Country: United States of America
Closing date: 21 Sep 2015
Global Health Fellows Program II
Technical Advisor II/III: Health Technical Advisor
Maternal and Child Health Division, Office of Health, Infectious Diseases and Nutrition, Bureau for Global Health, United States Agency for International Development
Location: Arlington, VA
Assignment: Two year fellowship
GHFP-II-P4-169
The Global Health Fellows Program (**GHFP-II**) is a five year cooperative agreement implemented and managed by the Public Health Institute in partnership with CDC Development Solutions and Management Systems International. GHFP-II is supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
GHFP-II’s goal is to improve the effectiveness of USAID health programs by addressing the Agency’s immediate and emerging human capacity needs. The program seeks to accomplish this goal first through the recruitment, placement and support of diverse health professionals at the junior, mid and senior levels. These program participants include fellows, interns, corporate volunteers and Foreign Service National professionals. The program then provides substantial performance management and career development support to participants, including annual working planning assistance, and ensures that professional development opportunities are available.
Looking to the future, GHFP-II also seeks to establish a pool of highly-qualified global health professionals that will ensure the Agency’s ongoing technical leadership and effectiveness. This objective is supported by an extensive outreach program that brings global health opportunities and specialized career advice to a diverse range of interested individuals, with a particular focus on those underrepresented in the field of global health.
BACKGROUND
The Bureau for Global Health (GH) is the USAID/Washington operating unit charged with providing technical support to improve the health of people in the developing world by expanding health services, including family planning/reproductive health and maternal/child health; strengthening health systems; and addressing HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, avian influenza and other public health threats. GH’s primary role in the health program area is to strengthen field operations, promote research and technical innovation, and provide leadership and training.
The Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Division within USAID’s Office of Health, Infectious Diseases, and Nutrition (HIDN) works closely with USAID Missions and international partners to: advocate for investments in improving MCH, with a focus on the major causes of mortality and associated morbidity; introduce innovative cost-effective interventions to address these issues; and leverage human, technical, financial resources to help countries improve their capacity to deliver such lifesaving interventions. The Division also works to support the Agency priority of Ending Preventable Child and Maternal Deaths (EPCMD) within a generation.
INTRODUCTION
The Health Technical Advisor (Advisor) will be assigned to the MCH Division of the Office of Health, Infectious Diseases and Nutrition. The MCH Division is divided into teams that focus on maternal health; newborn health; child health; immunization; and environmental health. The Advisor will provide technical assistance to the MCH Division, particularly in the technical oversight of USAID’s flagship Maternal and Child Survival Program (MCSP) and Saving Lives at Birth (SL@B) grants. S/he will work in close collaboration with USAID Agreement Officer Representatives (AORs) and AOR teams to effectively coordinate existing global programs to increase the uptake, use, and impact of key interventions that reduce maternal, newborn and child mortality. The Advisor will receive day-to-day guidance from the MCH Division Chief or his/her designee as his/her onsite manager.
As an Activity Manager on the MCSP AOR Team, the Advisor will be responsible for providing technical direction to select cross-cutting activities, including but not limited to monitoring, evaluation and learning/research activities, as well as health system strengthening activities in both core and field funded MCSP programs. In addition, the Advisor will be the dedicated point-of-contact (POC) for several field supported MCSP country programs. For Saving Lives at Birth, the Advisor will provide technical and program support to the innovative projects in the portfolio.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The primary responsibilities of the Health Technical Advisor include:
1.PROVIDING TECHNICAL GUIDANCE TO MCSP: (55%)
● Providing technical oversight of MCSP’s M&E and project learning/research portfolio, including coordinating with relevant USAID technical advisors as appropriate.
● Serving as the primary liaison from the MCH Division to other entities within USAID to ensure MCSP’s M&E and project learning portfolio is aligned with, and actively contributing to, USAID efforts to End Preventable Child and Maternal Deaths (EPCMD), including linking MCSP with other USAID mechanisms and Agency priorities.
● Leading USAID’s review of M&E and project learning annual workplans, concept notes, and IRB protocols as well as annual and quarterly reports, and coordinating with the MCSP AOR team.
● Tracking MCSP progress against select additional cross-cutting workplan activities, such as health system strengthening, and providing linkages as appropriate between MCSP and other USAID mechanisms and offices.
● Providing technical support to the MCSP AOR Team for several field-funded programs which entails reviewing workplans and budgets, communicating regularly with USAID Missions, and traveling to countries as needed to monitor the process of program implementation.
2.PROVIDING PROGRAM SUPPORT, TECHNICAL GUIDANCE, AND GRANT MANAGEMENT TO SAVING LIVES AT BIRTH GRANTEES: (33%)
● Monitoring and evaluating the status, progress and implementation of USAID-managed Saving Lives at Birth projects (and SL@B projects of other donors), ensuring consistency with USAID policy, principles of the grand challenge, and adherence to negotiated milestones.
● Preparing program documents, assisting in the maintenance of administrative and financial tracking systems, and supporting overall program logistics.
● Facilitating coordination and linkages with broader MCH Division-supported activities, as well as with the Bureau for Global Health, Regional Bureaus and Missions to ensure coordination and integration of SL@B activities into other health development programs.
● Researching, planning, analyzing, and organizing technical and statistical information across the Saving Lives at Birth portfolio; compiling M&E results; and develop data for use in briefings, publications, and reports.
● Traveling to partner organization headquarters or field sites as necessary.
3.PROVIDING MISSION SUPPORT: (5%)
● Providing leadership on at least one country team, including acting as the MCH Division’s POC. This may entail providing technical assistance as requested by a mission, particularly by participating in project design TDYs.
International travel approximately 25%
Level III
An Advisor at the Level III will further be responsible for:
● Providing technical direction to select MCSP cross-cutting portfolios, including but not limited to M&E and project learning/research and health system strengthening, coordinating with relevant technical advisors as appropriate.
● Leading USAID’s review of M&E and project learning/research annual workplans, concept notes, and IRB protocols as well as annual and quarterly reports, coordinating with the MCSP AOR team.
● Providing advice to ensure MCSP’s M&E and project learning portfolio is actively contributing to USAID efforts to End Preventable Child and Maternal Deaths (EPCMD), including linking MCSP with other USAID mechanisms and Agency priorities.
● Providing high quality technical assistance and direction to individual projects.
4.TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: (7%)
● Keeping abreast of the latest literature on international MCH programming.
● Participating in professional meetings, working groups and conferences as appropriate.
● Participating in professional continuing education and skills training within the purview of GHFP-II.
REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, AND EXPERIENCE:
● Master’s degree in public health, international development, or related discipline.
● Demonstrated expertise in monitoring and evaluation.
● Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to build relationships and communicate effectively with people of myriad professional and cultural backgrounds.
● Superior analytical, oral and written communication skills.
● Demonstrated flexibility and openness in responding to changing work priorities.
● Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a diverse team.
● Ability to travel internationally.
● US Citizenship or US Permanent Residency required.
In addition to the above, the position requires the following at each level:
Technical Advisor II
● Minimum of five (5) years’ experience in managing complex international programs, preferably with a focus on maternal and child health programs in developing countries, with at least two (2) years’ experience on-the-ground in developing countries.
Technical Advisor III
● Minimum of ten (10) years’ experience in managing complex international programs, preferably with a focus on maternal and child health programs in developing countries, with at least three (3) years’ experience on-the-ground in developing countries.
SALARY AND BENEFITS:
Salary based on commensurate experience and earnings history. The Public Health Institute offers a comprehensive benefits package including professional development programs.
How to apply:
TO APPLY:
All applicants are required to apply for this position through GHFP-II’s online recruitment system at https://www.ghfp.net/recruitment/, which allows you to store your CV, profile and bio data form in our database. A separate cover letter describing your qualifications and experience, interest and familiarity with issues relating to this position, and how this position relates to your career goals is required for each application. All applications must be submitted by September 21, 2015 at 5:00 pm Eastern Time.
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