Job Opportunity at Helen Keller International (HKI)

BACKGROUND

Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust
HKI is part of a consortium led by Sightsavers, on behalf of the International Coalition for Trachoma Control (ICTC), in response to The Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust’s (QEDJT) invitation to scale up trachoma interventions in a number of selected countries in the Commonwealth and contribute towards the global elimination goal of blinding trachoma by 2020. In Nigeria, Katsina State is the focal state for implementation of the project, which intends to carry out 15,700 trichiasis surgeries over 5 years.

UNITED - Integrated Control of NTDs in Northern Nigeria
UNITED, a consortium of key implementing partners consisting of Sightsavers, Christian Blind Mission (CBM), Helen Keller International (HKI), MITOSATH and The Carter Centre in Nigeria are international and national leaders in the delivery of integrated NTD programmes.  The global gap in NTD treatments is estimated at around 80 per cent, of which Nigeria has the largest deficit of untreated, at-risk individuals in Africa - around 100 million. UNITED is a four-year project funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) which aims to deliver 111.3 million treatments, reach 13.8 million people with mass drug administration (MDA) by 2016 and save 114,900 Disability-Adjusted Life years over the life of the project.

Qualification:

• A basic first degree in the social sciences, public health or development studies;
• Post degree qualification in program management or equivalent;
• Basic technical knowledge of Trachoma and the SAFE Strategy is preferable; knowledge of  other PCT NTDs is also preferred
• Experience of managing an eye health or neglected tropical diseases program, would be an added advantage

Job Summary:
Under the supervision of the Country Director and Program Manager NTDs/Eye Health the Project Coordinator oversees the formulation, execution, monitoring and evaluation of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee EDJT funded Trichiasis Surgery project and DFID funded UNITED project in Katsina state to ensure consistency with the project priorities and outcomes.
Reports directly to: Program Manager NTDs/Eye Health

Specific duties include:

Program Planning

• Facilitate the creation and implementation of a detailed work-plan which identifies and sequences activities needed to successfully implement the project in the most cost-effective manner and ensure project objectives are met in line with national policies, HKI’s goals  and donors;
• In collaboration with key stakeholders, facilitate the development and roll out of partner specific action and implementation plans to scale up trichiasis surgery.
• Review the project schedule with senior management and all other staff that will be affected by the project activities; revise and regularly review the schedule as required.

Program Management

• Ensure HKI program partners execute the project according to their respective project plans;
• Document project activities and ensure that all project information is appropriately secured;
• Monitor the progress of the project implementation and make adjustments as necessary to ensure the project remains on track and is successfully completed;
• Establish a communication schedule to update stakeholders including appropriate staff in the organization on the progress of these projects;
• Manage all project funds according to established accounting policies and procedures & ensure that all financial records for the projects are up to date;

Program Monitoring & Evaluation

• To implement and/or develop Monitoring and Evaluation tools according to HKI and donor standards;
• Ensure that the project deliverables are on time, within budget and at the required level of international standards as set by donor;
• Internally and when requested support external evaluations on the outcomes of these projects as established during the planning phase and as required.
• Disseminate findings from evaluations to support organizational learning and contribute to policy processing or development;

Advocacy and Strategic Alliances

• Build and maintain meaningful working relationships with both government and key project stakeholders at all levels in order to strengthen opportunities for advocacy and higher visibility;
• Develop relationships with other NGDOs to support the delivery of trachoma and NTD services, including NGDOs in the Water and Sanitation sector;
• Represent HKI towards local partners and at other appropriate forums;
• Carry out additional tasks, as requested by the Country Director or any other senior officer(s).

Competencies Required:

• Demonstrates technical knowledge pertaining to job requirement
• Critical thinking and problem-solving skills;
• Able to work under pressure minimal supervision and able to meet up deadlines.
• Ability to use computer software such as Microsoft office, internet.
• Must possess good interpersonal skills and a good team player.
• Exhibit strong leadership and decision making skills
• Demonstrated excellent personal integrity and confidentially