Newborn Health Advisor at Save The Children

Length of Contract: Only valid till 30th September, 2018

The Organisation
We employ approximately 25,000 people across the globe and work on the ground in over 100 countries to help children affected by crises, or those that need better healthcare, education and child protection. We also campaign and advocate at the highest levels to realise the right of children and to ensure their voices are heard.

We are working towards three breakthroughs in how the world treats children by 2030:

• No child dies from preventable causes before their 5th birthday
• All children learn from a quality basic education and that,
• Violence against children is no longer tolerated

We know that great people make a great organization, and that our employees play a crucial role in helping us achieve our ambitions for children. We value our people and offer a meaningful and rewarding career, along with a collaborative and inclusive workplace where ambition, creativity, and integrity are highly valued.

Role Purpose

• The aim of this position is designed to contribute to the management and implementation of the programme in Kogi states and to lead in the provision of technical assistance to the State Ministry of Health, State PHCD/Board, LGA and working in collaboration with State Chapters of , PAN, NISONM & SOGON and the MCSP Maternal Health team as relevant.

Key Areas of Accountability
Newborn Health Policy & Programming:

• To be responsible for the provision of technical assistance on new-born health within the MCSP programme and support to strengthen capacity for essential new-born care and management of the three major killers of new-borns – intrapartum related complication, new-born infections and preterm births in health facilities at state level.
• Ensure care for new-born health services at all levels of the SMOH is data driven
• Identify and advocate for and leverage additional resources for maternal and new-born health within the state working with partners.

Primary Health Care & Child Health:

• To be responsible for the implementation of MCSP/USAID programme linking it with primary health care development in the state within the context of the IMNCH and Saving One Million Lives Initiatives and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) Strategies  - .
• Provide overall leadership for MCSP new-born health activities at state level.

Cross cutting:

• To contribute to achievement of the overall MCSP programme objectives working with the MCSP Deputy Director, the Senior Newborn Health Advisor and other senior staff members

Representation:

• To represent Save the Children’s values and mission, as well as the Nigeria programme experience, at strategic state, national, selected regional fora especially in MNH. Understand relevant Save the Children policies and procedures & comply with them.
• Other strategic duties as agreed by the MCSP State Team lead / Senior Newborn Health Advisor .

Documentation and Reporting:

• To prepare and submit quarterly reports to the Deputy Programme, Director and the Senior  NH Advisor

Others:

• Provide mentorship and capacity building  for health workers on essential new-born care, sick new-born care, kangaroo mother care, bubble continuous positive airway pressure and possible severe bacterial infection
• Contribute to development of quarterly progress reports about the new-born health activities in Kogi State
• Contribute to development of new-born health technical documents
• Represent the programme and it’s interests with key stakeholders (government, implementing partners, manufacturers, etc.) in Kogi State
• Other strategic duties as agreed by supervisors and senior advisors

Qualifications, Skills & Experience
Administrative & General Skills:

• Medical qualification (MD or M.B.B.S.). A post-graduate qualification in Paediatrics, Neonatology, Midwifery and/or Public Health is preferred
• Substantial experience in facilitating clinical trainings. Certified trainers on the national Essential Newborn Care Course, sick new-born care and possible severe bacterial infection strongly preferred.
• Experience in providing technical support to partners and in particular government at senior levels.
• Superior interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and negotiate clearly and effectively at all levels. Presentation and training skills, along with tact and diplomacy are essential.
• Proven capacity to deliver results against objectives, reporting schedules and work plans.
• Excellent analytical and conceptual skills and the proven ability to translate these into concise high quality reports and lessons learnt documents,
• Confidence in using word processing and spreadsheet computer packages.

​Desirable:

• Experience in health systems development and primary health care management.
• Technical expertise in new-born health
• Proven capacity in strategic planning and long term positioning.

Skills and Behaviours (Our Values in Practice)
Accountability:

• accuracy and timeliness in all areas of responsibility
• high level of accuracy in work, and ability to analyse complex sets of relationships and situations
• holds self and others accountable

Ambition:

• creating best-in-class EA function
• future-orientated, thinks pro-actively

Collaboration:

• Working effectively with stakeholders to achieve common goals
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• builds and maintains effective relationships, with the health team, colleagues, members and external partners

Creativity:

• Willing to take disciplined risks
• Be willing to implement Save the Children’s ‘Theory of Change’ to innovate, advocate, and strive to achieve MNH results at scale in target areas.

Integrity:

• Be honest, encourage openness and transparency, demonstrating highest levels of integrity.