Malaria Technical Advisor – Community Health Systems

THIS POSITION IS CONTINGENT UPON FUNDING

The successful candidate may be based remotely in the US (DC/MD/VA area) if they already possess the ability to legally work in the US; or in a global remote capacity.

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of health, emergency, education, agriculture, and capacity strengthening of partners. In 2022, CRS implemented a portfolio of 21 malaria programs globally, in 14 countries (Africa and the Greater Mekong Region).

Job Summary:

CRS seeks a Technical Advisor for Community Health Systems for the anticipated USAID-funded Reaching every at-risk community and household with malaria services (REACH Malaria) global project. The purpose of the anticipated contract is to provide implementation support services and technical assistance to countries to accelerate progress in comprehensive delivery of facility and community-based malaria services, including malaria case management, prevention of malaria in pregnancy, seasonal malaria chemoprevention, health systems strengthening, data collection and use for service delivery, and other malaria prevention interventions. CRS will be a sub to a prime organization and this position will be part of the REACH Malaria’s core team.

The technical advisor will lead improvement of the implementation in malaria case management at the community level. S/he will also lead the strengthening of community health systems, including linkages between communities and health facilities (public and private) to increase access and use of malaria services. S/he will seek to enable coordination and linkages to other cross-cutting sectors in all malaria case management activities, especially gender.

You will contribute to strategy development in community health systems on REACH Malaria at a regional or global level and provide technical advice and leadership in community health systems at a regional or global level, including as a focal point for a geographic area as needed, in line with Catholic Relief Services (CRS) program quality principles and standards, USAID and PMI guidelines, and industry best practices to Technical Advisors and Country Program (CP) teams to advance the delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. Your expertise, advice and influence will significantly contribute to determining how effective, adaptive and innovative community health systems strengthening programming is across a region or regions.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Lead implementation of USAID, PMI and agency-wide strategies, standards, tools, and best practices in community health systems, especially for malaria case management, that effectively engage partners, donors, and governments. Ensure a cross-sectoral approach that integrates gender, protection mainstreaming, and disaster risk reduction.
• Support interventions that build systems for improved Integrated Community Case Management Community Case Management for all ages, proactive community case management, severe malaria treatment and referral Social Behavior Change activities, and seasonal malaria chemoprevention. Coordinate with other malaria intervention focused technical advisors to ensure community approaches are delivered through effective systems.
• Help create an enabling policy environment for a robust community health program that improves the quality and functionality of community health workers in REACH Malaria designated countries. Ensure that USAID Health System Strengthening frameworks and CHW supporting policy are implemented accordingly and harmonized with national community health policy.
• Provide technical solutions globally, for regional and/or country program and government teams for strategic planning and how to best apply and adapt program design and implementation standards, best practices, partnership principles, tools, and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) in community health systems, particularly for aspect(s) of malaria case management.
• Oversee and lead the delivery of capacity strengthening initiatives in aspects of community health systems globally for staff and partners through helping develop learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums; organizing and/or facilitating trainings, workshops and conferences; and mentoring and coaching staff and partners in innovative approaches and tools. Provide mentoring and coaching to technical advisors, as well as CP and regional staff. Support the development of localization strategies to help build the capacity of local stakeholders to take an increasing role in the delivery, monitoring, and quality assurance of malaria activities.
• Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance assessment for country program and partner staff.
• Oversee and lead aspects of REACH Malaria knowledge management and learning agenda in community health systems through helping implement conditions for collective learning that ensure the capturing, documenting, and sharing of key successes, promising practices, lessons learned, and evidence-based implementation research, internally and externally, including publications in peer reviewed journals.
• Represent REACH Malaria in targeted regional or global forums to develop opportunities and better ensure collaboration and shared learning in community health systems to influence technical partner approaches, future funding opportunities, and policies.

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Public Health, or other similar program areas required. PhD a plus.
• Minimum of seven years of work experience in public health (preferably in malaria) with progressive responsibilities, ideally with an international NGO, with three years overseas in multiple regions as a technical advisor and/or program manager of a community health and/or multi-sectoral project with a malaria and community health component.
• Strong understanding and application of technical principles and concepts in community health systems and malaria case management. Good knowledge of related disciplines to ensure proper cross-sectoral approach.
• Experience in the development and production of curricula, tools, and other products to support community health systems and malaria case management interventions and programming. Demonstrated experience to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring, and other formal and informal methods.
• Experience with program monitoring and evaluation including development of indicators, data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, and data presentation.
• Experience and skills to represent the organization at meetings with donors, government, international NGOs, local partners – faith-based and civil society. Understanding of partnership principles.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications and strong understanding of information and budget management systems and knowledge-sharing networks.
• Technical and/or academic publications a plus.

Required Languages – English required, and French strongly preferred

Travel– Must be willing and able to travel up to 30%.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings.
• Very strong strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment
• Very strong written and oral communication skills
• Very strong presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Integrity
• Continuous Improvement & Innovation
• Builds Relationships
• Develops Talent
• Strategic Mindset
• Accountability & Stewardship

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Key Working Relationships:

Internal REACH Malaria Senior Coordinator, CRS’ health and malaria teams, internal REACH Malaria staff

External National Malaria Programs, local organizations, USAID representatives, REACH Malaria consortia partners

***Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. We welcome as a part of our staff people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need. CRS’ processes and policies reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer

ABOUT US

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.

ABOUT THE TEAM

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding the rights and dignity of all people – especially children and vulnerable adults – to live free from abuse and harm.

CRS welcomes candidates from the countries and regions in which we work. In the event the successful candidate is an expatriate or global telecommuter, the anticipated duration of the assignment is informed by a term limit, based on the type and level of the job and the needs of the agency.

CRS is an Equal Opportunity Employer