Technical Director for Health Service Delivery, USAID/Nigeria/Strengthening Quality of Care through Primary Health Care

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 Technical Director for Health Service Delivery (TD HSD) for a USAID-supported health program in Nigeria. The proposed program will support USAID’s approaches 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 quality, 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 TD (HSD) is a member of the senior leadership team and will support the project at the central level and oversee state teams to ensure quality technical service is provided as needed. The TD HSD will provide technical oversight and direction of integrated health service delivery and technical assistance activities for quality improvement and RMNCH/FP at the facility and community levels. The TD HSD will support the program to deliver high-quality integrated health interventions and ensure that project activities align with relevant international standards and national/state policies, strategies, and plans. The TD HSD will coordinate among USAID, donors, contractors and implementers, and Government of Nigeria institutions and representatives, particularly at the national, state, and community levels, for integrated health service delivery activities. The Technical Director will supervise a team of technical advisors that will manage direct service delivery and cross cutting areas as needed in the project.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

• In collaboration with the COP, ensure that the program is delivered according to donor and government policies.
• Collaborate with the Chief of Party, Director of Finance and Operations, and State Team Director and the MSH Headquarters to allocate and utilize project resources in the most efficient way and ensure effective technical, budgeting and financial management.
• Provide overall technical direction, leadership and technical expertise for the team in designing and delivering evidence-based, high impact reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health, nutrition and malaria (RMNCH+NM) services in public and private health facilities, that are responsive to the needs of the National, State and USAID.
• Support and oversee the introduction of appropriate quality improvement approaches that improves PHC service delivery.
• Provide technical advice on the integration of RMNCH+NM into established service delivery systems across service levels and life course continuum.
• Provide technical assistance and guidance on the latest health developments, publications, and other information generation activities nationwide and globally.
• Represent program at national and state level stakeholder meetings and technical working groups in relation to RMNCH+NM and related technical areas.
• Develop and regularly update detailed annual work plans and ensure the team monitors progress towards completion and achievement of program objectives.
• Coordinate project’s technical work across clinical content-specific and cross-cutting areas at the national and state levels.
• Coordinate the technical expertise of MSH and its subcontractors, which will include international, national, and local organizations (civil society, faith-based organizations [FBOs] and local partners).
• Link with technical counterparts in Federal and State Governments, Local Government Areas, Ward Development Councils, local NGOs, FBOs, and civil society to coordinate and leverage the project’s technical interventions.
• Build capacity through training, mentoring, supervision, and technical exchanges that support F/SMOH, civil society, faith-based, and local partner development.
• Supervise Technical Advisors.
• Ensure strategies are developed and implemented to increase sensitivity to gender equity and female empowerment; accountable for ensuring that gender and capacity development activities are integrated into all project activities.
• Coordinate the project’s work with the private sector.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Medical Doctor, Registered Nurse, or Midwife with a Master’s degree in public health, social sciences or related field, and 10+ years of successful experience as senior-level technical or program manager of health projects of equivalent size and complexity,
• USAID experience strongly preferred.
• Proven exceptional leadership in the design, management, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of health programs) in Nigeria,
• Including experience in the design and implementation of large-scale programs across the national health system in Nigeria with a strong working background at the subnational level. Must have technical experience in the fields of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child health, nutrition, malaria (RMNCH+NM).
• Familiar with the national and sub-national primary health care context in Nigeria and designing and implementing activities and projects with a focus on PHC and quality of care
• 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,
• Including experience leading technical staff and consultants within a consortium of international and local subcontractors to achieve measurable results within a technically complex and integrated health program.
• Proven ability to build and maintain technical and collegial relationships with host-country (national and sub-national) government officials, civil society organizations, and international development organizations in a variety of forums where technical implementation is discussed.
• Demonstrated capacity to develop technical materials and strengthen local clinical and non-clinical capacities to improve service delivery, advocacy and resource mobilization for quality RMNCH+NM services.
• Proven ability in 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.
• Willingness to travel throughout Nigeria as necessary.

Qualified local, female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.