Program Coordinator at APIN

Project No: NEST360

Project Overview

• Reducing newborn deaths is a critical global health priority. The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.2 has a target for all countries to reduce neonatal mortality rates below 12/1,000 by 2030. At current rates of progress, sub-Saharan Africa will be the last global region to achieve SDG 3.2, reaching the target over fifty years or more too late. NEST360 (Newborn Essential Solutions and Technologies) catalyzes change for newborn care, enabling African countries to meet the 2025 ENAP coverage targets and the SDG 2030 newborn survival targets.
• The NEST360 international alliance has been optimizing this multi-stakeholder, evidence-based model in Nigeria since 2019. Building on demonstrated evidence of impact at seven hospitals in the southwest region of Nigeria, NEST360 in Nigeria is currently positioned to scale up interventions to more public and private Nigerian hospitals with a high volume of inborn and outborn newborn rates throughout the country.
• The project team, in partnership with APIN Public Health Initiatives, is working alongside the FMOH and the current implementing states—Oyo, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, and the FCT—to strengthen their capacity to effectively deliver quality Comprehensive Newborn Care services.

Role Purpose

• The program coordinator will be expected to support the Rice360 Country Director in program implementation, project planning and coordination and support program operations.

Scope of Work

• The Program Coordinator will provide high-level coordination and administrative support to the Country Director in managing day-to-day program implementation of the NEST360 program in Nigeria.
• The role will involve supporting the planning, integration, and alignment of program activities across various thematic areas, including training, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and quality improvement (QI), while ensuring timely and efficient delivery of program milestones.
• The NEST program coordinator will work with the NEST360 project team to ensure that the NEST360 program is executed according to work plan and budget and in line with program policies, focusing on program quality and sustainability across the components of newborn health care programming.
• He/She will work with other managers to maintain regular contact with the headship of health facilities and the Ministry of Health in states where NEST360 program is being implemented, ensuring quality monitoring of NEST360 implementation and progress.

Major Responsibilities
Program Coordination & Planning:

• Support the Country Director in developing and updating work plans, implementation schedules, and strategic priorities.
• Coordinate across program teams (Training, M&E, QI, Equipment, and Clinical) to ensure timely execution of activities in line with the NEST360 implementation plan.
• Track progress on program deliverables and flag issues or delays to the Country Director for timely action.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Assist in preparing for stakeholder engagements, including government agencies, facility leaders, and implementing partners.
• Assist the Country Director in organizing and supporting national and subnational meetings, program reviews, and technical working groups.
•  Draft and circulate meeting minutes, reports, and follow-up actions.

Reporting & Documentation:

• Compile monthly and quarterly implementation updates from thematic teams and assist in drafting donor and internal reports.
• Maintain an organized system for program files, tools, SOPs, meeting notes, and documentation.

 Operational Support:

• Coordinate logistics for program activities including trainings, field visits, and high-level meetings.
• Liaise with finance and administrative teams to ensure timely processing of program-related requests (procurement, travel, etc.).
• Support budget tracking, ensuring activities are implemented within allocated budgets and working with finance to conduct monthly BVA reviews

Collaboration & Teamwork:

• Work closely with all the thematic leads to facilitate collaboration, troubleshoot implementation challenges, and align on priorities.
• Support monitoring visits and program reviews with the rest of the team.
• Ensure constant liaison state with MoH officials and facility heads as part of maintaining partnership and engagement with stakeholders in line with NEST360 program strategy for sustainability.
• Undertake regular field visits to monitor project implementation and provide on-the-spot support to field teams accordingly.
• Perform any other relevant task as directed by the Rice360 Country Director.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Health-related field with a Post-graduate qualification (Preferably Master’s Degree) in Public Health, Development Studies, or any other relevant field.
• Previous Training in Project Management or Systems Strengthening.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in coordination and implementation of health programs, specifically in management of newborn health programs at the state or national level.
•  Experience working jointly with national or state, and/or local health actors to strengthen the quality and responsiveness of child health services, particularly newborn health services.
• Technical expertise and working knowledge in the conduct of Health Facility Assessment.
• Capacity to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Experience in report writing and budgeting (organization and donor reporting)
• Ability to conduct field travel when required.