IR3 Technical Lead – Leadership and Governance Capacity Development

Solina Health seeks to engage a suitable and qualified candidate who will provide overarching technical assistance, strengthen governance aspects of the activity work plan, and strengthen governance frameworks of state and local government area (LGA) level human resources for health (HRH) units and coordination platforms.

The Health Workforce Management Activity is a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded Activity in Nigeria under the Integrated Health Systems award. The HWM Activity is conducted in Bauchi, Sokoto, Kebbi, and the Ebonyi States as well as the Federal Capital Territory. The HWM’s purpose is to establish a cost‐effective, well-trained, and motivated health workforce, particularly in targeted rural and remote areas in order to contribute to greater health systems responsiveness and improved health outcomes, especially among women and children.

The IR3 Technical Lead will be responsible for leading cutting-edge programmatic approaches tailored to improve the leadership and governance capacity of the State HRH Units and GUC Grantees including enhancing the project’s visibility in the HRH policy dialogue space. This support will involve establishing the necessary governance structures, policies, and mechanisms required for effective management of the training institutions and state HRH systems. These will include evidence-based human resource planning, development, and management including recruitment, deployment, retention, and health education and health workforce regulation including the accreditation of training institutions. He/She will promote multi-sectoral partnership and leadership to strengthen governance and accountability at the state level to use resources transparently, enable citizen engagement in planning and monitoring, and produce results in HRH strengthening.

The IR3 technical lead will be primarily based in Abuja with travels to Bauchi, Ebonyi, Kebbi and Sokoto states as required.

Technical Responsibilities

The IR3 Technical Lead will:

1. Define a cutting-edge programmatic approach that improves the leadership and governance capacity of the State HRH Units and GUC Grantees including enhancing the project’s visibility in the HRH policy dialogue space.
2. Ensures that all HWM capacity-building activities conform with the HWM programmatic approach for improving leadership and governance capacity
3. Lead the various State IR3 Consultants and GUC Grantees to successfully implement capacity-building activities that are driven by evidence and prioritized domains for improvement.
4. Work closely with the IR1 Lead and GUC Grantees to incorporate leadership, management and governance concepts, practical approaches and tools into the curricula of the pre-service health training institutions (PSTHIs)
5. Work synergistically with other IR Leads to identify and action opportunities for the capacity improvement of the State HRH Units and GUC Grantees f) Oversee the activities of HWM consultants in enhancing the management systems and technical standards, especially the broader HRH area, of the GUC grantees
6. Collaborate with HWM MEL Specialist to monitor and evaluate the impact of the project’s capacity-building interventions on the targeted HRH Units and Grantees
7. Disseminate information to target audiences about capacity-building best practices, utilizing various methods to promote the adoption of capacity-building approaches, as well as ensuring the retention of knowledge
8. Identify emerging areas of need for capacity building and training, integrating priorities in the context of field realities and donor interests
9. Coordinate all capacity development opportunities for HWM personnel
10. Provide overarching technical assistance, across the project, to strengthen governance aspects of the activity work plan, including strengthening governance frameworks of state and local government area (LGA) level human resources for health (HRH) units and coordination platforms
11. Provide technical assistance in the implementation of approaches focused on increasing efficiencies within government operations and decreasing the government’s reliance on external funding.
12. Develop strategies to increase sensitivity to gender equity and female empowerment; and be accountable for ensuring that gender and capacity development activities are integrated into all project activities.

V. Required competencies

1. Post-graduate degree or higher in public health, health systems, health policy and planning, or other related fields
2. Minimum of ten (10) years of professional experience with proven success in designing and implementing sustained health systems policy reforms from program initiation to closeout.
3. Professional experience interacting with government at the highest level and provision of technical assistance to promote health systems governance improvement.
4. Familiarity with ongoing Government of Nigeria efforts aimed at addressing the HRH crisis in the country.
5. Excellent organizational, analytical, oral and written communication skills in English; demonstrated supervisory skills; and ability to work well on a team.