Program Officer, Performance Management (Consultancy) at Palladium Group

Location: Abuja (with regular travel to the States)
Reporting: The Secretariat of the National Steering Committee (TS-­â€NSC)

Background

• Nigeria has committed to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and has put in place the enabling policy1 to achieve this. At the Federal level, there's the recognition of the role of States as drivers and providers of primary health care service delivery. This is consistent with the 'Bringing PHC under One Roof' (PHCUOR) policy that was instituted and ratified by the National Council on Health in 2011. The policy aims to strengthen PHC systems through the creation of State PHC Boards that would allow for integration and/or decentralization of PHC services management.
• Whilst acknowledging the separation of functions and the role of States in the management and organization of performance for PHC service delivery, a National Health Act (NHAct) was enacted into law in 2014. The NHAct specifies that all Nigerians shall be entitled to a Basic Minimum Package of Health Services (BMPHS). With the BMPHS, Nigeria aims to create a minimum "health floor" and provide a defined set of services for all Nigerians in line with its UHC goals.
• To guarantee the BMHPS, the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) was established under Section 11 of the National Health Act, as its principal funding vehicle for the BMPHS.

Job Summary

• The Federal Ministry of Health in conjunction with NPHCDA & NHIS have developed the operations manual for the roll out of the implementation of BHCPF.
• To ensure adequate governance for the program, the secretariat has been set up to provide stewardship of fund use and program execution.
• Consistent with the tenets of the NHAct, the funds will be:
  • Used in strengthening service delivery by providing accredited PHCs with operational expenses and;
  • Purchasing the BMPHS for beneficiaries.

The objectives of the program are:

• Increase coverage of highly cost-­â€effective maternal and child health services through increased population access to the BMPHS
• Improve the service delivery capacity of primary health care facilities
• Increase productivity of primary health care facilities
• Improve the quality of care of in health facilities under the program

The BHCPF will be implemented in the 18 States + FCT.

• The TS-­NSC seeks to hire a suitable candidate to develop and support the performance management framework for the program. Amidst concerns of weak execution capacity in public sector, it is imperative that the necessary indicators are tracked; a system of delivery instituted, with focus on results prioritized.

In this role, the candidate will work closely with the relevant agencies at federal and state level:

• Support the development and management of the database system for the program;
• Develop, populate and update the relevant tools for tracking progress;
• Syndicate the progress tracking tools with stakeholders at the Federal and State government level;
• Work with the claims specialist, clinical governance specialist, EMT specialist and relevant agencies to ensure regular inputs for the tracking tool;
• Ensure that an effective and participatory M&E system is established in as decentralized a manner as is possible and would be effective;
• Guide the process for identifying and designing the key indicators for each component, to record and report physical progress. Also steer the process for designing the format of such progress reports;
• Guide the process for identifying the key performance questions and parameters for monitoring project performance and comparing it to targets. Design the format for such performance reports;
• Clarify the core information needs of central project management, the steering committee (or similar body), funding agencies and the cooperating institution;
• Contribute to the development of the ICT component area (if applicable) and implement its vision, strategies, and tactics for BHCPF ICT Component;
• Identify and adapt all available data sources towards monitoring and evaluating the project;
• Liaise with all stakeholders towards adopting the objectives of the project;
• Ensure regular analysis of data for project tracking and disseminate such analysis;
• Participate in the collaborative process of strengthening the Health Management Information System (HMIS) on the DHIS platform supporting the DPRS of the MOH;
• Support the information needs of the secretariat, the steering committee, funding agencies and the partner institutions;
• Contribute to the progress of the project and implement its vision and strategies.

Other functions will include but not limited to:

• Represent the organization at the highest levels in specific technical areas and provide leadership in the fields of strategic purchasing, claims processing and payment systems;
• Liaise with technical and programmatic leaders from various federal, parastatal and state level institutions as necessary in order to perform the above tasks;
• Continually identify and implement opportunities for the secretariat to add value and maximize impact through well-­designed provider payment mechanisms;
• Ensure proper execution of required initiatives to strengthening the claims management systems
• Assist other units in related elements of their work;
• Perform any other tasks as designated.

Qualification and Experience
The successful candidate is expected to have the following qualifications, technical competencies and behavioral competencies:

• Minimum of a master's level qualification from an internationally recognized University in Public Health, MBA or a PHD
• Minimum of seven years' experience working in a related function in a Health Organization or a management consulting firm preferably in a Nigerian context.
• Significant proven practical experience of performance management tools and processes. Ideally candidates will have played a role in reviewing a national program.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in project management, monitoring and evaluation of national programs
• Experience of results delivery of programmes.
• Proven cultural, social and political sensitivity of working in Nigeria at different levels of government.

Technical Competencies:
This role requires a combination of technical and management skills. Primary competencies include:

• Proficiency in using Microsoft packages
• Demonstrated ability to conduct quantitative analysis
• Ability to build and foster collaborative relationships with relevant partners to inform programmes and policy
• Make effective decisions using complex data, policy documents and similar information on health financing issues.

Behavioral Competencies:

• Capture: Ability to assess and interpret information to use it to inform non-­technical colleagues
• Deliver at pace: Ensure tasks are done to the required standard and deadlines; plan work to meet individual, team and office-­wide objectives
• Lead and communicate: Communicate clearly both orally and in writing, using appropriate language; communicate on a range of issues to diverse internal and external audiences
• Collaborate and partner: Excellent team player; ability to work effectively with government, development partners, civil society and private sector stakeholders, including traditional and religious leaders; ability to build good relationships for partnership, implementation, and support for the working group's programmes
• Contextualize: Ability to develop an in-­depth understanding and knowledge of how the role fits and supports organizational objectives and wider public needs.