Senior Program Officer at RTI International

Project Description

• Act to End Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) | East, is an eight-year (2018 - 2026) project, funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through which RTI International supports through which RTI supports and expands Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) control and elimination in priority countries including Nigeria. The Project Goal is to support the government of NTD endemic countries to control and/or eliminate NTDs with proven, cost-effective public health interventions
• Working with the Federal and State Ministries of Health in Nigeria, the project provides funding and technical support for the implementation of elimination activities for five targeted NTDs: lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis, soil-transmitted helminths, and trachoma. The project works through the NTD units at national, state and LGA levels to deliver its’ mandate of NTD control and elimination.

Position Description

• RTI seeks a Senior Program Officer (SPO) who will work directly under the supervision of the Implementation Manager to coordinate with Federal and State Ministries of Health, and other Act | East partners in providing oversight during planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting of Act I East program activities. The SPO will work closely with the Program Officer, the MERLA Manager, and the Finance & Administration Manager on a day-to-day basis, to support effective implementation of Act | East contributions to the national NTD program. RTI International is always seeking to expand its portfolio. This position may be expected to support additional projects expansion role if awarded.

The position will be based in Abuja, Nigeria, and will report to the Implementation Manager.

Responsibilities

Programmatic Functions (Planning, Coordination of Implementation and Reporting)

• Under the direction of the Implementation Manager (IM), the SPO will provide technical support, supervise and monitor Act | East’s field activities for reporting on progress measured against expected results noted in the Nigeria Act | East annual work plan.
• Coordinate with Federal and State Ministries of Health in planning and preparation of meetings as required with Act | East counterparts such as zonal review meetings, technical working groups and expert committee meetings, along with project supervisory visits to assess progress against the expected results noted within Act | East’s annual work plan.
• Contribute to technical activities development based on the program's strategic directions mainly focusing on sub-grantees and Local Government Areas. This includes developing implementation plans for nation-wide scale-up of Disease Specific Assessments (DSAs) for Lymphatic Filariasis (LF) and Onchocerciasis (OV) and plan for Post-Transmission Surveillance preparedness for states completing assessments.
• In collaboration with key stakeholders, provide technical support for the planning, implementation, monitoring and reporting processes for the scale-down of mass drug administration (MDA) to treat onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis in endemic areas.
• Ensure the development and adherence to workplans and budgets for the achievement of planned project outputs and targets for all Act | East projects in Nigeria.
• Coordinate capacity building initiatives as may be required for government partners at LGA, State and National levels.
• Work with the Implementation Manager and the Program Officer to coordinate and ensure the completion of annual work plans, semi-annual reports, and monthly updates.
• Support the Implementation Manager in ensuring adherence to all donor requirements in program implementation and reporting.

Program Monitoring Functions

• Support the implementation Manager and work with the MERLA Manager on internal and external evaluations on the outcomes of program activities as established during the planning phase; and to disseminate findings from evaluations to support organizational learning and contribute to program improvement.
• Work with the MERLA Manager by providing program component to support the development of protocols for disease-specific assessments and reports for treatment coverage evaluation surveys, and supervisors’ coverage tools, in collaboration with the FMOH, SMOH, and HQ-based program staff.

Program Advocacy and Strategic Alliances

• Support the Implementation Manager and the COP (Chief of Party) to build and maintain meaningful working relationships with both government and key program stakeholders at all levels to strengthen opportunities for advocacy and higher visibility for Act | East project.
• Represent RTI/ Act | East among local partners and at other appropriate fora, as may be requested by the Implementation Manager or the COP
• Carry out additional tasks and support to other senior officer(s) of the Federal and State Ministry of Health, as may be requested by the Implementation Manager or the COP.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree and 3 years of experience in NTD or bachelor’s degree and 5 years of experience in NTD. Disease specific experience on Onchocerciasis highly preferred.
• Extensive field experience in targeted districts and solid understanding of the realities and complexities of working in hard-to-reach villages with marginalized and disadvantaged groups.

Knowledge, Skills And Abilities

• Demonstrated experience in the implementation of community-based programs.
• Demonstrated experience in managing M&E activities.
• Program and Administrative experience, preferably for an organization implementing international programs in developing country settings.
• Ability to interact with staff at all levels in a fast-paced environment, sometimes under pressure, and be proactive, resourceful, efficient, and ability to manage stress, with a high level of integrity and professionalism.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English; and ability to communicate respectfully in a multi-cultural environment.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent active learner, critical thinking and open minded.
• Demonstrated experience in Microsoft Office, including Word, Power Point, and Excel.
• Prior experience with USAID funded programs or RTI Projects will be an added advantage.
• Experience in logistics and supply chain management, preferably for NTD commodities in Nigeria
• Good understanding of the health system structure and NTD intervention environment in Nigeria
• Willingness to travel within Nigeria up to 50% of the time.