Health Systems Strengthening Officer, Maternal & Child Health/Nutrition
Candidate must have legal authorization to work in South Africa to be considered for this position. International relocation and work permits will not be provided.
PATH is an international nonprofit organization that transforms global health through innovation. We take an entrepreneurial approach to developing and delivering high-impact, low-cost solutions, from lifesaving treatments, vaccines and devices to collaborative programs with communities. Through our work in more than 70 countries, PATH and our partners empower people to achieve their full potential.
PATH’s Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Program (MCHN) works to apply effective, innovative approaches to broadening access to and use of key maternal and child health and nutrition interventions that address the most pressing causes of maternal and child deaths, poor health, and poor nutritional status. PATH is committed to improving child health and development, focusing on interventions during pregnancy, labor and the postnatal period and for children, especially in the first 2 years of life.
PATH seeks a Health Systems Strengthening Officer (HSS Officer) for a Maternal Child Health & Nutrition and development project. This project will focus on improving the health and development of children less than two years old in four districts in South Africa (John Taolo Gaetsewe, Nkangala, Uthungulu and Sedibeng) and one district in Mozambique.
The HSS Officer will be responsible for providing technical guidance in the systems strengthening, planning, and performance monitoring of integrated maternal, child health, nutrition and community development interventions by the district management teams. The incumbent will be expected to work collaboratively with the project's District Project Manager and the district management team (networking with departments of health, social development, local municipalities and non-governmental partners) in the use of existing structures, information, systems, and tools (i.e. DHIS, DHP, IDP) for effective planning and performance monitoring. The HSS Officer will work principally in South Africa but may be called upon to provide periodic technical support to staff and activities in Mozambique.
The HSS Officer will, under the guidance of the PATH South Africa National Project Manager and other regional technical staff, represent the project in district health and social development program implementation forums and provide systems strengthening technical support. The HSS Officer will report to the PATH National Project Manager. Duties and responsibilities:
- Act as the project’s technical assistance representative for health and social development systems strengthening activities at the district and sub-district levels.
- Work in collaboration with PATH District Project Managers and assist the District Health Management Teams (DHMTs) to improve intersectoral planning and collaborative program performance monitoring as well as assist in conceptualizing and designing integrated and comprehensive Maternal, Child Health, Nutrition and community development plans.
- Work together with the national and district project teams to strengthen the capacity of selected non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to effectively implement community education and social behavior change communication activities in the project districts.
- Work collaboratively with Regional Training Centres (RTC’s) to build the capacity of community-based organizations (CBOs), district level management and staff from across government ministries to conduct effective planning for integrated services.
- Provide technical guidance and support in the development and implementation of systems strengthening tools, plans and activities, including training curricula, reporting tools and systems, and data-based planning tools.
- Work closely with district project team members and the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer in developing district program strategies, district project plans, and project monitoring and evaluation activities.
- Represent PATH in district and provincial MCHN forum’s, disseminating PATH program experiences, advocating for proven effective MCHN and Development models and approaches and sharing key lessons learnt and best practices.
- Provide technical support and work with all project staff on the management of the knowledge sharing objective (providing support when the project conducts operations research and utilizes the outputs of the research).
The Health System Strengthening Officer must be a results-oriented health and development professional with an enthusiastic commitment to PATH’s mission and demonstrated technical expertise in systems strengthening and planning for multi-level and intersectoral interventions. Skills should include:
- Demonstrated ability to provide technical guidance for systems strengthening and planning for health, social and community development milestone-based projects.
- Ability to support district teams in planning programs for improved service delivery for the local government, health and social development structures.
- Enthusiasm for building the capacity of local groups and communities for effective planning and performance monitoring of public health challenges.
- Ability to work with, and provide technical support to, community based organizations as they implement community education and behavior change activities. Demonstrated ability to develop and/or conducting operations research and the relevant experience in developing and managing best practice models.
- Ability to organize and prioritize work and to meet deadlines within a flexible, fast-paced environment with multiple and competing demands.
- Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills with a demonstrated capacity to solve problems with energy, flexibility, attention to detail and a positive attitude.
- Strong English oral and written communication skills. Ability to communicate in the most common languages in South Africa.
- Willingness to travel regularly within Southern Africa as needed.
Master’s degree and equivalent experience in relevant discipline. Minimum 5 years experience providing technical assistance on systems strengthening in health and development projects in resource poor settings. Demonstrated district based integrated health and development programming experience. Experience working with multi-sectoral district, provincial health and development officials would be an added advantage.
PATH is dedicated to diversity and is an equal opportunity employer.
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