Management Sciences for Health (MSH) saves lives and improves health by helping public and private organizations throughout the world to effectively manage people, medicines, money, and information. Working from more than 30 country offices and our Arlington, Virginia and Medford, Massachusetts US headquarters, our staff from 65 nations is highly regarded for its technical expertise, integrity, and commitment to making a lasting difference in health. We live our mission to save lives and improve the health of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people by closing the gap between knowledge and action in public health.
MSH is seeking a Chief of Party (COP) for a USAID-supported health program in Nigeria. The proposed program will support USAID’s approaches to strengthening Quality of Care (QoC) through Primary Healthcare (PHC) with an emphasis on reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) to improve the capacity of the Federal and State Ministry of Health (F/SMOH), local organizations, and communities to deliver high quality, person-centered, integrated health services. Building on the achievements of current and past USAID-supported activities, MSH will work through partnerships with the Government of Nigeria, civil society, and local implementers, to 1) increase resiliency, responsiveness, and accountability of the health system; 2) increase coverage and equitable access to essential primary health care interventions; and 3) work to increase the quality of evidence-based primary health interventions, toward the ultimate goal of sustainable improvements to the health status of the Nigerian population.
This position is subject to project award and funding.
OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES:
The COP’s primary responsibilities are providing overall leadership and technical direction of the entire project, ensuring an integrated vision among different components and actors, and focusing on achieving the results defined in the project’s scope of work. The COP has the final authority within the project team for decisions related to technical, management, contractual, resource allocation, and personnel issues. The COP will be responsible for the successful implementation of all aspects of the project, with full accountability and authority for the development, execution, and monitoring of the project, including (1) vision and technical strategy; (2) project management; (3) documentation and communication; (4) client(s) and stakeholder(s) relationships; and (5) coordination with government, donor, stakeholder, and other MSH projects.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Oversee implementation of project activities and provide high-quality technical and strategic leadership, managerial oversight, and project administration.
- Serve as the primary project liaison from MSH to the donor and is accountable for achieving results, ensuring the quality of services is maintained at the highest standard, and all project objectives and deliverables are met.
- Adapt and implement management systems with standard operating procedures to administer all activities funded by the agreement, ensuring sufficient financial staff for disbursing all local costs under this project, monitoring and tracking expenditures, and preparing financial reports of project expenditures for submission to the donor.
- Ensure positive relationships between the team and Nigeria’s multi-lateral and bi-lateral partners.
- Mentor, support, manage and supervise a team of highly qualified staff with a particular focus on achieving key tasks and project deliverables.
- Communicate, implement, and ensure adherence to MSH and project policies, guidelines, and values; develop staff skills and knowledge; and facilitate success and professional development whenever possible.
- Cultivate strategic relationships with the donor, US Government representatives, implementing partners, Federal and State Governments, Local Government Areas, Ward Development Council, local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), faith-based organizations (FBOs), civil society, and contractors and implementers to create synergies and ensure smooth implementation of activities.
- Meet regularly with USAID/Nigeria, contracting officer (CO) and program technical leads, FMOH and SMOH representatives and partners, and attend meetings as requested.
- Ensure that project activities are technically sound, evidence-based, and responsive to the needs of the country and USAID/Nigeria.
- Facilitate the development of annual work plans and budgets; review work plans, financial reports, cost share, and performance monitoring plans.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Master’s degree in public health, social sciences or related field with at least 10-15+ years of senior-level project management experience in designing, implementing, and managing large, complex, integrated health programs in Nigeria, West Africa, or other international settings. International project management experience is advantageous.
- USAID experience is required and five years of previous experience as a Chief of Party is required.
- Demonstrated progressively increased responsibility in managing development assistance and health programs of similar scope or size, $50 million USD+ portfolio. Proven exceptional project leadership in the design, management, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, with skills in strategic planning, management, supervision, and budgeting, including experience in managing complex activities involving coordination with multiple program partner institutions and coordinating sub-partner/consortium contributions.
- Strong communication skills to fulfill the program’s diverse technical and managerial requirements and effectively coordinate with a wide range of stakeholders.
- Experience developing project vision, aligning key stakeholders around that vision, and assuring that the vision is translated into implementable strategies.
- Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary, multicultural teams, manage complex programs and ensure that project staff adhere to the highest standards of quality, relevance, and timeliness.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with senior-level colleagues, particularly interacting productively, proactively, and comfortably with government agencies, NGOs, private sector groups, USAID, implementing partners and contractors, and donor organizations.
- High levels of diplomacy, conflict management, team building, written and oral communication, and negotiation skills.
- Fluency in written and spoken English, and demonstrated capacity to effectively communicate and document, including the writing of quality reports and detailed analysis of strategic information. Fluency in a local language is a distinct advantage.
Desirable qualifications
- Previous experience in designing, managing and implementing activities and projects with a focus on PHC and quality of care
- Previous experience in engaging and supporting activity implementation in Nigeria’s decentralized health system
Qualified local, female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
