NEHSI Senior Program Officer

Senior Program Officer, Nigeria Evidence-based Health System Initiative (NEHSI) Position #: 779 Location: Ottawa, Canada Salary Range: $86,426 - $104,128 Status: Term - until January 2014 Job Overview The Nigeria Evidence-based Health System Initiative (NEHSI) is a collaborative project between the Government of Nigeria, the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) with the mandate of contributing to the strengthening of the health care system to deliver effective, efficient and equitable primary health care in two states of Nigeria. The Program Officer, working under the guidance of the Project Leader of NEHSI, develops, monitors, manages, and evaluates a portfolio of small research projects; coordinates formal reporting to CIDA; analyzes or commissions analyses of funded projects to identify and document lessons learnt; leads the development and management of the NEHSI communication strategy including documentation and active dissemination of program outputs; directly supports NEHSI partnerships; and assists senior team members with the range of tasks associated with the project portfolio and successful implementation of the NEHSI (including, liaison with the regional offices, donor relations, publications, seminars colloquia). Candidate Profile Education · PhD, or a Master’s degree with equivalent work experience, and a record of research in a relevant health or social science discipline such as epidemiology, public health, health informatics, political science or public policy Experience This position requires five to eight years of relevant health systems, epidemiology, and health information systems experience, which includes: · conducting and managing research · some experience with field epidemiological research in Africa · building and maintaining partner relationships in Nigeria, and Canadian agencies particularly the Global Health Research Initiative partners · reviewing and assessing research proposals · working specifically in Nigeria with familiarity of the local, state and federal level of governments and civil society organizations · working in developing regions, particularly in high security risk countries Language · Bilingual position (English/French) at an intermediate level Knowledge · Knowledge of global health and health research policy processes and communities in Canada and low and middle income countries (LMICs), specifically Nigeria · Knowledge of health and social policy issues in developing regions, specifically Africa · Knowledge of CIDA procedures, documentations and requirements for the implementation of projects in Nigeria · Knowledge of health information systems, specifically community based systems and population based systems in Africa · Knowledge of information management to support evidence-based planning Competencies · Excellent leadership, interpersonal and communication skills (orally and in writing) · Superior planning, organizing, coordinating and negotiation skills under pressure · Strong analytical and problem-solving skills · Innovative, creative and flexible team player · Ability to manage complex and diverse projects while traveling or in the field · Ability to establish, manage and monitor relationships with stakeholders · Ability to provide advice and guidance to stakeholders and senior management · Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team including diverse cultures, expertise and experiences · Awareness of and sensitivity to individual, gender and cultural differences. Additional Information · This position requires a willingness to travel internationally, an average of 60-90 days per year. Application Deadline: September 30, 2012 For more information about this opportunity and how to apply, visit our website at www.idrc.ca/careers.