Program Associate at John Snow Inc - JSI

Job Summary

• The primary role of the State Program Associates will be to support the SPHCDA team in five State of Bayelsa, Edo, Imo, Jigawa and Lagos Nigeria and provide strategic leadership in order to ensure effective planning and implementation of SPHCDA priority activities. 
• The State Program Associates will work under the supervision of the M-RITE Nigeria State Team Lead (STL) and will collaborate closely with the SPHCDA/LGHA and partner organizations.

Responsibilities

The State Program Associates will be responsible for providing technical assistance to the SPHCDA/LGHA, including other local partner:

• Serve as a strategic, high-level technical Officer to the SPHCDA/LGHA, and technical sub-committees and working groups responsible for routine immunization and COVID-19 vaccination
• Work in collaboration with the SPHCDA and technical partners to complete evaluations of immunization activities at state level in the 5 selected states.
• Work with SPHCDAs/LGHA to develop strategies to reduce zero dose and under immunized in the states and work with LGAs and PHCs to continue to identify, reach, monitor, measure and advocate for support from key community stakeholders.
• Work in collaboration with the SPHCDA/LGHA technical working groups and sub-committees to define and implement COVID-19 vaccines, and to align state-level support to national strategies including Zero Dose strategy, HSS, and SCALES 3.0.
• Support all aspects of the catch-up phase for COVID-19 vaccination (Bayelsa, Edo and Lagos state only) technical assistance.
• Provide technical assistance to analysis of program performance.  Collaborate with partners to collect and analyze data, monitor performance, and support SPHCDA/LGHA with strategic leadership for planning and implementing corrective actions.
• Provide linkages between M-RITE and local partners (NGOs, etc.) to mobilize them and provide support and technical assistance to program activities. Work with these organizations to ensure technical support at all levels. 
• Support the development and submission of progress reports to M-RITE and partners, including regular reporting of updates
• Remain in regular contact (by email, phone, Slack, etc.) with the M-RITE Nigeria leadership team and the M-RITE global level team through regular check-in meetings
• Under the guidance of the M-RITE State Team lead, oversee the LGA level support for RI/PHC
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or other Advanced Degree with 5+ years of experience, or equivalent experience..
• Minimum 7 years of relevant work experience in Maternal and Child Health (MCH) projects with a focus on introducing, implementing, and evaluating vaccination and PHC services. 
• A strong knowledge of immunization programming and Health Systems Strengthening in USAID funded project highly desirable.
• Leading and managing USAID funded MCH program in cluster of  LGAs is strongly desirable
• Experience with health system strengthening and pro-equity approaches in Nigeria with a preference for technical expertise in immunization/vaccine preventable diseases and PHC at state or zonal level is desirable.
• Demonstrated leadership with proven track record to work across multiple partners (e.g., State and or LGAgovernment, donors, and other partners such as WHO, AFENET) to build and sustain collaborative relationships.
• Fluency in English or local language an added advantage