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Technical Advisor II: Advisor for Program Integration, Iringa Initiative and Evaluation USAID

Global Health Fellows Program II

Technical Advisor II: Advisor for Program Integration, Iringa Initiative and Evaluation

USAID/Tanzania

Location: Iringa, Tanzania

Assignment: Two year fellowship

GHFP II-P1-034

The Global Health Fellows Program (GHFP-II) is a five year cooperative agreement implemented and managed by the Public Health Institute in partnership with CDC Development Solutions and Management Systems International. GHFP-II is supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

GHFP-II’s goal is to improve the effectiveness of USAID health programs by developing and increasing the capacity of health professionals with tailored development opportunities. This is accomplished through the recruitment, placement and support of diverse health professionals at the junior, mid and senior levels, and professional development activities aimed at enhancing the technical and leadership skills of global health professionals.

INTRODUCTION:

The Advisor for Program Integration, Iringa Initiative and Evaluation, will work with a multicultural, multi-specialty team bridging programs across development sectors - Health and Population (including HIV/AIDS), Education, Democracy and Governance, and Agriculture (Feed the Future). S/he will receive direction from the Iringa Initiative and Evaluation Team Lead. S/he will be expected to work independently yet very collaboratively with the team of professionals who are involved in managing activities included in the Iringa Initiative and Evaluation, make program recommendations, and take initiative. S/he will advise USAID/Tanzania on all aspects of the implementation of the Iringa Initiative and Evaluation, considering on-the-ground realities.

The Advisor for Program Integration, Iringa Initiative and Evaluation, under the guidance of the Iringa Initiative and Evaluation Team Lead, will coordinate field implementation of program activities across the HIV/AIDS and Health teams (including wraparound projects with the Education, Democracy and Governance and Feed the Future teams) to ensure a holistic approach and rational calibration of interventions to support an effective and well-functioning health system in Iringa. These activities range from facilitating effective communications, information sharing, and linkages across all USAID implementing partners in the region, to liaising with Regional and District Authorities, and USAID evaluation partners (Johns Hopkins University, Muhimbili University for Allied Sciences, and the Primary Health Care Institute), in monitoring programmatic inputs and results (in the form of meeting program implementation targets) with regards to the Iringa Combination Prevention Evaluation. S/he will work in consultation with technical staff for health and HIV/AIDS programs, to synchronize project work plans and analyze process bottlenecks and barriers to effective coordination and collaboration. With them, the Advisor for Program Integration and Evaluation will identify complementarities, as well as opportunities for greater synergy across programs. The Advisor will provide any recommendations for significant program corrective actions to both the Health and the HIV/AIDS Team Leaders in conjunction with the Iringa Initiative and Evaluation Team Lead.

Because of the interagency nature of the GHI programs, the Advisor will also support the Iringa Initiative and Evaluation Team Lead in working closely with technical staff from CDC, DOD, and the Peace Corps to coordinate and consolidate lessons learned across USG combination prevention efforts in country.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Advisor for Program Integration and Evaluation will:

I. Provide coordination and strategic oversight to the linkages between and among partner activities as well as local government in Iringa (50%):

(a) Serve as the primary point of contact for Iringa LGAs and Iringa Initiative Implementing Partners (IPs) in the field. S/he will facilitate and support programmatic planning, monitoring, information sharing and coordination in the field in Iringa region. S/he will maintain strong relationships with Iringa LGAs, encouraging their leadership and ownership of the Initiative as it evolves and facilitating their active engagement in programmatic and Iringa evaluation working sessions as appropriate.

(b) Establish and maintain processes for coordination of activities in the field across USAID IPs to ensure collaboration, synergies and minimal duplication of efforts across programs. S/he will work with HIV/AIDS and health partners to ensure linkages are maintained across programs leading to minimal loss to follow up of people living with HIV/AIDS, but not eligible for ART, adherence to ART for people on treatment, and linking HIV negative and positive people with quality health care services.

(c) In consultation with technical staff from USAID, and under the guidance of the Iringa Initiative and Evaluation Team Lead, identify opportunities for integration of family planning, maternal/child health, malaria, and HIV/AIDS programs to achieve management and programmatic efficiencies that result in leveraged improvements in health and HIV/AIDS outcomes. In particular, along with existing USAID systems strengthening and capacity building partners in Iringa, the Advisor will identify ways to further accountability within LGA systems in Iringa. As systems begin to come together, the Advisor – in collaboration with the Iringa Team Lead – will leverage this activity as a safeguard to be certain that LGAs are engaged in achieving the desired results. S/he will also continually look for new opportunities for integration across development sectors – Education, Democracy and Governance, Feed the Future in addition to continually engaging already existing wraparound projects in the Iringa Initiative.

(d) Convene and facilitate quarterly Iringa Initiative IP meetings in the field as a forum to exchange ideas and showcase collaboration efforts and success stories. S/he will invite LGAs to actively participate and contribute to this process.

II. Monitor IP performance and target achievements to ensure quality and effectiveness of the program within the Iringa Combination Prevention Evaluation intervention areas, as well as facilitate the program evaluation feedback loop in the context of the evaluation (50%):

(a) Maintain close and continuous contact with the Iringa Combination Prevention Evaluation research team based in Iringa. This will include working closely with research staff from Johns Hopkins University, Muhimbili University, and the Primary Health Care Institute, to track the implementation of evaluation plans and report back to the Iringa Team Lead in Dar es Salaam, as well as USAID/Washington on a regular basis on progress made.

(b) Work closely with the Iringa Combination Prevention Evaluation Team to establish and implement a comprehensive monitoring system that tracks key indicators across a subset of USAID IPs. This subset of partners will include a mix of HIV/AIDS care, treatment and prevention partners identified as key service delivery partners within the evaluation intervention areas. The enhanced monitoring system will be designed to capture synergies as well as individual program contributions to the combination package. Once the system has been established and refined, s/he will work with the larger set of USAID IPs in Iringa to adapt it for implementation across the region as part of the larger Iringa Initiative outside of the Iringa evaluation areas.

(c) S/he will have the overall responsibility of working with the respective program managers (Assistance Officer Representatives) in Dar es Salaam, for ensuring open and appropriate information sharing between USAID IP staff based in the field in Iringa and evaluation partners. S/he will serve as the link between USAID IP staff in the field and evaluation partners with regards to the day to day implementation of program and evaluation activities on the ground. The Advisor will also facilitate and ensure information from the field is fed up to IP headquarters through the respective program managers and the Iringa Evaluation Team in Dar es Salaam.

(d) Ensure that program monitoring data collected by the evaluation partners is shared across all IPs involved in the evaluation in a timely and meaningful manner. S/he will collaborate with the Iringa Evaluation Team in designing a feedback loop to efficiently and effectively facilitate program course corrections when necessary. Lastly, s/he will document operational and program management lessons learned to be shared across regions.

The Advisor will be based in Iringa Region and will travel to Dar es Salaam at least once every three months.

REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE:

• A minimum of a master’s degree in a relevant discipline such as health management, public health, the social sciences, reproductive health, MCH, or other field related to international development and/or public health.

• Minimum five years’ progressively responsible experience working with a donor agency and/or a development organization, with at least 2 years’ experience supporting development programs (Africa-specific preferred, but not required) in an international or resource challenged setting.

• Technical knowledge of HIV/AIDS care, treatment and prevention service delivery programs is required. Technical knowledge of family planning, maternal/child health, gender-based violence, malaria, tuberculosis, and public health service delivery programs and systems in developing countries is also desirable.

• Demonstrated experience working with developing country program managers, government authorities, and a broad array of local health service providers and community leaders highly desirable.

• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multicultural setting required. Able to motivate team members and work toward positive overall performance, work as a member of a technical or office management team, and to work independently required.

• Excellent collaboration skills; proven track record in building and maintaining relationships across multiple entities in a technical environment.

• Proven ability to communicate quickly, succinctly, and tactfully both verbally and in writing; ability to facilitate meetings and make oral presentations logically and persuasively to senior officials and partners in a multicultural context; ability to produce concise, clear reports, and use word processing, spreadsheet, and database programs required.

• Proficiency in Kiswahili highly desirable.

• US citizenship required.

• Ability to obtain and maintain medical clearance to live and work in Tanzania.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

Salary will be based on commensurate experience and earnings history. The Public Health Institute offers a comprehensive benefits package including professional development programs http://www.ghfp.net/docs/2012_Benefits_Booklet_GHFP.pdf

How to apply:

All applicants are required to apply for this position through GHFP’s online recruitment system at https://www.ghfp.net/recruitment/, which allows you to store your CV, profile and bio data form in our database. A separate cover letter describing your qualifications and experience, interest and familiarity with issues relating to this position, and how this position relates to your career goals is required for each application. All online applications must be submitted by 5:00 pm Eastern Time, June 6, 2012.

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