Program Assistant at Jhpiego - John Hopkins University

Locations: Niger and Ondo
Supervisor: TBD
Reports to: Project Officer
Slot: 2

Background

• Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria during pregnancy (IPTp) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine is one of the key interventions recommended by World Health Organization (WHO) for preventing malaria among pregnant women living in high malaria transmission countries including Nigeria.
• Despite the availability of this affordable intervention and medicines, a high proportion of pregnant women do not have access to them. Unitaid is funding Jhpiego - An Affiliate of Johns Hopkins University and her partners to implement a five- year project - "Transforming Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria for optimal pregnancy” (TIPTOP) in four African countries - Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC); Madagascar; Mozambique and Nigeria. In Nigeria the project will be implemented in Ebonyi, Niger and Ondo States.

Overview

• Program Assistant needed to manage day-to-day office operations for an upcoming UNITAID project in Ondo and Niger states to expand accent to preventive chemotherapy for pregnant women in Nigeria.
• This project aims to scale up an innovative, community-based approach to expand coverage of intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (lPTp), with quality assured sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP), for-pregnant women.
• The Program Assistant will organize schedules and provide key logistical support for project team members’ travel to project sites.
• S/he will facilitate distribution of project materials to project sites,

Responsibilities

• Manage day-to-day operations of project office in Nigeria.
• Organize schedules for project site visits.
• Arrange travel/hotel reservations and track related travel expenses.
• Provide administrative support to operation of project activities.
• Work within established Jhpiego systems and in accordance with local regulations.
• Draft correspondence to IGAS, MOH, SPHCDA, NOOs, and other agencies as requested.
• Coordinate the procurement of office supplies, organize proper storage, maintain stock’reports and monitor uSage.
• Organize transport and distribution of project materials to project sites and maintain accurate stock reports.
• Report issues to the State Project Officer and troubleshoot as seeded.
• Schedule and coordinate internal and external meetings, including invitations, meeting space, logistics, and refreshments.
• Coordinate technological needs with IT Officer. Draft meeting notes and share with meeting participants.
• Maintain files and support the dissemination of project information among the project team.
• Schedule and support project visitors, including travel, visas, logistics, office space and meetings.
• Assist with drafting, editing and proofreading of technical materials and program reports, including progress reports, activity charts, and annual reports as requested.
• Work collaboratively with project and headquarters finance staff to prepare and track the progress of project and activity budgets.
• Ensure compliance with UNITAID operational policies and regulations.
• Work collaboratively with other project team members to ensure necessary project planning, resource availability and management activities function smoothly and efficiently.
• Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• Minimum requirement of a Bachelors’ Degree in any of the Social Sciences Public Health, Business Administration or related field or equivalent experience
• Experience in coordinating international donor financed projects
• Familiarity with international donor policies and administrative procedures
• 3-5 years’ of experience in administrative support of international health projects
• Ability to track expenses, keep accurate financial records and work within donor budgets.
• Proficiency in writing and editing letters, reports, and documents
• Strong decision making and results oriented approach
• Ability to Interact skillfully and diplomatically with numerous counterparts such as networks of senior level international health professionals, donors, universities and other partners
• Familiarity with Nigeria government regulations including immigration, importation, and customs.
• Experience and understanding of malaria prevention, care and treatment
• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple projects/tasks, short deadlines, competing deadlines and intense pressure to perform
• Appreciation for socio-cultural differences in countries, preferably having lived and worked in one or more low resource settings
• Ability to develop productive working relationships with counterparts in other agencies and organizations worldwide
• Ability to work effectively with diverse international teams
• Proficiency in word processing and Microsoft Office
• Fluent in written in English preferred
• Excellent facilitation, oral and written communications skills
• Ability to travel nationally.