State Technical Director – Nigeria IHP at Palladium Group

 Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Provide dynamic, director-level leadership and technical expertise in high impact reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health, nutrition and malaria (RMNCH+NM) services that is sound, evidence-based and responsive to the needs of the Kebbi and USAID.
• Provide practical and actionable advice to teams on best ways to integrate RMNCH+NM services into established, high quality service delivery systems at the primary level of health care level of care in the Kebbi. As needed interventions may also extend to the secondary level of care.
• Lead collaboration with other Kebbi and Local Government stakeholders, other USAID implementing partners (Global Health Supply Chain-Procurement and Supply Management, Breakthrough Action-Nigeria, Health Workforce Management, Momentum Safe Surgery, MCGL GBV, Advancing Nutrition, Frontiers Health Markets), and other IHP States to coordinate activities, prevent duplication of efforts, share and apply lessons learned, innovations and quality methods to ensure evidence-based practices are translated to improved implementation of interventions.
• Provide technical leadership to the building of local clinical, finance and governance capacity using proven training approaches and quality improvement methodologies, and review of key technical documents, strategies and policies.
• Provide technical assistance and advice on the relevant latest health developments, publications, and other information generation activities being undertaken both in Nigeria and globally
• Supervise Integrated Primary Health Care Advisors and provide technical oversight of ISS/QI specialists in embedded offices
• Contribute to and coordinate with the program’s monitoring and evaluation (M&E) team on activities to ensure that the program meets set targets in accordance with national and USG standards.
• Represent program at Kebbi and LGA level stakeholder meetings and technical working groups in relation to RMNCH+NM and related technical areas.
• Provide leadership and technical oversight to RMNCH+NM technical interventions such as MPCDSR, mentoring of health staff at PHCs and GHs, clinical skills training at PHCs and general hospitals, and quality improvement.
• Write abstracts and publications based on results and successful implementation of policies and workplan activities.
• Monitor performance of IHP supported facilities and work with team to develop quarterly microplans for mentoring and monitoring visits

Management

• Take a leadership role in Kebbi’s annual work planning, training plans and quarterly reports and other required technical reports.
• Coordinate data analysis and interpretation of IHP indicators and data workflow dashboard visualizers between the MEL and technical teams to ensure targets are met and develop solutions to improve performance.
• Advocate and ensure quality program implementation consistent with MOH Nigerian Guidelines, global best practices and USAID Nigerian Strategic Directions including advice on relevant latest health developments & publications.
• Coordinate the evaluation of program progress against deliverables and targets on a quarterly basis.
• With the Integrated Primary Health Care Advisors, oversee program design, implementation, quality assurance and monitoring of work plan.
• Coordinate with the other members of the technical team and NGO partners to develop and implement feasible facility and community-based approaches.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor which contribute to the achievement of program goals.
• All other duties and tasks as assigned.

Required Qualifications:

The Kebbi Technical Director must be a dynamic, proven leader in the field of RMNCH+NM with senior-level management experience in public health programs. S/he must be well recognized and respected by the reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health, nutrition, malaria (RMNCH+NM) community in Nigeria. The Technical Director must be intimately familiar with the primary health care context in Nigeria and have in-country experience with USAID programs. Additional qualifications include:

• A medical doctor, nurse or any other closely related health care professional; specialization in obstetrics and gynaecology, pediatrics or Public Health and other health related courses (e.g., MPH, MSC in international health, social sciences or other relevant degree) will be an advantage.
• Minimum of 10 years working experience in the areas of RMNCH+NM.
  Previous experience working on a USAID funded project will be an added advantage.
• Familiarity with the FMOH, SMOH, NPHCDA, or SPHCDA structures and functions
• Demonstrated expertise in working directly with host-country senior government officials and policy makers in health.
• Strong skills in dynamic leadership, design, implementation and monitoring of program components; e.g., services, training, quality improvement, advocacy and coordination.
• Demonstrated capacity to develop technical materials and providing training to improve service delivery, advocacy and resource mobilization for expanding RMNCH+NM.
• Strong verbal, listening, writing, and intrapersonal skills essential for effective coordination among several institutions and staff involved in a broad range of activities
• Strong ability to multi-task will be highly desirable.
• Fluent in English, (written and oral communication) and in Hausa language
• Willingness to travel throughout Nigeria as necessary.