Concern Worldwide seeks to recruit a Programme Manager – Health (0570), Sierra Leone

About the role: 

This is a new role for 26 months with unaccompanied terms based in Freetown (with frequent travel to field locations) with a salary of Grade 3 €35,981 – €39,979.

Your purpose:

You will report to the National Health Coordinator and you will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the national health system strengthening: Saving Lives Program. You will work in close collaboration with the Consortium Public Health Specialist, the District Delivery Managers (Concern Worldwide program staff), the Ministry of Health (MoH) and other key stakeholders in the districts, the PHS will play a key role in ensuring that the Saving Lives program is implemented to a high technical standard and is in full alignment with relevant national policies and protocols.

We would like you to start as soon as possible.

You will be responsible for:

Programme Implementation

• Act as the liaison between national level and districts;
• Provide technical support for the District Annual Planning process during the programme period;
• Support and provide technical advice/mentorship to the District Delivery Managers and District Clinical Mentors in Western Area (with potential support in the Northern Districts) for implementation of the Saving Lives Phase II programme and for ensuring efficient use of resources;
• Support quarterly meetings with the District Medical Officers and the Medical Superintendents in the operational areas and provide technical advice to District Delivery Managers on using data for decision-making in meetings;
• Conduct regular field visits to provide technical support and closely monitor the implementation of the district annual plans in Western Area (with potential support to the Northern District);
• Support all assessments for the program and the program M&E framework; and
• Contribute to National and district level reporting for internal, donor and Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) reports.

Financial Management

• Ensure the effective and transparent usage of budget and other resources under the control of Concern, in line with finance procedures & guidelines and in accordance with best practice;
• Working with the District Health Management Team (DHMT) and other partners, help ensure that district resources are used effectively and transparently on prioritized Reproductive, Maternal and Newborn, Child & Adolescent Health (RMNCAH) activities;
• Ensure good quality district level applications for the programme’s flexible fund and innovation fund aimed at funding necessary RMNCAH related operating costs and small-scale pilots at a district and regional level.

Equality and Accountability

• Promote accountability and ensure compliance with Concern’s key policies to ensure maximum protection of programme participants, staff, wider community members, etc. and the efficient and transparent use of Concern’s resources.  The key policies are – Programme Participants’ Protection Policy, Child Safeguarding Policy, Anti-Trafficking in Persons Policy, Anti-Fraud Policy and the Common Humanitarian Standard (CHS), including Concern’s complaints and response mechanism (CRM).
• Promote Equality, especially gender, within the organisation and across programmes, in line with Concern’s Equality Policy and, and ensure targeting and project implementation is informed by How Concern Understands Extreme Poverty (HCUEP).
• Promote and protect the reputation of Concern in external settings, ensuring that the organisation’s experience and expertise is well communicated and consistently presented, and that we are looked upon as a professional organisation, guided by organisational policies and Concern’s Code of Conduct.

Representation and Advocacy

• Attend National, regional and district level RMNCAH meetings and other workshops, working groups, and coordination forums as required to ensure close coordination and collaboration; and
• Analyse and present data in creative new ways to influence district-level discussions around and prioritization of RMNCAH activities and strategy implementation.

Other:

Any other reasonable tasks as assigned by the National Health Coordinator.

Your skills and experience will include:

Essential:

Education / qualifications:

• Medical Doctor and/or Masters in Public Health

Experience:

• 5 – 7 years of relevant field experience with managing staff.
• Experience in management of programmes in a developing country or other resource-poor context (ideally Sierra Leone), including experience in implementing/managing RMNCAH programmes is preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge of public health evidence and ability to translate the evidence into actions/plans.
• Demonstrated knowledge and/or experience of having worked with district health systems.

We would also like:

• Leadership skills and ability to lead and work as part of a team
• Ability to provide technical support and feedback with a high degree of tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to work with distant supervision.
• Flexibility, adaptability, sense of humour, and patience.
• Facilitation and interpersonal skills.
• Analytical and problem solving skills.
• Ability to work under pressure often to strict deadlines.

• Ability to assess problems and recommend solutions.
• Methodical and thorough approach to work.
• Training and capacity building skills.
• Cross cultural awareness and sensitivity to cultural differences.
• Awareness of gender issues and commitment to addressing inequality.
• Empathy with organisational goals.
• Good knowledge and competence in computer applications (i.e. Microsoft, Word, Excel, Email).
• Ability to motivate and develop skills of others.