Lead HSS Advisor at Health Systems Consult Limited (HSCL)

Project Background

• In collaboration with the Government of Nigeria (GoN), PEPFAR/USAID investments have led to the achievement of significant progress in the fight against the HIV epidemic in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara. However, the 2018 Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) showed that epidemic control targets are yet to be achieved. Further, this progress is threatened by development challenges: limited financial resources, insufficient use of data for decision making, weak coordination mechanism across all levels of government and insecurity.
• The Accelerating Control of HIV Epidemic (ACE) project provides USAID with the opportunity to support the GoN, civil society groups, and private sector actors in the cluster 3 focus states to close gaps in reaching control targets, address critical challenges in implementing their HIV response and accelerate progress towards sustainable epidemic control.

Job Summary

• The Lead HSS will provide technical expertise, support the design and day-to-day management and implementation of health systems strengthening (HSS) projects and activities within the organization.
• The individual must be a business professional and the capability to manage and deliver organizational and project goals, which must be performed with decisiveness and accuracy for effective business performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide overall guidance, technical assistance, and leadership support for Health System Strengthening for the project.
• Support health systems strengthening interventions including leadership and management capacity building, policy development, health information systems, enhanced efficiency of supply chains and skills building among health providers.
• Provide technical assistance to strengthen institutional capacity of county health system management and the implementation of quality health services
• Support strengthening strategic planning at county level by supporting the development and implementation of the health component of the five-year strategic plan, the annual operation plan and M&E plan.
• Support dissemination and distribution of policies and guidelines within the region of support and provide technical assistance to ensure use and implementation.
• Coordinate and actively participate in health workforce coordination committee to determine health workforce gaps, remedies and evaluation needs
• Oversee health workforce contracting and transition process to county government payroll
• Provide strategic oversight and supervision support to the GON in budgeting for essential services
• Collaborate with the relevant USAID national mechanisms that are supporting HRH activities, including needs identification, coordination of interventions, and supervision of HRH management, HRH development and HRH leadership, management and governance capacity development.
• Support for regular county technical working group meetings to plan and review the county’s plan for commodity management, with a focus on commodity information systems and data reporting
• Lead capacity building and training programs related to addressing HSS issues at the national and state levels
• Support state governments and relevant stakeholders in strengthening the management of the health system through evidence-based decision-making, needs-based planning, information systems that track health workers and service delivery practices, and quality assurance mechanisms.
• Support health system leadership and management to develop management practices and HRH support systems that standardize recruitment, promote retention, and enable top performance of health workers.
• Provide guidance and support in the development of HRH competencies and systems processes for monitoring workforce performance as related to service quality.
• Participate in national and state-level strategic planning and M&E activities; and monitor the progress of the project in improving workforce rationalization, optimization, and leadership/management.
• Support the sharing of lessons learned, promising practices and effective strategies to enable the stategovernments to advance toward the desired HRH/HSS results – expanding access to consistent quality care to meet population health needs.

Education and/or Work Experience Requirements

• Minimum of Master’s Degree in Health Policy and administration, Health Sector Development, Public Health or related field.
• Minimum of seven (7) years of relevant, senior-level professional experience managing and implementing health systems strengthening programs in the areas listed above Desired Competencies:
• Seven (7) years demonstrated experience in managing and supervising a team and project design.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with government representatives, for-profit private sector entities, local community organizations, donors and other stakeholders, particularly at the sub-national level.
• Proven knowledge of HSS issues and trends, and the ability to integrate HSS with HIV services improvement and delivery.
• Strong interpersonal skills and accomplishment in strategic visioning, leadership, networking, and problem-solving as well as effective liaising with senior-level policy makers.
• Proven success in working in or with NGO, IP and Government officials at all levels.
• Professional level of oral and written fluency in English language. Proficiency in Hausa will be an added advantage.