Project Leader at ABT Associates

Organization Overview

The International Health Division is committed to the improvement of health and healthcare delivery around the world.  Serving both the public and private sectors, our efforts include health policy research and evaluation, health promotion and disease prevention, health finance, and health systems management.  Our impact is felt in policies that ensure healthcare access for women, children, and individuals with special needs, in strengthening health infrastructures, and HIV/AIDS solutions.

Job Summary

The USAID-funded PMI AIRS (“Africa Indoor Residual Spraying”) Project supports the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI), as well as USAID Missions in planning implementing,  and monitoring  annual IRS programs with the overall goal of reducing the burden of malaria.    It is expected that during the PMI AIRS  Project, activities will also focus on creating sustainability and increase in-country ownership for IRS programming.

Under the supervision of the US-based Project Director, the Nigeria Chief of Party manages and supervises the successful implementation of the PMI AIRS Project, and acts as the primary liaison between the project and USAID mission in Nigeria, the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP), other government agencies completing malaria control activities, and various other malaria stakeholders in-country.  The COP is required to provide overall strategic direction, operations management, technical leadership, and financial and administrative compliance for all project activities to assure IRS campaigns meet desired outcomes, are completed on-time, and within budget.

Key Responsibilities

• Represents Abt Associates and the PMI AIRS Project to the PMI Advisor of the USAID Mission, the Ministry of Health, the NMCP, and other key stakeholders.
• Carries full authority and accountability for project decisions, as delegated by the US-based Project Director.
• Sets and pursues a results-oriented program strategy in coordination with the project team and in consultation with USAID, other partners and stakeholders.
• Leads the development and production of all deliverables, including annual country work plans, and semi-annual reports.
• Ensures that all country planning activities, spray operations, technical compliance measures, and other deliverables are achieved in a timely manner.
• Develops a capacity-building plan for transferring entomological monitoring ad surveillance knowledge and skills to local institutions, and develops important connections for assuring an increased role of local institutions in entomological monitoring and surveillance planning, implementation, and monitoring.
• Ensures that gender initiatives increase the participation of women at all levels and in all aspects of programming, and ensure their safety.
• Supervises and mentors the Technical Manager, Finance and Administrative Manager, and others as needed.
• Ensures that staff, team members and consultants understand their roles and responsibilities and comply with contract requirements, USAID and Abt policies and procedures.
• Oversees the development and timely implementation of monitoring plans for all project activities and ensures that data required for USAID performance benchmarks and results frameworks are produced.
• Ensures that project budget projections, expenditure, tracking and reporting are in accordance with USAID and Abt Associates requirements, procedures and practices.
• Ensures that lessons learned and best practices are documented and shared. 

Skills Prerequisites

• Master Degree (minimum), or a Doctorate Degree (desirable), in Public Health/Health Administration (or other relevant health specialization) or Business Administration.  Candidates with Medical Degrees are also desirable.
• At least 15 years of relevant international health experience, including significant experience in the area of malaria prevention and control.
• Experience in the geographic/cultural region of the project is preferred.
• At least 5 years of senior project management experience in large international health projects/programs.
• Demonstrated leadership in management skills and ability to lead and motivate multidisciplinary, multicultural teams, ranging from 10 to 30 employees.
• Experience managing a fast paced, results oriented, deadline driven project.
• Significant ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with USAID, ministry officials, and other development partners.
• Experience developing and communicating a project vision, aligning key stakeholders around the vision, and assuring the vision is translated into efficiently implemented program activities.
• Fluency in English.
• Ability to communicate and write reports and other professional documents in English.

Minimum Qualifications

(15+) years of experience and a master degree OR the equivalent combination of education and experience. This experience would include 1-5 years of management experience.