Senior Technical Advisor, Malaria Program/Global Fund Liaison

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Senior Technical Advisor, Malaria Program/Global Fund Liaison position is designed to provide technical assistance to the country, specifically to the PNLP, in meeting the grant management and implementation demands of the Global Fund malaria grant.

The Senior Technical Advisor, Malaria Program/Global Fund Liaison, is expected to support the PNLP to implement the remainder of the Global Fund Round 8 grant and the NFM interim proposal.

The incumbent will be placed at the PNLP and will provide leadership and management support to the PNLP Program Coordinator. S/he will assist the Malaria Coordinator in planning, monitoring and coordinating activities, especially the upcoming mass distribution campaign.

The incumbent will work in collaboration with the USAID /Côte d’Ivoire Mission Team to ensure that up-to-date and strategic information on malaria activities are shared and disseminated among donors for prompt and appropriate decision making.

The work involves complex and interrelated processes. The political environment requires a high degree of sensitivity and diplomacy in supporting the PNLP, establishing dialogue, and developing activities to prevent and treat malaria. The incumbent will require a depth of expertise that will allow her/him to provide leadership and management in malaria-related issues and programs, including the capability to identify and systematize otherwise diffuse issues.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Senior Technical Advisor, Malaria Program/Global Fund Liaison, provides professional leadership support to the PNLP for the achievement of objectives set forth in its strategic plan. The principal task of the incumbent is to provide overall management, technical guidance and leadership to the PNLP team around implementation of the Global Fund malaria grant. The incumbent will also coordinate with and provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Health, if necessary, to prepare and conduct policy dialogue with the Global Fund Country Team on issues impeding smooth disbursement and implementation.

1. Assist the PNLP in taking appropriate management actions (planning, monitoring and evaluation, coordination, etc.) to meet the Global Fund grant requirements and/or conditions precedent so as to enable speedy Global Fund disbursements.
2. Assist the PNLP in the planning, logistics, communications and monitoring and evaluation of the 2014 LLIN mass distribution campaign.
3. Assist the PNLP in the design and implementation of the national malaria monitoring and evaluation plan, as well as to ensure that other partners develop project monitoring plans and report in a timely manner on their activities to the PNLP. It is also expected that the incumbent will provide expert advice and practical experience in helping the PNLP and other in-country malaria stakeholders to monitor inputs and outcomes, progress towards goals, and how to execute the plan jointly.
4. Assist the PNLP and the Ministry of Health with initiating and conducting policy dialogue between with the Global Fund Portfolio Manager and country team to troubleshoot as necessary to facilitate implementation of existing grants and development of Concept Note for new grant.
5. Assist the PNLP with planning interventions to be covered by the Global Fund resources in collaboration with CARE International, and conduct a thorough gaps analysis to identify contribution of all malaria partners to draw a big picture of malaria program coverage nationwide.
6. Collaborate with senior staff of the PNLP, implementing partners, and other partners, such as WHO, UNICEF, World Bank, and NGOs to identify malaria control intervention gaps in Côte d’Ivoire, consistent with the malaria control coverage needs identified by the strategy and plans of the PNLP.
7. Work in collaboration with the PNLP and Implementing Partners to support a malaria routine data system as part of the Health Management Information System (HMIS).
8. Work with the PNLP and other appropriate partners to ensure full accountability and value for Global Fund resources provided for PNLP functioning.
9. Assist the PNLP in developing plans to manage the Global Fund activities. This includes providing managerial support to the PNLP leadership to brainstorm and identify technical interventions to be covered by future funding from the Global Fund.
10. As the current national malaria strategy ends in 2015, the incumbent is expected to collaborate with the PNLP, WHO and other stakeholders to evaluate the strategy and plan for the development of a new multi-year national strategy.

This incumbent is not expected to play any supervisory role at the PNLP. S/He will receive administrative supervision from the LMG/Côte d’Ivoire support team with technical supervision from the USAID/ Côte d’Ivoire Health Officer and the National Malaria Coordination Program Director, who will contribute to her/his evaluation.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. Advanced degree (Masters, PhD, or MD) in a health-related field or management field required. Specialized experience in malaria is not required, but preferred.
2. At least ten years of experience in progressively responsible experience in designing, implementing and managing malaria and other health programs in developing countries, with a preference given to candidates with African experience.
3. Demonstrated experience managing successful teams comprised of experienced professionals.
4. Demonstrated technical leadership, program management, strategic planning, policy experience and problem solving skills working on complex projects in a highly sensitive environment are required.
5. Experience with USAID-funded public health programs preferred.
6. Previous experience with or good knowledge of Global Fund operating procedures (proposal development and submission, monitoring and evaluation and reporting).
7. Ability to work effectively with a broad range of Ivoirian and USG personnel and partners, and have demonstrated skills in donor coordination and collaboration. Ability to work both independently and in a team environment to achieve consensus on policy, program and administrative matters is a must.
8. Ability to work effectively in a team environment and communicate information to both health and non-health audiences, and achieve consensus on policy, project, research, and administrative matters.
9. Proven ability to communicate quickly, clearly and concisely – both orally and in writing in English and French are essential.
10. Excellent verbal communication skills, tact and diplomacy are required to establish and develop sustainable working relationships at the highest level and a high level of trust with public/private organizations. Verbal communication skills are also used to negotiate activity plans and resolve activity implementation issues with counterparts, partners and team members. Excellent written communication skills are required to prepare regular and ad hoc reports, activity documentation and briefing papers.
11. Excellent computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook, Access, SPSS and other statistical and other relevant software) are required for effectively operating in this position. Good computer skills are required to implement, analyze, and monitor, and manage activity goals, inputs, outcomes, and achievements.

Management Sciences for Health is an equal opportunity employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship, physical or mental handicap, or status as a disabled or Vietnam Era veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.

How to apply:

To apply for this position, please submit a resume to https://jobs-msh.icims.com/jobs/6968/senior-technical-advisor%2c-malaria.... For more information about MSH, please visit our web site atwww.msh.org. If you cannot apply online or have difficulty doing so, please email an explanation of your problem to iRecruiterproblem@msh.org.