Project Director

The Project Director is the technical lead for the project and is responsible for coordinating and managing all activities for this project. S/he shall be accountable and responsible for the development, regular update and implementation of the work plan and budget to ensure attainment of the program goals and objectives. S/he will lead the project implementation and oversight in line with the project’s goal, objectives and technical approaches, to contribute to the strategic goals of the project in Nigeria, working in close collaboration with stakeholders including Government of Nigeria (and its agencies) at national and sub-national levels, development partners, professional associations and civil society. S/he will serve as the primary liaison between the project, government counterparts, stakeholders, and partners involved in health and community systems strengthening or implementing related programs in the country.

The Project Director is accountable for the management and supervision of the project team, provides strategic and technical guidance and works closely with the Country Representative, donor and other technical and operational staff to ensure that project plans and activities effectively achieve set goals and objectives. As the head of the country project team, he or she ensures the timely and quality delivery of project activities, outputs and outcomes, and supervises in-country project staff.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the project and ensure that workplans, contracts, letters of agreement, and relevant approvals are adequately in place in support of program activities. Also, ensure adherence to MSH management and accounting procedures.
• Conduct budget monitoring and cost control based on sound financial and accounting principles, MSH Standard Operating Procedures, and MSH and project requirements.
• Ensure implementation of activities in compliance with project contracts, MSH and donor policies, regulations and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Implement a Financial Pipeline Tracking system for effective budget monitoring and cost control based on sound financial and accounting principles, MSH Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and MSH and project requirements.
• Ensure project staffing, structure and reporting relationships are aligned with, local context and available resources.
• Promote and facilitate staff participation in MSH's Technical Exchange Networks (TEN), relevant social networks and south-to-south exchanges.
• Manage human resources as per MSH values, policies and guidelines, and implement an effective performance management program focusing on results and individual accountability, including regular check-ins, annual reviews, supportive supervision, a merit-based reward system, training, coaching and career development support.

• Coordinate among donor partner and key stakeholders and other implementing partners and interact with numerous Government of Nigeria (GON) institutions and representatives, at the national and county-levels in implementation of program activities.
• Provide overall strategic technical leadership and ensure the quality and sustainability of HRH interventions of implementation at national, state and LGA levels.
• Ensure technical assistance (TA) in HRH, quality improvement, advocacy and community health systems policy, strategies, standards and regulations, implementation, including dissemination, distribution and customization in collaboration with stakeholders including MoH, Governors Forum, States, Faith Based Organizations, funder community implementing development/humanitarian work and partners.
• Engage and work with Federal and State Ministries of Health (MoH), Governors Forum, ALGON, States, LGA and Implementing Partners (IPs) to strengthen health workforce performance management, enhance use of data in HRH performance monitoring including HRH supervision to track contribution of HRH interventions to service delivery outcomes.
• Establish donor supported health workforce transition plans with each focus Communities in collaboration with service delivery partners in line with established guidelines.
• Support the strengthening and scale up of the eCHIS systems for completeness, accuracy, and capacity on data use, and coordinate peer to peer support.
• Supervise and ensure that monitoring, evaluations, assessments and reviews based on an agreed framework with identified partners (e.g GON, service delivery partners, regulatory authorities and training institutions) and actively lead the evaluation process utilizing approved tools and methods as may serve the needs of the overall project from time to time.
• Engagement with partner programs at the Country level to identify possible linkages/collaborations in strengthening the HRH management systems.
• Provide leadership to the project technical team in annual work planning, budgeting, milestones delivery monitoring and regular reporting and documentation of best practices for the project in collaboration with the donor.
• Represent MSH and the program’s progress, achievements and lessons learned to donors, other key stakeholders, and through meetings, conferences, and presentations.
• Contribute to the supervision, mentoring, and managing of a team of highly qualified staff and align their efforts to ensure rapid and sustainable results.
• Support the gender inclusion & safeguarding strategy of the project.
• Contribute to internal and external stakeholder communications, knowledge sharing, and knowledge transfer process.
• Make responsible decisions that result in time and cost containment and clear accountability.
• Participate in multiple teams, adopt team spirit, take responsibility for action items assigned and provide feedback as needed.
• Multi-task and be able to manage competing priorities in order to meet program and/or organizational objectives.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Minimum of a master’s degree in public health, Health Management, Administration or Social sciences or related field from a recognized University. PhD in Public Health is an added advantage.
• Ten (10) years’ experience managing at a similar or senior level in a large-scale countrywide public health program focused on health and community systems strengthening and service delivery,
• Fifteen (15) years’ experience leading teams in strengthening health systems/service delivery.
• Demonstrated knowledge and skills in programming, financial planning and management, human resources, and procurement, among other management support areas/functions
• In-depth knowledge of Community Health Workforce policies, regulations, and programs.
• Proven ability to lead teams and facilitate collaboration using a stakeholder consensus building approach.
• Excellent understanding of Ministry of Health and medical training institutions operations especially on Human Resources for Health (HRH) development, management and training processes.
• A good understanding of health service delivery and HRH in devolved system and the roles of national and sub-national governments and related institutions with a mandate for HRH.
• Demonstrated capacity to interact with senior government officials at national and sub-national levels, senior level international health professionals, donors, regulatory and training institutions, and other implementing partners
• Previous direct supervisory experience of project technical and operational staff on a large scale program
• Excellent analytical, oral presentation, report writing, and interpersonal skills.
• Computer literacy, particularly in the use of MS Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Individuals with the following experience will have an added advantage

• Working with MOH health systems at national and sub-national Level
• Working experience leading large-scale donor-funded capacity building projects

KNOWLEDGE and SKILLS:

• Excellent technical and leadership skills
• Excellent organizational skills, detail-oriented and high degree of accuracy, strong analytical skills and sound judgment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to effectively interact with all levels of staff, project beneficiaries and stakeholders.
• Highly cooperative, hardworking, flexible and dependable.
• Pleasant, warm and outgoing personality.
• Be of high integrity and have a sense of confidentiality.
• Be willing to take on extra responsibilities that will contribute to the achievement of the goals/objectives set by the organization.
• Capacity to develop and implement effective strategies and tactics for accomplishing assigned duties.

MSH is an equal opportunity employer and will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, religion, creed, citizenship, national origin, age, veteran status, or disability unrelated to job requirements. MSH will take affirmative action to ensure that qualified applicants are employed and that employees are treated without regard to their race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran and disability status. In compliance with U.S. Department of Labor Executive Order 11246, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Section 4212 of the Vietnam Era Readjustment Assistance Act, MSH has developed and maintains an affirmative action program and plan.

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