Project Director at Jhpiego - John Hopkins University

Overview

• The Project Director will report to the Deputy Country Director. S/he provides vision, leadership and direction to ensure the strategic, programmatic, technical, and financial integrity of a USAID- and Johnson & Johnson-funded mobile health project in Nigeria that aims to improve the health outcomes and quality of life for pregnant women, newborns and children and their families in Nigeria through a nationally scaled, locally led, and universally accessible demand generation service supported by age and stage- based mobile messaging that validates and complements the efforts of frontline health workers.
• The Project Director will develop, maintain, strengthen and expand a collaborative approach with consortium members and key stakeholders.
• The Project Director is responsible for achieving the planned results set out for the program and will serve as the primary point of contact with USAID, Federal Ministry of Health and its agencies, State Ministries of Health counterparts and local partner institutions.
• The Protect Director is responsible for overall program management and guidance to team members.

Responsibilities
Leadership:

• Provide leadership and strategic direction to ensure programmatic and financial integrity of the program and to achieve rapid and sustained project goals, objectives and targets.
• Ensure that program is technically sound, evidence-based and responsive to the needs of Nigeria, its people and donors.
• Ensure compliance with the program agreement results arid the oversight of program activities to achieve the stated objectives.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships and alliances with USAID, the Federal Ministry of Health, selected State Ministries of Health as well as UN agencies, other USG partners, private sector partners, traditional and religious leaders local NGOs arid other key stakeholders hi Nigeria to maximize resources and avoid duplication of effort
• Represent Jhpiego’s interests and present progress, achievements and lessons learned to key stakeholders including USAID arid project partners in public and professional circles through meetings, conferences, and presentations.
• Provide technical leadership in the design, analysis, and synthesis of interventions.
• Be prepared to test innovative solutions to the challenge of high maternal, newborn and child mortality in Nigeria.
• Ensure the quality and sustainability of interventions particularly in the areas of maternal, newborn and child health and capacity building
• Advise Nigerian counterparts on technical issues and participate in relevant technical advisory groups with counterparts and partner institutions.

Management:

• Lead the annual project work planning process in close collaboration with USAID, the Federal Ministry of Health, project team and project partners.
• Mentor, support, supervise and manage a team of highly qualified staff arid align their efforts to ensure rapid and sustainable results.
• Provide guidance, in collaboration with key staff specialists, to subcontractors and sub-grantees and coordinate activities with other agencies.
• Write and/or review technical components of materials and publications related to the project and its development.
• Ensure resources for program implementation are available.
• Work with finance and project staff to develop and track project budgets.
• Work with Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) staff to develop M&E frameworks and effectively track data/results.
• Work closely with Jhpiego home office staff to ensure effective, timely and coordinated project implementation.
• Ensure compliance with USAID operational policies and regulations

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Advanced degree (Masters - minimum) in Public Health, Health Administration, International Health, Health informatics, Health Communication or a related field or clinical degree (Physician, Advanced Practice Nurse, Midwife) with public health program experience
• A minimum of 15 years of project management experience (of which at least half is in a senior management position) in large, multi-year international health sector development programs that have implemented successful activities In areas such as reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, health communication, or eHealth/mHealth
• Excellent diplomacy skills arid a proven ability to establish and sustain interpersonal and professional relationships with
• USAID missions, host-country counterparts and representatives from other key stakeholders such as NGOs, PVOs, the private sector and other donors.
• In-depth knowledge of and experience with USAID programs, regulations, compliance and reporting, (e.g., five years as a senior manager on USAID programs)
• Demonstrated outstanding leadership, strategic thinking, organizational, team-building and representational skills.
• Management, training or clinical background in reproductive, maternal, newborn and/or child health or eHealth/mHealth
• Previous experience working in Nigeria, with intimate understanding of local health system and maternal, newborn and child health gaps and opportunities, and solid relationships at government agencies
• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform
• Proficiency in word processing, Microsoft Office and Microsoft Excel
• Fluent in mitten and spoken English
• Excellent oral and written communications skills
• Ability to travel nationally and internationally up to 30%
• Nigerian nationals strongly encouraged to apply