Cardiovascular Health Program Manager (Consultant), Nigeria at Resolve to Save Lives

Cardiovascular Health Program Manager (Consultant), Nigeria

Background:

Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) is a global not-for-profit organization with a mission to prevent 100 million deaths from heart disease and to make the world safer from epidemics. We are led by Dr Tom Frieden, former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Since 2017, Resolve to Save Lives has partnered with low- and middle-income country governments, multi-lateral agencies, academic and other civil society partners, and communities to build capacity for and support implementation of enabling policies and effective programs to treat and control hypertension, reduce sodium intake, eliminate artificial trans fat, and strengthen systems for epidemic prevention. To find out more about our work, visit: https://www.resolvetosavelives.org. 

In Nigeria, RTSL is working with the FMOH, NPHCDA, and WHO to implement the Nigerian Hypertension Control Initiative (NHCI) in Kano and Ogun States. The project aims to improve population hypertension control through screening, treatment, monitoring, and health education at the primary healthcare level. It is being implemented in about 104 facilities with plans to eventually scale up to about 184. In collaboration with FMOH (NCD Division, DHPRS), NPHCDA, and WHO, RTSL has recently launched the DHIS2 tracker app for hypertension and diabetes, an electronic data collection tool to track patient management at facilities.

Resolve to Save Lives has also supported the NCD Division of the FMOH to develop an addendum on NCD for the Task Shifting Task Sharing policy and to revise the NCD policy for the country. Both policy documents have been validated and are awaiting presentation at the NCH. RTSL is also commencing work with the FMOH to develop national tools, indicators, and treatment guidelines for hypertension management. There are plans to develop a pre-and in-service Training curriculum for NCDs. This will be done in collaboration with the NCD Division of the FMOH and relevant training institutions and professional associations of health care workers. RTSL is working with the FMOH, WHO, and GF to implement the STEPS survey to determine the prevalence of NCD risk factors to inform policy development and public health interventions. Resolve is also working with the Department of Food and Drugs within the FMOH on interventions to reduce salt intake by the population. This is mainly focused on Front of Pack Labelling (FOPL) and sodium reformulation.

Job Summary:

RTSL is seeking an experienced public health specialist with project management and policy development skills to support the FMOH to coordinate, facilitate and implement activities designed to expand quality hypertension diagnosis, treatment, and care in Nigeria. The Cardiovascular Health Program Manager will also support the coordination and advancement of nutrition policy activities targeted at lowering sodium consumption and elimination of trans fat. S/He will facilitate RTSL’s effort to reduce morbidity and mortality from NCDs by working with the NCD Division of the FMOH on coordination and implementation of the interventions in the NCD Multisectoral Action Plan 2019-2025. This individual will be embedded in the NCD Division of the FMOH with line management by senior members of the NCD team – National Coordinator-NCDs and Head of the Cardiovascular Disease Branch of the NCD Division. The incumbent will receive technical guidance and support from the National Coordinator-NCDs and Head of the Cardiovascular Disease Branch of the NCD Division. The incumbent will also receive technical guidance and support from Nigeria Cardiovascular Health Manager and Cardiovascular program technical leads (Hypertension and Nutrition) for Resolve to Save Lives in Nigeria. This will be a 6-month consultancy, with the possibility of extension, subject to funding availability. This position will be based in Abuja, with frequent travel to the field as the need arises.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities:

• Support the coordination and implementation of the NCDs Multisectoral Action Plan 2019-2025 and the NHCI Project, by helping to facilitate mechanisms such as:
  • Quarterly NCD Technical working group (TWG) sub-committee meetings
  • Biannual national NCDs Multi-Sectoral TWG meetings
  • Annual national NCDs Governing Council meeting
  • NHCI project Steering committee meeting on a regular basis and as needed
  • Biannual NHCI project review meeting
• Support the coordination of scale-up of hypertension prevention, treatment, and care services at PHC facilities through facilitation of planning meetings, training, supportive supervision, and monitoring of the NHCI project
• Support the coordination of reporting (monthly, quarterly, annual, and as is necessary) on the NHCI program, ensuring timely submission of high-quality data from the facilities in the states.
• Support the operationalization of the NHCI performance frameworks/monitoring systems and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems to strengthen and document lessons learned and improve data collection, analysis, reporting, and quality assurance.
• Support the development of a national sustainability/scale-up plan for hypertension management.
• Serve as liaison between the NCD Division and DFDS to facilitate activities for FOPL and sodium reformulation in the country
• Support the coordination of activities for landscaping/advocacy for policies and regulations to reduce sodium intake.
• Facilitate the passage and implementation of public food procurement policy in country, liaising with the home-grown school feeding program and the ministry of humanitarian affairs.
• Work within the FMOH and with NAFDAC to advance salt targets to reduce sodium levels in packaged food, coordinating with RTSL, GHAI and Uni Abuja
• Work to advance the implementation of the TFA elimination regulation.
• Support the development of tools (e.g., activity tracker) and information products (e.g., policy briefs) required by the NCD Division

Deliverables:

• Report on planning meetings, supportive field supervision, and monitoring activities on hypertension management in PHCs
• Report/minutes on coordination activities such as the NHCI project Steering Committee meeting, NCD TWG sub-committee meetings, biannual NCD TWG meetings, and annual National TWG Governance Council meeting
• A costed national sustainability/roll-out/scale-up plan for hypertension/work plan for the NHCI
• Policy briefs on hypertension and other NCDs/associated risk factors
• Manual of Basic Healthcare Provision Fund and Health Insurance benefits packages addressing NCD.
• Periodic reports on nutrition related work and reports/minutes on coordination activities.

Required Qualifications:  

• Medical doctor or Master’s degree in public health or related field
• At least six years of relevant experience working on large-scale public health program implementation in Nigeria
• Experience in project management
• Experience in policy development and implementation
• Experience in drafting strategy and guidelines related to public health programs
• Demonstrated group facilitation skills and ability to work with a range of stakeholders across different levels of the health system
• Experience with supportive supervision and delivering training
• Ability to communicate technical knowledge and expertise in both policy and operational environments
• Knowledge and experience in the application of MEL in projects at the state or national level
• Knowledge of clinic-based service delivery
• Experience in data collection, analysis, management, and report writing
• Exceptional written and verbal communications skills in English

Preferred Qualifications:

• To avoid possible conflict of interest or perception of conflict of interest, preference for candidates not affiliated with the food industry

Please include fee expectations with your application.