Head of Programme

RBM Partnership to End Malaria

The RBM Partnership to End Malaria is the largest global platform for coordinated action towards a world free from malaria. It is comprised of over 500 partners – from community health worker groups and researchers developing new tools, to malaria-affected and donor countries, businesses and international organisations.

Since its inception in 1998, the RBM Partnership has played a critical role in global efforts that reduced malaria deaths by half and saved 10.6 million lives. The Partnership is now committed to building on these significant gains and ending malaria for good.

Expansions in financing, strong political commitments, novel diagnostic and preventative measures, and multi-sectoral coordination have facilitated this progress. The RBM Partnership is central to the global fight against malaria and has played an essential role in mobilising political will and financial resources, as well as scaling up innovative interventions to put the world on a path to eliminating malaria.

Despite these gains, malaria still poses a significant threat to public health and sustainable development. Malaria continues to affect the poorest and most marginalised disproportionately and restricts human development and poverty alleviation. The African continent accounts for over 90% of the global malaria burden and therefore stands to gain the most from malaria elimination.

Malaria is a smart investment that contributes to achieving Sustainable Development Goals, including ending poverty and ensuring quality education.

RBM’s Vision is a world free from the burden of malaria.

The RBM Partnership is a global health initiative created to implement coordinated action against malaria. It mobilizes for action and resources and forges consensus among partners. The Partnership is composed of a multitude of partners, including malaria endemic countries, their bilateral and multilateral development partners, the private sector, nongovernmental and community-based organizations, foundations, and research and academic institutions. The partners join the RBM Partnership on a voluntary basis through their commitment to a malaria-free world.

The incumbent will work under the guidance and supervision of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to achieve the core objectives and strategic priorities of the RBM Partnership, and specifically the Country and Regional Support, the integrated Data Initiative and the Working Groups.

The incumbent will lead the Secretariat work in these areas, through facilitation and coordination of high-level country and partnership engagement and an integrated management of the Data Initiative, Country and Regional Support Partner Committee (CRSPC) and the Working Groups. The incumbent is expected to be willing and able to travel up to 40% of their time.

This role will supervise the Country and Regional Support Manager and the Data Initiative Manager.

Functional Responsibilities

High-level technical country and partnership engagement

• Promote and support regional approaches to the fight against malaria anchored in existing political and economic platforms such as regional economic communities.
• Lead the coordinated Secretariat support of the CRSPC to malaria endemic countries to effectively implement malaria prevention, control and elimination activities.
• Streamline efforts made by the CRSPC by avoiding duplication ensuring efficiencies of the actions.
• Engaging in alternative approaches, where tasks could be more effectively accomplished using different platforms.
• Improve collaboration and communication across stakeholders to both expand and deepen the relationships, and to help leverage the full range of services to strengthen national malaria control and elimination efforts including the Working Groups.
• Maintain a close relationship with the leadership of malaria-endemic countries, implementing partners, donors and other key stakeholders at national, regional and global level in the fight against malaria, in collaboration with the CRSPC, to adopt and prioritize impactful approaches and solutions to identified bottlenecks.
• Facilitate the convening of partners around data sharing to strengthen the linkages between the RBM Global Malaria Dashboard and country and regional support.
• Lead coordination of partners of the RBM CRSPC work streams and other mechanisms to leverage synergies and avoid duplication.
• Attend and represent the RBM Partnership and CEO in national and international conferences, meetings, and speaking engagements.
• Provide high-level strategic expertise of the Secretariat to countries and regions to reinforce the importance of effective and efficient usage of available resources, and for the development of resource mobilization strategies with a close monitoring on the agreed actions to assure timely identification of possible issues or gaps and initiate the needed corrective actions.
• Lead the implementation of Board decisions through the alignment of the various RBM stakeholders, and responsible within the Secretariat for prioritizing and targeting interventions at country level through the use of data for the purpose of maximizing disease control results and “value for money” within the context of national strategic plans.

Technical Assistance and Implementation Support to Countries

• Coordinate and facilitate technical assistance and implementation support to countries to adopt, implement and share best practices.
• Coordinate and facilitate technical assistance and implementation support to countries to complete comprehensive programmatic and financial gap analyses.
• Support in developing funding proposals and explore funding opportunities with donors and various stakeholders.
• Support in increasing public and private domestic resource commitments and expanding innovative financing approaches.
• Foster country coalitions, as appropriate, to focus on key malaria issues within each country and region.
• Coordinate between country, regional and global-level donors to enhance understanding and collaboration, jointly resolve key bottlenecks and work to fill funding gaps.
• Promote innovation and facilitate uptake of new malaria prevention and control tools for greater impact.
• Promote and advocate for sustainable financing at global and national levels to support malaria-endemic countries to implement their national plans, including through increased domestic resource allocations.
• Bring additional management and technical capacity to the RBM Management Team and facilitate smooth operation of the Secretariat’s programmatic activities
• Integrated management and leadership of the Data Initiative and Country and Regional Support Partner Committee (CRSPC)
• Lead the integration of the Data Initiative within the CRSPC to optimize the effectiveness and impact of country and regional malaria control and elimination efforts.
• Strengthen ongoing collaboration across partner organizations to facilitate improved data management and integration, including alignment and harmonization of data to improve sharing and interoperability.
• In collaboration with partners, support the endemic countries to strengthen national data and information systems capacity, and ensure that the Global Malaria Dashboard builds on and complements these efforts.
• Under the supervision of the CEO, work closely with the CRSPC Co-chairs and other Partners Co-Chairs to promote and coordinate with partners the adoption and use of new digital or information technologies and other innovative approaches to facilitate data-driven management, reporting and advocacy.
• Reach out and coordinate with the main global malaria partners to promote open data policies, standards and platforms that enhance transparency and accountability through the RBM Global Malaria Dashboard.
• Ensure coordinated support to build the capacity needed to analyze and utilize data in close collaboration with partners on the ground.
• Oversee the Data Initiative to ensure that malaria indicators related to supply chain management, intervention coverage, epidemiology, and other areas are captured and issues identified are elevated to the attention of national and sector leaders.
• Lead the negotiation of data sharing agreements with malaria partners to contribute additional data sources to the Global Malaria Dashboard.
• Monitor the Partnership’s progress toward key targets and provide the CEO and the Board with updates on progress, including identified bottlenecks and constraints.
• Within the delegation of authority, oversee and manage the work of assigned personnel, distributing assignments to facilitate smooth and effective use of human and financial resources; training, motivating and coaching personnel, as well as evaluating performance and facilitating career development.
• Perform other related responsibilities as assigned, including replacing and backstopping for others as required.

Strategic support to the CEO

• Provide strategic guidance to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) by offering senior-level insights on the technical and programmatic aspects of the work plan. Direct the creation of a comprehensive annual work plan that optimally supports the CEO’s mandate.
• Formulate recommendations for problem-solving, enhancements, and alternative strategies to address current challenges and alignment of technical working groups. Take proactive measures to advise the CEO on innovative technical program initiatives, fostering an environment conducive to effective execution of staff work plans.
• Implement proficient project management methodologies to align with the CEO’s office priorities and undertakings. Spearhead initiatives linked to the office’s implementation and executive management efforts.
• Oversee the compilation of data, analysis, and accompanying documentation to bolster the collective RBM work to enable the CEO to craft well-informed strategic choices concerning critical initiatives.
• Track the progress of implementations, delivering qualitative insights to the CEO. Proactively initiate necessary follow-up actions as warranted.
• Serve as a representative for the CEO in multifaceted technical forums both internally and externally. Engage with UN agencies, Member States, Donors, and other stakeholders at various levels to strengthen collaborative relationships.
• Ensure meticulous technical groundwork for briefings and consultations attended by the CEO.
• Carry out any supplementary responsibilities as assigned.