Market Systems Development Officer at Malaria Consortium

Grade: 7
Role type: National
Job Type: Fixed term
Department: Technical Length of contract: 5 -years
Donor title: Market Systems Development Expert
Reporting to: State Malaria Service Delivery Expert

Country and Project Background
Malaria is highly endemic in Nigeria and it remains one of the leading causes of childhood and maternal morbidity and mortality in the country. Nigeria is deeply committed to making progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and it recognizes the fact that, without firm efforts to control malaria, achievement of the targets related to child mortality, maternal mortality, and reducing the burden of communicable disease will not be possible. Malaria therefore constitutes a significant development challenge for Nigeria. Interventions for reducing malaria burden in the country are documented in the national malaria strategic plan with Government taking the lead in its implementation with the support of all the RBM partners. The DFID funded and Malaria Consortium led malaria programme, SuNMaP, provided technical assistance and other support to the Nigeria National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) covering the period 2008 to 2016. 
 
The anticipated follow on project, SuNMaP2 has been designed to strengthen the management and technical capacity of NMEP, State Malaria Elimination Programme (SMEP) and their stakeholders to drive the implementation of the National Malaria Strategic Plan, 2014 to 2020 and achieve its ambitious targets. This will include short term technical assistance and technical assistance embedded in NMEP in key areas of programme management, evidence generation and use, and capacity building across all project outputs and ultimately reducing Nigeria’s malaria burden and strengthening the Government of Nigeria’s health systems capacity to ensure long term programme and impact sustainability. 
 
Job Purpose

• The Job Holder will be responsible for applying a market systems approach in facilitating development of an ACT market transition plan for the delivery of required quantities of ACTs (and RDTs) for the private sector market (2019 - 2021), which a sizable proportion of the population can access at affordable prices and agreed quality standards at the State level. 

Scope of Work

• The market systems development officer operates within the state level and will report to the State Malaria Service Delivery Expert at the State.
• He/she will be responsible for supporting SMEP and market partners to collate evidence to inform the development of anti-malaria commodities market.
• The Job holder will be responsible for supporting the antimalarial commodities’, its market and players, without becoming part of the market.
• S/he will work with partners; identifying solutions to market constraints together; supporting the development and management of the desired change and learning together. 

Key Working Relationships:

• State Team Manager, State Malaria Service Delivery Expert, Senior Market Systems Development Expert, SMEP, other government departments, market partners

Key Accountabilities
Delivery of high quality project (80%):

• Analyses the market and design interventions as per the project target;
• Take the lead  in facilitation of partnership between market players to implement, manage and report activities and progress of interventions;
• Ensure monitoring of interventions through regular field/market visits; 
• Provides feedback to the market development specialist on opportunities and challenges as seen in the field/market
• Provide and document market information for learning and decision-making;
• Contribute to the periodic reports of the commercial activities of the programme
• Contribute and participate in the periodic review meeting / capacity with market players
• Work with SMEP, market partners and stakeholders to gather evidence on anti-malaria market at the States to include market and value chain analyses, forecasting the need both in public and private, market share.
• Work with state stakeholders to use these information to identify constraints to the antimalaria market. 
• Support the selected market partners in innovating and implementing strategies to address market constraints and scale - up innovations that work.

Representation and Coordination (20%):

• Support SMEP to create a joint public private partnership / vision for anti-malaria market and develop plan for developing market based on the vision.
• Support SMEP platforms for review and re-planning of PPP plan
• Attend relevant technical working group meetings at the state

Person Specification Qualifications and Experience      
Essential:

• A degree in Business Development or a related discipline 
• Minimum of 3 to 5 years’ experience in market development or a related role
• Demonstrates satisfactory knowledge of the private sector
• Substantial experience working on projects which apply market systems approach in Nigeria
• Proven experience in ability to identify and engage private and public sector on innovative market driven solutions for scalable and sustainable results
• Knowledge about health care or health related market systems for malaria
• Experience and understanding of working with anti-malaria manufacturers and/or distributors
• Experience planning, facilitating and managing stakeholder engagement and consultation workshops

Desirable:

• Knowledge of international development, particularly DFID- funded projects
• Expertise in market analysis, business strategy development
• Knowledge of national procurement procedures for health commodities
• Experience and understanding of working with RDT manufacturers and distributors

Work-based Skills
Essential:

• Comfortable working closely with senior government officials
• Strong negotiation skills
• Ability to work with confidential market information
• Capable of creating and maintain trust with market partners
• Proven skills in managing partnerships and agreements, including contract development, market and business (partnership) development and monitoring
• Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office
• Fluent in written and spoken English
• Ability to work under pressure, and meeting tight deadlines
• Excellent time management skills

Desirable:

• Excellent presentation skills
• Skills in basic statistical analysis
• Ability to travel to the field at short notice
• Comfortable working in a multi-cultural environment

Core Competencies
Delivering Results:
LEVEL C - Supports others to achieve results:

• Displays a positive and enthusiastic approach and is not deterred by setbacks, finding alternative ways to reach goals or targets.
• Supports others to plan and deliver results
• Supports others to manage and cope with setbacks

Analysis and use of Information:
LEVEL  C -  Works confidently with complex data to support work:

• Interprets complex written information
• Works confidently with data before making decisions: for example, interpreting trends, issues and risks
• Acquainted with the validity, relevance and limitations of different sources of evidence

Interpersonal and Communications:
LEVEL C - Adapts Communications Effectively:

• Tailors communication (content, style and medium) to diverse audiences 
• Communicates equally effectively at all organisational levels 
• Understands others’ underlying needs, concerns and motivations and communicates effectively in sensitive situations 
• Resolves intra-team and inter-team conflicts effectively

Collaboration and Partnering:
LEVEL C - Builds strong networks internally and participates actively in external networks and think tanks:

• Builds strong networks internally 
• Participates actively in external networks and/or think tanks.
• Engages with relevant experts to gather and evaluate evidence
• Shares and implements good practice with internal and external peers

Leading and Motivating People:
LEVEL B -  Manages own development and seeks opportunities:

• Actively manages own development and performance positively
• Learns lessons from successes and failures
• Seeks and explores opportunities within Malaria Consortium which develop skills and expertise

Flexibility/ Adaptability:
LEVEL B -  Remains professional under external pressure:

• Able to adapt to changing situations effortlessly
• Remains constructive and positive under stress and able to tolerate difficult situations and environments
• Plans, prioritises and performs tasks well under pressure
• Learns from own successes / mistakes

Living the Values:
LEVEL B -  Promotes Malaria Consortium values amongst peers:

• Shows a readiness to promote Malaria Consortium’s values amongst peers
• Promotes ethical and professional behaviour in line with Malaria Consortium’s values

Strategic Planning and Thinking and Sector Awareness:
LEVEL B -  Is aware of others’ activities and vice versa in planning activities:

• Takes account of team members and others’ workloads when planning.
• Maintains awareness of impact on other parts of the organisation, keeping abreast of other’s activities, objectives, commitments and needs
• Has a good understanding of the sector in which Malaria Consortium works

Salary
Competitive.