Data.FI Country Director at Palladium Group

Project Overview and Role   

• Palladium is currently seeking a Country Director, Nigeria to support implementation of the Translating Data for Implementation (Data.FI) award. Data.FI is a five-year global project funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Data.FI partners with PEPFAR programs to accelerate and sustain access to high-quality data to expedite HIV epidemic control and maintenance. Data.FI supports host country governments to enhance existing health information systems (HIS) and conduct in-depth analysis of HIV epidemiologic and program data to inform management responses to gaps in HIV and AIDS programming and sustain impact by supporting local partner transition.
• The Country Director for Data.FI, Nigeria provides leadership to and is responsible for the successful management of the Data.FI program in Nigeria, including the submission of all technical products to the highest standard of quality, financial management and compliance.
• This position is based in Abuja.

Responsibilities

• Provide overall technical and budgetary oversight for data.fi Nigeria;
• Provide oversight for management of project partners and sub-contractors in collaboration with the deputy director for finance;
• Ensure the strategic and functional integration across all technical areas of the project;
• Responsible for meeting contractual obligations, producing all products, deliverables and targets, and achieving project results as specified by USAID/Nigeria;
• Oversee project planning, contribute technical expertise as necessary to ensure project implementation, with a focus on results and financial accountability for all project activities;
• Provide strategic vision on program sustainability;
• Establish quality control standards in-line with Data.FI and USAID standards;
• Maintain strong, positive working relationships with Palladium colleagues, USAID Washington, USAID Missions, and partners, including but not limited to major subrecipients, local grantees, subcontractors, and local governments, to ensure effective implementation of project activities;
• Lead and advise on best governance principles, including ownership, inclusiveness, transparency, accountability, integrity, and ethical standards; balance the interests of various stakeholders and supports participatory governance through multisectoral partnerships;
• Build capacity of local partner organizations to increase ownership and sustainability of activities beyond the life of the project.
• Represent project at national, regional, and global technical forums as required;
• Contribute to new business development.

Reporting Requirements:
The role reports to the Data.FI Project Director. Reporting requirements include:

• Attendance at all regular Data.FI team meetings;
• Provision of regular updates to the line manager, including status of Key Result Areas (KRAs), and any other material matters and/or areas of concern;
• Submission of financials and forecasts, and contributions to Data.FI internal project and client reporting;
• Other reporting as requested by the line manager.

Relationships:

• The role is part of the Data.FI Project Team and will work in coordination with US-based and regional technical leadership and project management staff.
• The role is the principal liaison to the client, USAID/Nigeria, and to partner organizations in Nigeria.
• This role will supervise a number of senior positions, including finance staff. 

Authority levels:

• The role carries a degree of autonomy on technical leadership with appropriate consultation. The role is required to analyse and make sound recommendations to the line manager;
• Oversee and maintain quality country over project activities at the country level;
• Contribute to process improvement through innovative and cost-effective proposals and ideas.

Minimum Education and Experience

• PhD or Master's level Education in Public Health, Health Informatics or another relevant field of study.
• At least five years’ of experience managing complex PEPFAR-funded public health programs or programs of similar scope and size, including program, financial and administration management; staff oversight and supervision; award contractual compliance; sub-award management; and tracking project performance and costs via specific funding streams.
• Additional 10 years of progressively increasing responsibility in health information systems strengthening, or a related field; recent experience with this work in Nigeria. Experience in building public-private partnerships preferred.
• Experience developing, communicating and implementing a project vision and aligning key stakeholders around the vision.
• Demonstrated experience in working with USAID and PEPFAR partners in Nigeria, to improve program performance.

Key Competencies and Professional Expertise:

• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with USAID, government officials, and other development partners.
• Demonstrated understanding of health information systems, and the importance of HIS to reaching PEPFAR, UNAIDS 95-95-95, and GOSA goals to end the epidemic.
• Demonstrated understanding of the PEPFAR data streams, the analytic questions facing PEPFAR programs and PEPFAR reporting requirements
• Strong management skills, strategic vision, leadership qualities, professional reputation, and ability to create synergies across a program of work.
• Clear experience in managing and supervising a team of senior professionals
• Detail-oriented and deadline-driven with strong organizational skills, and ability to work in a dynamic and agile environment with changing requirements and priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as a member of a fast-moving and multicultural team while maintaining a client-centered focus, and promoting diversity and inclusion across different cultures, genders, and hierarchical levels.
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
• Sound problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Entrepreneurial and inquisitive mindset that takes initiative to learn new systems, technologies, and skills pertinent to the work of Data.FI.
• Professional level of oral and written fluency in English language. Fluency in other Nigerian languages preferred.
• Willingness to travel within Nigeria 25-30% of the time an internationally, periodically.
• Postholder must hold current legal authorization to work long-term in Nigeria.