Project Director at Malaria Consortium

Department: Management
Length of Contract: 6 years
Role type: Global
Grade: 12
Travel involved: 35% in-country, 5% international
Child safeguarding level: TBC
Reporting to: West & Central Africa Programmes Director
Direct Reports: Project Manager, LTTA-Evidence & Learning, LTTA- Programme Management, Senior MEAL Expert, Senior Finance Expert, Senior Technical Assistance Expert

Job Purpose

• The Project Director will provide overall programme oversight to SUNMAP2. He/She will be the focal point for engagement with DFID and representation at National level.
• He/She will lead the SUNMAP2 Senior Management Team (SMT).
• The post holder will be responsible for the development and monitoring of a sustainability plan working closely with other members of the SMT and other partners.
• He/She will support institutional capacity building efforts including those linked to health reforms. They will provide oversight to long term secondments to NMEP and line manage members of the SMT.

Scope of Work

• The Project Director will lead a project team that includes experienced technical and programme management specialists and oversee the provision of short term technical assistance from SUNMAP2 to NMEP and SMEP and other key stakeholders.
• He/She will work to keep SUNMAP2 on course to achieve its targets especially because it will be a payment-by-result type of contract.

Key Working Relationships:

• DFID Nigeria as point of contact and participation in the Programme Management Committee
• West & Central Africa Programmes Director as line manager
• Technical Director and Country Technical Coordinator for coordination of short term technical assistance through SUNMAP2
• Chief Finance Officer for coordination of value for money arrangements
• Providing strategic, programmatic and management oversight to the country-based project team
• HQ Senior Management Team for high-level strategic, financial and donor-related issues

Key Accountabilities
Strategic planning, management and governance (20%):

• Provide strategic planning support to the SMT
• Provide effective support and oversight to the members of the SMT to ensure that implementation occurs according to operational plans
• Support the Regional Programmes and West and Central Africa Programmes Director and Country Director in identifying opportunities which can be used to sustain the impact of the project and/or extend the scale of the project
• Ensure regular communications are maintained between the different teams particularly between State teams, and with the Abuja office
• Be responsible for the project risk register. Work with the Project Director and members of the SMT in the identification, tracking, prevention and management of key programme risks especially those related to performance and fiduciary management
• Be liaison between the project and DFID’s Programme Management committee
• Stand in for the Project Director as delegated

Programme Management (50%):

• Develop and implement work plans, ensuring that partner work plans are integrated into an overall consolidated programme work plan Oversee project partner’s inputs and subcontractors activities to deliver harmonized, aligned and effective outputs Manage a number of complex public, civil society and commercial sector partnerships
• Work closely with the Technical Director and Country Technical Coordinator to see that work plans are aligned with best technical approaches Coordinate the provision of programme management strengthening support to the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP)
• Ensure monitoring systems are in place and that project reviews/audits are carried out periodically in conjunction with the project team, key stakeholders and project partners
• Travel to the field as necessary to provide support and oversight to the State teams
• Ensure all relevant authorities and stakeholders are included in the planning and implementation of the project as appropriate
• Maintain a good and proactive collaboration with the relevant authorities at Federal level, such as NMEP, and other stakeholders including other relevant DFID-funded programmes and GFATM malaria grant sub-recipients
• Work with the Country Technical Coordinator to see that project lessons and experiences are documented
• Work with the SMT to see that programme improvement is data-driven
• Remain engaged with current funding opportunities for malaria control/elimination through liaising with other INGOs, government bodies, donors and UN agencies

Logistics, Finance and Administration (10%):

• Ensure the project is efficiently and accurately managed within allowable line item flexibility and there is full accountability of resources
• Ensure familiarity with Malaria Consortium and donor compliance issues, ensuring all national partners are compliant with these
• Work with SMT members to prepare projected programme expenditures
• Work with the Project’s Senior Finance Expert to monitor expenditure and budget compliance on a regular basis, report any concerns to the Project Director and develop plans to mitigate any under or over expenditure
• Closely monitor project budget spending and burn rates
• Work closely with the finance team to ensure timely financial reporting and assistance at audits for the project
• Work closely with the logistics team to ensure that all items required for the project are procured in a timely manner and in line with donor requirements

Human Resource Management (5%):

• Work with the HR team to lead the recruitment and selection of staffing for the project
• Line manage members of the SUNMAP using performance-based management approaches

Representation (15%):

• Be responsible for representation with other NGOs, UN agencies, local and national government bodies, donors and other relevant parties. Coordinate project representation at technical working groups and other relevant coordination frameworks
• Relevant international and regional events to showcase the project’s achievements

Person Specification
Qualifications and Experience:

Essential:

• Master’s Degree in Public Health, International Development or related discipline
• Senior management level experience on large sized health projects in Africa
• At least 15 years working experience in international projects
• At least 5 years of those spent in projects in developing countries lasting more than 2 years and managing teams of 10 or more including local and international staff
• Experience managing at least one project for an external government client for at least 2 years
• Experience working with performance-based contracts
• Experience in project and financial management with a proven track record of timely submission of high quality project deliverables

Desirable:

• Experience managing donor grants or contracts such as DFID, GFATM or USAID/PMI
• Experience working on maternal and child health programmes, including community health delivery
• Familiar with the Nigeria health system

Work-based skills:

Essential:

• Strategic thinking
• Ability to manage and inspire high performing teams
• Excellent programme management skills, with proven ability to implement high quality projects on time and within budget
• Resource mobilisation skills including an understanding of global and national public health and malaria networks
• Strong negotiation skills, particularly in engaging government health officials at all levels
• Good influencing and persuasion skills and ability to remain compliant with organisational and donor policies
• Ability to manage and prioritize high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines
• Excellent problem solving skills
• Excellent English language skills, both spoken and written
• Capable of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures
• Excellent knowledge of Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel
• Excellent presentation skills
• A team player, with a friendly attitude
• Proactive and takes initiative as required
• Results-oriented work ethic

Desirable:

• Good capacity building skills especially mentoring and coaching
• Conversant with the basic epidemiology of malaria in Nigeria
• Data-driven decision making mentality
• Familiar with value-for-money principles
• Excellent advocacy skills, and comfortable being a strong advocate for malaria control

Core Competencies
Delivering results:

• LEVEL D - Inspires wider teams to achieve outstanding results and to manage risks
• Proactively improves effectiveness and performance of other senior staff to increase ability to meet objectives, acquiring new skills when appropriate
• Encourages mitigating risks amongst the teams/ groups they work with/ manage
• Ensures the quality of all internal/ external work of own and others

Analysis and use of information:

• LEVEL D - Analyses the external environment confidently
• Generates a range of policy options and appraises them based on the internal and external evidence
• Develops ways of applying new knowledge and ensures lesson-learning with self and wider team
• Analyses the significance of external events and situations for Malaria Consortium

Interpersonal and communications:
LEVEL D - Communicates complex technical and/ or sensitive/ high risk information effectively

• Communicates complex operational, technical and strategic issues clearly and credibly with widely varied audiences
• Uses varied communication to promote dialogue and shared understanding and consensus across a variety of audiences
• Influences internal and external audiences on specific issues
• Scans the internal and external environment for key information and messages to support communications strategies

Collaboration and partnering:

• LEVEL C - Builds strong networks internally and participates actively in external networks and think tanks
• Builds strong networks internally
• Participates actively in external networks and/ or think tanks
• Engages with relevant experts to gather and evaluate evidence
• Shares and implements good practice with internal and external peers

Leading and motivating people:

• LEVEL C - Effectively leads and motivates others or direct reports
• Gives regular, timely and appropriate feedback
• Acknowledges good performance and deals with issues concerning poor performance
• Carries out staff assessment and development activities conscientiously and effectively
• Develop the skills and competence of others through the development and application of skills
• Coaches and supports team members when they have difficulties

Flexibility/ adaptability:

• LEVEL D - Clarifies priorities and ensures learning from experience
• Clarifies priorities when leading change
• Sees and shows others the benefits of strategic change
• Helps colleagues/ team members to practise stress management through prioritisation of workloads and modelling of appropriate self-management and care
• Makes time to learn from experience and feedback and apply the lessons to a new situation

Living the values:

• LEVEL C - Supports others to live Malaria Consortium’s values
• Demonstrates personal integrity by using role position responsibly and fairly
• Cultivates an open culture within the wider team, promoting accountability, responsibility and respect for individual differences

Strategic planning and thinking and sector awareness:

• LEVEL D - Takes a helicopter view and anticipates the future
• Demonstrates an ability to step back from operational issues and see things holistically (helicopter vision)
• Anticipates how actions will impact other teams and negotiating to reach mutually acceptable solutions
• Demonstrates how complex strategic issues can be broken down into simple discrete steps

Salary

• USD 85,344.