Liberia Emergency Health Programme Manager

Programme: Liberia Line Manager: Country Operations Manager Responsible for: Emergency Health Coordinator Location: Harper, Maryland, with regular visits to Grand Gedeh Start Date: ASAP Duration: 7 months Salary & Benefits: £29, 700 - £30,450 per annum (dependant on relevant experience), Inclusive of annual Cost of Living Allowance Benefits: Insurance cover, accommodation, R&R, annual leave entitlement of 24 days per annum rising to 30 days at the completion of 12 months of continuous employment with Merlin.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted. Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date. This is an unaccompanied position

Merlin International Profile Merlin specialises in health, saving lives in times of crisis and helping to rebuild shattered health services. Each year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries.

Context and Background Merlin has been operational in various counties throughout Liberia since 1997 and has developed a good reputation as a key partner of the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MoH&SW) in Liberia. The main focus of Merlin’s programme in Liberia at present is supporting the MoH&SW with the provision of quality primary and secondary level health care services and influencing policy at the national level. In the course of implementing its activities in Liberia, Merlin supports over 800 MoH&SW workers through incentive payments. Merlin actively collaborates with the MoH&SW, UN Agencies, local partner NGOs, and other INGOs and agencies such as Mentor Initiative and International Committee of the Red Cross.

Merlin’s activities include technical, capacity building and logistical support to the County Health and Social Welfare Teams (CH&SWTs) as well as capacity building health facility staff through training, mentoring and/or supervision to ensure improved quality of care in the supported facilities. In 2011 Merlin will be supporting 76 primary health care facilities in Montserrado, Maryland, Grand Bassa, Sinoe, Grand Kru and Grand Gedeh counties, and 5 hospitals in Buchanan, Zwedru, Greenville, Grand Cess and Harper. Merlin also has a Reproductive Health/Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) team to mainstream maternal health promotion and HIV/AIDS prevention into all Merlin projects as a crosscutting theme.

Merlin Liberia is working with the MoH&SW and CH&SWTs in each supported county to create a more coordinated strategy in line with the MoH&SW lead partner approach. As a first step towards this Merlin has developed a Counterpart Strategy geared towards a closer, more efficient and effective collaboration with the CH&SWTs in the delivery of health services and the development of their managerial capacity.

Main purpose of the role The Emergency Health Programme Manager will oversee the implementation of programme activities and provide technical guidance that aim at achieving the strategic objectives of the Grand Gedeh and Maryland Counties Emergency programme. He/She will provide supervision to the Emergency Health Coordinator and the other emergency team members in these two counties to ensure the timely implementation of donor-funded projects based on the Merlin Project Management Cycle. This position is also expected to play an important role in collaboration with Country Health Director in expanding Merlin’s health sector profile and influence on policy and practice within the emergency health sector context through active engagement in the two counties-level co-ordination and emergency related forums.

Duties & Responsibilities General • Manage all emergency programme implementation, review emergency management systems and make appropriate improvements • Provide technical advice and support to Merlin emergency staff, partners and, when requested, relevant Government of Liberia UN agencies and other stakeholders in Grand Gedeh and Marylamd Merlin Liberia emergency programme areas • Oversee the emergency coordination activities between the two counties • Monitor and maintain compliance with standard Merlin and donor procedures and Guidelines in emergency context • Play a key role in developing Merlin’s emergency progarmme leadership position in Grand Gedeh and Maryland Counties • Maintain a strong working relationship with the ongoing project management team members and specifically the Programme Manager

Leadership • Coordinate and technically manage the overall planning and direction of Merlin’s Emergency health activities in Grand Gedeh and Maryland counties • Support in the development and maintenance of a coherent Emergency health strategy across the two counties that contributes to Merlin’s aims in collaboration with the operational field staff and technical teams

Operational Management • Overall responsibility for effective and efficient management of emergency project implementation in Grand Gedeh and Maryland counties, consistent with the project management cycle, program objectives, activities and indicators • Coordinate the drawing-up of plans, proposals, and budgets for new emergency projects and extensions of emergency projects in conjunction with the programme teams • Ensure emergency project monitoring systems are in place and that reviews are undertaken periodically in conjunction with the team, project partners and relevant local stakeholders • Initiate regular emergency project team meetings to ensure project time-line fulfillment and donor/ Merlin compliance • Ensure emergency programme reports are completed in accordance with deadlines/ compliance requirements and undertake report editing where necessary. • Pro-actively contribute to emergency programme development and strategy • Line manage Emergency Health Coordinator in Maryland to ensure that appropriate Merlin emergency project management, administration, personnel, logistic, finance, and communication systems are in place • Undertake regular travel to the field sites within Grand Gedeh and Maryland counties as dictated by the needs of the emergency project, security and staff etc Health Strategy and Programme Development • Monitor the emergency health and humanitarian situation in its area of operation and advise the Country Operations Manager on appropriate courses of action, implications for the emergency programmes, review and adaptation • Ensure all emergency programme staff are aware of health and humanitarian trends within the Merlin Liberia programme sites and beyond • Undertake/assist with in-depth needs assessments as necessary in support of Emergency Health coordinator • Actively engage with the emergency programme and contribute to the development of high quality and timely concept notes and emergency programme proposals in response to health and emergency needs in Grand Gedeh and Maryland Counties Logistics/ Finance/ Administration • In collaboration with the Senior Logistics Manager, ensure appropriate administrative, financial and logistical Merlin systems/ procedures are in place, maintained and adhered to so that all support functions are carried out effectively and efficiently in the emergency programme setting • Maintain familiarity with donor compliance issues, ensuring all projects are compliant with • donor and Merlin procedures/ requirements • Ensure appropriate documentation of projects for transparency and future donor inspection/audit

Human Resource Management • Undertake staff appraisals for Emergency Health Coordinator and others under direct line management. Where relevant, contribute to job descriptions and staff selection • Support team members professionally and monitor/ support stress management • Maintain good inter-team communications and engender positive team dynamics • Monitor staff welfare in the field sites and ensure appropriate steps are taken to improve • living and working conditions where necessary Communication/ Representation • Ensure regular communications are maintained emergency programme staff, Programme Manager (Maryland and Grand Gedeh), County Health Teams and the County Management Team, acting as the focal person for communication related to emergency programme • Represent the emergency programme in related County Management Team meetings and other emergency coordination meetings in Grand Gedeh and Maryland • In consultation with the Programme Manager , represent Merlin to government officials, donors, NGOs, local and national health authorities, and any other parties in emergency context Other • Provide coverage for other posts when necessary and carry out any other responsibilities as reasonably requested by the Country Operations Manager.

Person Specification

Essential Qualifications, experience and competences • Bachelor’s degree in a health-related discipline (health economics, healthcare administration, Public health, etc. Master’s degree will be an added advantage • Substantial post qualification experience in managing emergency health programmes within developing countries • Strong international project coordination and management experience, including: • Security management • Personnel management • Experience of representation/ liaison with government officials, local authorities, NGOs, civil society groups and donors • Proven experience in budget management • Diplomatic and effective communication skills • Strong leadership skills and a supportive management style • Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English • Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office • Team player with experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues • from different functions, cultures and political environments • Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple • tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines • An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission and values • Ability to undertake regular visits for inspection and supervision not only in Grand Kru but other counties as well.

Desirable Qualifications, experience and competences • Medical doctor • Experience of different donor funding mechanisms in emergencies • Experience in health systems strengthening and/or health disaster preparedness. • Previous experience within West Africa.

To apply for this position

To apply for this job, please go to www.merlin.org.uk/jobs and apply using our online recruitment system. In order to apply for a job with Merlin online you will need to complete a short registration process and create an account – the online recruitment system explains how to do this. Once your account has been created, you will be able to save the information that you have entered in your application and re-visit it at any time before you submit it.

If you are unable to apply online please download and complete an application form and email it to: applications@merlin.org.uk.

Please note that we do not accept CVs and any application must therefore be made online or by completing our application form. Unfortunately due to the number of applications we receive, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.

Data Protection In accordance with the 1998 Data Protection Act Merlin will hold and use personal information that you have given for the purposes of recruitment and employment should an offer of employment be made. This information will be stored in manual and/or computer form. This information may also be disclosed to third parties in accordance with the Data Protection Act. In cases where a job offer is conditional on ensuring that potential employees’ names do not appear on counter terrorism lists generated by the United Nations, European Union or the United States due to donor funding requirements, Merlin will use the information that you have given for checking that your name does not appear on these lists.