Job Opportunities at Palladium Group

Project Overview and Role

• The UK Support to Health transformation in Nigeria through the Lafiya Programme is a flexible, demand-led strategic partnership with the Nigerian Federal and targeted State governments designed to address equity, improve and sustain health outcomes for the most vulnerable States with the worst health statistics. 
• The desired objectives of the programme included fostering an enabling environment for UHC policy reform and implementation, institutional management capacity building and health system strengthening. This required the full engagement and participation communities with a view to contributing to ending preventable maternal and new-born deaths. 
• The programme operated at the Federal level; and geographically in five states of - Borno, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano and Yobe, and in targeted LGAs with the State. Following the ODA cuts, from 0.7% to 0.5% and the spend review handrails, the FCDO reprioritisation and business planning exercise beginning in the last quarter of 2020 the programme had to scale down some key interventions and consider reviewing the geographic scope going into 2022-2023 financial year. 
• The programme will also contribute to improved Covid-19 vaccine access, early recovery and health security improved in targeted States. The programme now focuses on contributing to two intermediate outcomes: 1.) Morbidity amongst women, newborns, children and adolescents significantly reduced in targeted states and 2.) Covid-19 transmission and vaccine hesitancy reduced including improved plans and capacity for emergency preparedness and response in the targeted States by delivering the following five outputs:
  • Output 1: Leadership and Governance of PHC Services structure or teams (planning and delivery) functional in targeted states
  • Output 2: Adequate health workforce for PHC including RMNCAEH and BHCPF service delivery available and sustained in targeted States
  • Output 3: Health Information Management Service capacity to support decision-making for PHC including RMNCAEH and BHCPF service delivery in targeted States
  • Output 4: Health financing and public financial management to strengthen and sustain access to high quality and affordable PHC in targeted States
  • Output 5: Increased Health Security and EPR plans developed and operationalised within the targeted States.
• Available evidence indicates that Health Promotion is an effective tool for galvanising individual and collective health actions aimed at preventing diseases, improving the health and wellbeing of the populace as well as ensuring a healthier society for all. 
• The Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) in collaboration with Development Partners developed and produced the National Health Promotion Policy (NHPP) in 2006 with the aim of strengthening the health system and improving the health status of Nigerians.
• The revised NHPP (2019) mandates the Health Promotion Division (HPD) of the Family Health Department, Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) to coordinate Health Promotion activities at the Federal, State, Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Community levels in Nigeria. 
• It is a formidable contributor to the achievement of the health-related Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the Universal Health Coverage; thereby improving the health and well-being of the Nigerian populace.
• Lafiya programme will be supporting Health Promotion Division of the Department of Family Health, FMOH with a short-term technical assistant to support assessment of health promotion capacity in JKK States (Jigawa, Kano and Kaduna)) in the development of their strategic plan.
• Location: The Short-Term Technical Assistant (STTA) will be based in Abuja and work with the Health Promotion Division, FMOH, to conduct health promotion capacity assessment and strategic plan development in JKK States, starting with Jigawa State.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities
Scope of Work:

• Harmonize the HPD and BA-N assessment tools for data collection.
• Support the adoption or adaptation of the National Health Promotion Policy.
• Conduct assessment of health promotion capacity at State and in LGA levels including data collection using the harmonized tool.
• Conduct analysis of data collected at State level and from LGA Health Promotion Officers and present findings to the State & LGA Health Promotion Officers, Organisation of People with disabilities (OPD) and relevant CSOs.
• Working with the State and LGAs Health Promotion Officers, Organisation of People with disabilities (OPD) and relevant CSOs, develop state specific Health Promotion Strategic Plans including an implementation framework based on assessment findings.
• Document the process of NHPP domestication in Jigawa State and provide comprehensive report of assignment.

Deliverables:

• Health Promotion Division and Breakthrough Action- Nigeria (BA-N) assessment tools harmonized.
• Adoption or adaptation of National Health Promotion Policy supported.
• Assessment of health promotion capacity at State and in LGA levels including data collection using the harmonised tool conducted.
• Analysis of data collected at State level and from LGA Health Promotion Officers conducted and findings presented to the State & LGA Health Promotion Officers, Organisation of People with Disabilities (OPD) and relevant CSOs.
• State Health Promotion Strategic Plan including an implementation framework based on assessment findings developed in collaboration with State and LGA Health Promotion Officers, Organisation of People with disabilities (OPD) and relevant CSOs.
• Process of NHPP domestication documented for Jigawa State and HPD, FMOH.
• Comprehensive report of assignment submitted.

Required Qualifications

• At least Master's Degree and post qualification experience in Public Health, Biostatistics, Health Information Management or related fields.
• Progressive working experience in health promotion information management, must have been part of the process of development of the National Health Promotion Policy for national level programming in Nigeria.
• Technical skills and experience in institutional and systems strengthening, with emphasis on mainstreaming participatory methodologies and strategic sustainability.
• Has proven experience with logical frameworks and other strategic planning and M&E methods and approaches (including quantitative, qualitative and participatory).
• Advance knowledge and skills in MS office and statistical software packages like SPSS, STATA and the use of such apps like ODK or related data collection instruments.
• Technical skills and experience in facilitation of the development of policy and strategic documents, human resource development, capacity building and supervision.
• Knowledge of Nigerian health system and proven experience building national and sub-national capacity of government, service providers and civil society organisations.
• Strong performance management skill set.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Must be able to work under pressure.
• Basic knowledge about research.

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Project Overview and Role

• The UK Support to Health transformation in Nigeria through the Lafiya Programme is a flexible, demand-led strategic partnership with the Nigerian Federal and targeted State governments designed to address equity, improve and sustain health outcomes for the most vulnerable States with the worst health statistics.
• The desired objectives of the programme included fostering an enabling environment for UHC policy reform and implementation, institutional management capacity building and health system strengthening. This required the full engagement and participation communities with a view to contributing to ending preventable maternal and new-born deaths.
• The programme operated at the Federal level; and geographically in five states of - Borno, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano and Yobe, and in targeted LGAs with the State. Following the ODA cuts, from 0.7% to 0.5% and the spend review handrails, the FCDO reprioritisation and business planning exercise beginning in the last quarter of 2020 the programme had to scale down some key interventions and consider reviewing the geographic scope going into 2022-2023 financial year.
• The programme will also contribute to improved Covid-19 vaccine access, early recovery and health security improved in targeted States.
• The programme now focuses on contributing to two intermediate outcomes 1) Morbidity amongst women, newborns, children and adolescents significantly reduced in targeted states and 2. Covid-19 transmission and vaccine hesitancy reduced including improved plans and capacity for emergency preparedness and response in the targeted States by delivering the following five outputs:
  • Output 1: Leadership and Governance of PHC Services structure or teams (planning and delivery) functional in targeted states
  • Output 2: Adequate health workforce for PHC including RMNCAEH and BHCPF service delivery available and sustained in targeted States
  • Output 3: Health Information Management Service capacity to support decision-making for PHC including RMNCAEH and BHCPF service delivery in targeted States
  • Output 4: Health financing and public financial management to strengthen and sustain access to high quality and affordable PHC in targeted States
  • Output 5: Increased Health Security and EPR plans developed and operationalised within the targeted States.
• The Federal component of the programmes engages with the Department of Health Planning, Research and Statistics and Department of Family health, of the Federal Ministry of Health and agencies such as National Primary Health Care Development Agency, National Health Insurance Scheme and National Centre for Disease Control, providing technical and financial support. Support is extended to States through these Federal institutions in ensuring that policies, plans, programmes and guidelines are domesticated in States.
• The National Primary Health Care Development Agency, National Health Insurance Scheme gateways of the Basic Health Care Provision Programme (BHCPF) programme are also supported to ensure effectiveness of flow of information and decision making have desired effect at state, LGA and health facility levels.
• The Technical Expert will work with these MDAs and partners in the implementation of the LAFIYA programme activities at federal and states’ levels.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities
Scope of Work:

• Support the department of family health of FMOH to complete RMNCAEH+ N domestication processes in Lafiya focal States.
• Facilitate the domestication of National Health Promotion Policy in five Lafiya Focal States.
• Support the implementation of NPHCDA and NHIS BHCPF Accountability Framework at Federal and subnational levels.
• Facilitate the development and domestication of family planning blueprint, development of guideline for Adolescent Health Programming in Public health emergencies and a research agenda for Adolescent Health and Development.
• Support the convening of a national workshop on BHCPF and federal facilitation of the implementation of resolutions.
• Provide support for federal initiated health security activities in Lafiya focused States.
• Work with the Federal Technical Lead to coordinate activities across MDAs and partners and oversee the delivery of other STTA at federal level.
• Account for the federal level workplan implementation.

Deliverables:

• Completed RMNCAEH+ N domestication processes in Lafiya focal States
• Domesticated National Health Promotion Policy assisted sub-nationally in Lafiya States
• Implementation reports of NPHCDA and NHIS BHCPF Accountability Framework at Federal and subnational levels implementation.
• Domesticated family planning blueprint, guideline for Adolescent Health Programming in Public health emergencies and a research agenda for Adolescent Health and Development.
• Reports of national workshop on BHCPF and the implementation of resolutions.
• Reports of federal lead support to states. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s Degree or Higher in Public Health, Policy and Governance, Health Economics, or another relevant field required.
• Progressive experience in a Senior Programme Management capacity including experience designing, implementing, and managing or evaluating complex health programme.
• Proven technical experience in health systems strengthening; health system security; health financing; health management information systems, health sector policy and strategies, working with the private sector, advocacy and accountability and family planning
• Demonstrated technical depth and understanding of the health policy environment and governance in Nigeria.
• Team management, strategic planning and leadership experience, with ability to multi-task, work under pressure, inspire high quality work, demonstrate firm but sensitive leadership, provide support and supervision, and empower team members across a broad range of health-related specialist areas.
• Knowledge of government health systems and proven experience building national and sub-national capacity of government, service providers and civil society organisations.
• Experience in coordination and collaboration of stakeholders including government agencies, host country governments and counterparts, and international donor agencies.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills in English required.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English.
• Demonstrated problem solving, analytic, financial, and evaluative skills.
• Attention to detail and ability to perform multiple tasks and balance competing priorities effectively and efficiently often within a required timeframe.

go to method of application »

Project Overview and Role

• The UK Support to Health transformation in Nigeria through the Lafiya Programme is a flexible, demand-led strategic partnership with the Nigerian Federal and targeted State governments designed to address equity, improve and sustain health outcomes for the most vulnerable States with the worst health statistics.
• The desired objectives of the programme included fostering an enabling environment for UHC policy reform and implementation, institutional management capacity building and health system strengthening.
• This required the full engagement and participation communities with a view to contributing to ending preventable maternal and new-born deaths.
• The programme operated at the Federal level; and geographically in five states of - Borno, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano and Yobe, and in targeted LGAs with the State. Following the ODA cuts, from 0.7% to 0.5% and the spend review handrails, the FCDO reprioritisation and business planning exercise beginning in the last quarter of 2020 the programme had to scale down some key interventions and consider reviewing the geographic scope going into 2022-2023 financial year.
• The programme will also contribute to improved Covid-19 vaccine access, early recovery and health security improved in targeted States.
• The programme now focuses on contributing to two intermediate outcomes 1) Morbidity amongst women, newborns, children and adolescents significantly reduced in targeted states and 2. Covid-19 transmission and vaccine hesitancy reduced including improved plans and capacity for emergency preparedness and response in the targeted States by delivering the following five outputs:
  • Output 1: Leadership and Governance of PHC Services structure or teams (planning and delivery) functional in targeted states
  • Output 2: Adequate health workforce for PHC including RMNCAEH and BHCPF service delivery available and sustained in targeted States
  • Output 3: Health Information Management Service capacity to support decision-making for PHC including RMNCAEH and BHCPF service delivery in targeted States
  • Output 4: Health financing and public financial management to strengthen and sustain access to high quality and affordable PHC in targeted States
  • Output 5: Increased Health Security and EPR plans developed and operationalized within the targeted States.
• The NPHCDA is responsible for the management of the NPHCDA Gateway through the BHCPF PIU, which channels 45% of the BHCPF to eligible PHCs (one per ward) as decentralized facility financing (DFF) and support for stop gap human resource interventions (midwifes and CHIPS Agents) at state level.
• As part of implementation of the NPHCDA BHCPF Gateway, there is a critical need for a robust M&E system that captures relevant data that addresses the objectives of the BHCPF and the theory of change which proposes that with direct funding to the frontlines, local needs can more readily be met leading to improved utilization and quality of care at the PHC facilities.
• Lafiya programme will be supporting NPHCDA BHCPF Gateway with an embedded M&E Technical Assistant in the review of the M&E mechanism and establishing a more robust functional M&E system.
• A functional M&E system would provide evidence base for decision making on effective and efficient RMNCAEH services within the BHCPF structure that impacts on reducing morbidity significantly among women, new-born, children, adolescents in targeted states which is one of Lafiya's Intermediate Outcome.
• Location: The M&E Technical Assistant will be based in Abuja and work at the National BHCPF PIU.

Scope of Work

• Support the review and strengthening of the NPHCDA Gateway M&E framework and monitor its implementation.
• Undertake review of existing indicators.
• Develop/adopt an electronic platform for Gateway M&E data collection and develop an automated analysis templates for ease of reporting and feedback.
• Support routine data analysis and reporting and build capacity of the PIU to do same.
• Review quarterly M&E reporting templates, and programme reporting template by states; and in the first instance support the development of quarterly M&E reports to ensure the PIU M&E imbibe the necessary skill set to seamless report on evidence and status of programme implementation based on data.
• Support and track implementation of all processes of BHCPF M&E activities.
• Working through the PIU’s M&E team, support provision of technical support by the national team to the states.
• Support the development, upgrading and functionality of required/existing Data bases at the PIU
• Provide weekly updates and report to the PIU Program Lead and through the PIU Programme Lead to Lafiya Federal Technical Lead on all activities and tasks conducted alongside the M&E team
• Participate in all relevant assignments for effective implementation of the NPHCDA gateway M&E and as assigned by the Programme Lead.

Deliverables

• Revised NPHCDA -BHCPF M&E Framework and indicators addressing administrative and service utilization outputs including RMNCAEH.
• Establish a functional M&E automated analytic platform.
• Upgraded quarterly M&E reporting templates, reports and feedback system.
• Demonstratable functionality of new and existing PIU data bases related to M&E.
• Weekly updates and reports provided to the PIU Program Lead on all activities and tasks alongside the M&E team.
• Comprehensive report of assignment undertaken at the end of Consultancy submitted through the PIU Program Lead to the Lafiya Technical Lead.

Required Qualifications

• Post qualification experience in Public Health, Biostatistics, Health Economics or Health Care Financing, Health Planning and Management or related qualifications.
• Advance qualification and/or senior level working experience in health programme monitoring and evaluation.
• Advance knowledge and skills in MS word, excel and power point and statistical software packages like SPSS, STATA and the use of such apps like ODK or related data collection instruments.
• Knowledge of Nigerian health system and proven experience building national and sub-national capacity of government, service providers and civil society organizations.
• Demonstrable evidence of capacity transfer to PIU M&E team.
• Strong performance management skill set.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English. Must be able to work under pressure.
• Basic research knowledge.