Country Project Lead at ThinkWell

ThinkWell is a health systems development organization using tailored health financing approaches to help low- and middle-income countries achieve universal health coverage.

We believe that effective health financing systems are essential to ensuring health services are well-resourced, high quality, accessible, and do not cause financial impoverishment by those who use them. We also believe that health financing can serve as a crucial lever to improve overall health system performance.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Country Project Lead

Location: Abuja
Employment Type: Full-time

Description 

• ThinkWell is recruiting a dynamic and experienced Country Project Lead for the anticipated four year project on Optimizing Health Financing for Primary health Care Interventions in selected states in Nigeria.
• The project is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) Nigeria Country Office to provide technical and advisory support to Kano and Kaduna States in Northern Nigeria.
• The project will work in partnership with the state Ministries of Health, and other actors to build the capacity of institutions and individuals within the states to improve the planning, financing and performance of the primary health care system.
• The Country Project Lead is responsible for ensuring successful implementation of project activities and learning for the project. 
• S/he brings substantial technical and managerial expertise as well as in-country experience and industry knowledge in the field of health systems strengthening, with a focus on health financing.
• He/she will lead on project design and execution, supervise project staff and build technical talent within the firm.
• The project lead brings experience in managing technical assistance projects in the Nigeria health sector and has sophisticated political skills to navigate the complex environment in Nigeria.
• He/she has extensive experience building relationships with senior government officials, donors and other stakeholders.
• Clear, open, and frank communication is a priority to build a collaborative environment with the wider ThinkWell team. 
• This is a full-time position based in Abuja, Nigeria. Nigerian nationals are encouraged to apply.

Project Leadership:

• Lead project strategy and execution in country, ensuring timely and effective delivery of project objectives.
• Provide technical leadership and strategic direction to the project; with a focus on health financing, public financial management, planning , budgeting, budget execution and expenditure management in the public sector.
• Lead the development and implementation of frameworks for tracking and measuring the progress of financing policies and interventions.
• Identify and collaborate with CSOs to engage with state houses of assembly on matters health financing and budget appropriation.
• Coordinate effective implementation of the project, including the development of annual work plans and budgets, implementation of activities, submission of deliverables and required reports, and leading quarterly program reviews.
• Ensure production of high-quality outputs for the project. Provide written input into technical documents, project status reports, blogs and articles for publication and dissemination on ThinkWell’s website, external sites, and at conferences.
• Oversee monitoring, evaluation, research and learning function, staff, and output.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for BMGF Nigeria country office.
• Collaborate with other ThinkWell programs to ensure programming aligns with the organizations mission and vision, and that program best practices and lessons learned are shared for wide dissemination.
• Represent ThinkWell and the project and establish and sustain collaborative working relationships with BMGF, the ministry of health, state’s leadership, partners and key stakeholders.

Team Management:

• Supervise the project team comprised of staff in Abuja, Kano and Kaduna, as well as staff sub-contract staff.
• Lead by example, delegate effectively, demonstrate integrity, motivate, and inspire others.
• Create a positive, respectful country project team operating culture and environment, and engage respectfully with employees at all levels across the firm.
• Effectively manage the project team, proactively growing team members by focusing on their professional development and capacity building.

Project Operations and Administration:

• Work with the ThinkWell operations team to maintain operational excellence for the project, including ensuring appropriate policies, procedures, and systems.
• Ensure project compliance with BMGF operational policies and regulations and the terms of the award.
• Ensure that contract deliverables are met in accordance with contract requirements.
• Manage and monitor the local sub-contract organization and any other partners.
• Ensure technical staff and sub-contracts comply with BMGF financing systems, including financial tracking, recording of financial transactions, financial risk management, and fraud prevention.

Requirements

• Master's Degree and 10+ years experience;
• Substantive, relevant work experience in health financing and health systems strengthening. Specific experience in public finance management, budgeting, planning and budget execution is an added advantage.
• Extensive experience managing large, complex projects in Nigeria, across multiple states;
• Demonstrated team and people management abilities with a focus on growing staff, mentoring and coaching junior professionals;
• A senior leader, able to rally staff to achieve project activities;
• Proven track record in budgeting and financial management;
• Excellent report writing skills;
• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively with external strategic partners, donors, government ministries and stakeholders;
• Full written and verbal fluency in English;
• Outstanding cross-cultural communication skills, including the ability to relate respectfully with staff at all levels, ages, genders, nationalities and orientations as well as across work areas;
• Ability and willingness to travel in-country up to 30% of the time.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.