Project Officer 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: Project Officer

Location: Abuja
Employment Type: Full-time

Job Purpose

• The primary role of the Project officer (PO) would cover strategic technical support and monitoring, capacity development, evidence and knowledge development and dissemination, and technical representation.
• The SPO will coordinate support for the implementation of activities and ensure that the project activities are implemented as when due with effective budget management. 
• He/she will support the planning, programming, and coordination of strategic development, training activities, supervision, activity reporting, payment, and stakeholder management.

Scope of Work
The Project Officer under the guidance of the Senior Country Technical Coordinator (SCTC) is responsible for supporting the successful delivery of the WAMCAD projects overall activities and will be the day-to-day manager of the project to achieve the project objectives which include:

• To build a modelling relationship with regional and global malaria platforms such as RBM SMERG, Surveillance Practice and Data Quality Committee and/or SMC Alliance
• To provide inputs from field experience on formulation of public health-relevant modelling questions and around data sources for modelling.
• Support the development of a training guide targeting NMCPs, NTD programs and other malaria program implementers and policymakers.
•  To provide programmatic oversight for PhD students seconded to Malaria Consortium to enable them to work with MC and NMEP, understand needs, frame modelling questions around SMC other malaria interventions and NTDs, work with relevant data, and successfully communicate analytical products.
• To coordinate workshops to Introduce modelling to the wider scientific community including other postgraduate students, clinicians, non-academics, the SMERG community and SMC Alliance to broaden the base of potential modellers.
•  To support trainee participation in regional and international platforms (RBM SMERG, SMC Alliance)

Key Working Relationships

• The Senior Project Officer will work under the supervision of the Senior Country Technical Coordinator and with other project teams.
• She/He will maintain collaborative relationships with the government stakeholders, (especially the National Malaria Elimination Program and NPHCDA) and other members of the WAMCAD consortium

Key Responsibilities
Technical (40%):

• Responsible for project reporting process management, coordinating with relevant project staff, including drafting reports and tracking reporting time frames to ensure all reports and deliverables are submitted in advance of deadlines
• Provide inputs from field experience to contribute to the formulation of public health relevant modeling questions.
• Facilitate discussions around data sources for modeling, leveraging insights gained from field experiences
• Responsible for preparing internal end-of-project reports, analysing results, challenges, lessons learned, and providing feedback for improvement.
• Responsible for project documentation opportunities and ensure delivery of these as required as well as prepare findings for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
• Ensure that project related material (case studies, policy briefs) and publications from research findings are developed, and disseminate research findings at various forum.
• Support the production of external communication materials for projects identified by the SCTC.
• Communicate, implement, and assure adherence to Malaria Consortium policies, guidelines and values; develop national staff skills and knowledge; and facilitate supervisee success and professional development whenever possible, particularly in research and research uptake

Project implementation (40%):

• Responsible for supporting the implementation of the WAMCAD project activities including: Budget control and management; Timeline development and monitoring; Implementation goal setting and management; Quality assurance.
• Responsible for the review of contract details with any third parties (ToR, deliverables, reporting, time frame etc.)
• Responsible for overseeing consultant and procurement management processes as required, ensuring and tracking (timeline, reporting, payments) compliance and deliverables; prepare an internal review of the consultant on completion of the contract
• Accountable for all procurement processes such as device or supplier procurement
• Accountable for travel planning and fulfilment, supported by the technical team assistant, when required, for meetings and conferences
• Responsible for monitoring the project, plus monthly monitoring of expenditure against budget, projections versus actuals, providing support to the finance team in preparing reports as required

Partner Coordination and Collaboration (20%):

• Establish and nurture collaborative relationships with regional and global malaria platforms, including RBM, SMERG, and the SMC Alliance
• Build and sustain cordial working relationships with key WMCAD partners and the NMEP
• Identify areas of potential collaboration including lesson sharing, avoidance of duplication, technical assistance provision etc.
• Track WAMCAD activities including donor support, sustainability plans, and research agendas.

Qualifications and Experience
Essential:

• A minimum of Master's Degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, International Health / Development, or a related field.
• Experience in research methodology, implementation, and evaluation, epidemiology
• Experience of working with audiences such as government officials, development partners or health organisations.
• Experience of writing, editing and managing the production of a range of academic material including manuscripts, reports, briefing documents, media features, websites, blogs, video, social media and infographics.
• Strong knowledge of public health and public health policy in low-resource settings.
• Experience in managing similar project.
• Experience in working effectively with government and non-government partners

Work-based Skills and Competencies:
Essential:

• Good knowledge of the health system in Nigeria
• Good communication skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Excellent computer skills with high proficiency in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Proven leadership and team management skills
• Proven diplomacy skills
• Proven ability to use initiative and judgment to anticipate potential issues and solve problems.
• High level of personal motivation and flexibility
• Excellent planning, management, and monitoring/evaluation skills
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills.

Application Closing Date
1st March, 2024.