples.

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: Line Manager: Senior COVID-19 Manager
• Dotted line/ Technical Reporting: Senior Consortium Manager
• Position directly Supervises: N/A
• Key Internal Contacts: IRC’s Technical Coordinators (Health), HeRON M&E, HeRON Consortium Managers (Health Governance & Pharmacy), HeRON Deputy Team Leader, Supply Chain, Consortium Finance and COVID-19 SBCC Specialist, M&E COVID-19 manger

Key External Contacts:

• HeRON Implementing partners: SFH (Program managers)
• Ministry of Health, SPHCDA/SPHCMB, Health Facility staff, LGHA, Community Leaders and Members, and other USAID-funded partners in the State of assignment.

Job Requirements
Education:

• Graduate Health professional (Doctor, Nurse, Clinical or Medical Officer), or any other relevant health-related field with Public Health / System Strengthening and Governance background.
• Post-graduate training in Public Health, added advantage
• Master’s Degree in Public Health added advantage

Work Experience:

• 2-3 years of professional experience, of which 1 year in health system strengthening, or in humanitarian/development settings
• Previous/current experience in Immunization programming, especially managing covid 19 program activities added advantage
• Previous experience in similar roles and responsibilities preferred
• Experience in local governance, social accountability, public administration, institutional development, public-sector capacity building, or related technical areas is highly desirable.
• Knowledge and understanding of governance in service delivery, particularly in health, are highly recommended
• Previous work experience with INGO, especially with project planning and reports writing, is an added advantage
• Previous experience working with USAID-funded projects preferred
• Have experience in general management (including financial and budget management, logistics management, etc.)
• Familiarity/ knowledge of operational contexts of the state of assignment (Yobe/ Borno or Adamawa State)

Demonstrated Technical Skills:

• Background in situation analysis, Health System Strengthening, covid 19 program implementation
• Demonstrated Managerial/Leadership Competencies:
• Flexible, diplomatic, and have the ability and willingness to live and work under pressure of workloads
• A mature person of high professional discipline and moral integrity, proactive, and able to work under stress as the situation may dictate.

Languages:

• English. Knowledge of local languages is an added advantage.

Computer/Other Tech Requirements:

• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to Travel: 30 % of the time

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.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Note

• This position is based at IRC field offices (Maiduguri/ or Damaturu)
• 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.

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.