Operations Officer at Palladium Group

Project Overview and Role   
Health Policy Plus (HP+) is a USAID-funded five-year $185 million project awarded to Palladium in August 2015. HP+ has a mandate across global, country, and subnational levels to strengthen and advance health policy priorities in HIV, family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH), and maternal health. It aims to improve the enabling environment for equitable and sustainable health services, supplies, and delivery systems through policy development and implementation, with an emphasis on voluntary, rights-based health programs, and by strengthening in-country partners’ capacity to navigate complex environments for effective policy design, implementation, and financing aligned to their priorities. HP+ provides technical assistance to governments, civil society, and the private sector to effectively engage in domestic resource mobilization (DRM), put in place sustainable financing and accountability mechanisms, and make progress toward global, national, and subnational health goals.

HP+ Nigeria is supporting state-level efforts to effectively capitalize on key health financing reforms, specifically the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF), by strengthening systems and structures to operationalize the fund, while also meet, and potentially exceed or improve performance to meet, the requirements of Primary Health Care Under One Roof (PHCUOR). Working in Abia, Osun, Ebonyi and the FCT, as well as some national-level support, HP+ Nigeria is looking to advance the following key objectives: (1) strengthen state-level governance, coordination, and synchronization to sustain stewardship and ownership of key health financing reforms; (2) identify and mobilize predictable and sustainable revenues for state-level health reforms; (3) improve transparency, accountability and efficiency of mobilized resources.

Position Summary

• The Consultant will be based in Osun, Nigeria and will be responsible in the areas of arranging staff movements (by road and air), responsible for meetings and workshop logistics
• The position will be supervised by the Osun State Team Leader.

Duration

• The position will be based on level of effort and will have a term of two months, set to begin in mid-October and end in mid-December 2019.

Key Responsibilities
Reporting to the Osun Finance Manager, the Operations Officer will:

• In consultation with the project team, explore market and collect price quotations from identified vendors and collect necessary documents and information to process procurement in line with HP+ policies and procedures;
• Conduct due diligence review of potential consultants/contractors and vendors prior to submission for approval;
• Draft consultancy, purchase order or other Palladium award instruments;
• Maintain appropriate and updated filing system for all project documents including procurement documents (Due Diligence forms, biodatas, hosting checklists; competitive quotations); approved budgets and purchase orders); and workshop/activity payments and attendance sheets;
• Ensure relevant authorization has been obtained before any purchase takes place;
• Ensure that HP+ procedures are adhered to and program staff are familiar with the procedures (this includes training staff on procurement mechanisms and new procurement procedures);
• Develop and maintain systems for tracking contractual documents, correspondence and reporting applying records management policy;
• Participate in workshop and event planning and budgeting;
• Make reservations for conferences/workshops venue and participants’ accommodation in line with company and project guidelines;
• Make reservations for air, train, or road travel as necessary;
• Provide timely and accurate logistical support for organizing conferences, workshops, and events. This includes arrangement of venue setup, catering, workshop supplies, and equipment;
• Coordinate with technical and finance team to confirm participants and workshop costs. Ensure the vendor invoices and participants expense reports are processed for payment on time;
• Administer travel authorizations, travel advance requests and travel expense reports including reviewing, ensuring authorized approval and processing for payments as per the corporate and project travel guidelines;
• Manage necessary vendor relationships to ensure smooth organization of workshops and programs. Maintain up-to-date list of vendors for accommodations, conference venues, travel logistics, workshop and stationery supplies, catering services, taxi/vehicle rentals, conference equipment and support services, interpreters, etc.;
• Potential travel to event venues to provide logistics support during activities;
• Ensure all HP+ assets are properly recorded, listed and tagged;
• Ensure all HP+ Assets and inventory list is updated periodically;
• Monitor staff timesheets and send communications to relevant staff for missing, incomplete, unsigned or unapproved timesheets.

Requirements
Degree and Experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in relevant field of study.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant experience. Experience with INGO projects are an advantage.
• Knowledge of travel arrangements and logistics is key.

Skills:

• Strong analytical and computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Internet).
• Ability to work in a team and communicate effectively with diverse cultural and professional staff members.
• Ability to work under pressure and with minimal supervision.