Senior Public Health Advisor
BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION
The Senior Public Health Advisor (SPHA) is the principal portfolio manager/administrator/technical advisor for selected public health areas. S/he is a senior manager within the Health Office serving as Team Leader of the five-member Health Services Team, responsible for maternal and child health (MCH), family planning (FP), nutrition, water and sanitation for health (WASH) and infectious diseases including HIV/AIDS. S/he is responsible for strategically managing resources to achieve both the short-term and long-term results identified in USAID Mali’s five-year health strategy (2018-2023), managing specific portfolio activities, and helping ensure results, reporting information and analysis. S/he is also responsible for working with other Health Office teams including Health Systems, Malaria, and Program and Operations, as well as members of other Mission program areas in identifying and operationalizing ways to maximize interventions across the portfolio, i.e., identifying opportunities for complementarities in health and education, food security, humanitarian assistance, governance, communication and economic growth through agriculture.
The SPHA provides technical and administrative guidance on the development and execution of the USAID Mali Health Office interventions implemented by the collaborating agencies. S/he participates in the USAID process of programming allocated funding resources, and ensures that contractual and financial requirements are met. S/he works with a range of partners, such as US Private Voluntary Organizations (PVOs), local Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs), Cooperating Agencies and private partners, including those activities funded through USAID/W, to ensure that activities are consistent with the USAID/Mali Health priorities, USAID policy and practice, and that agreed-upon results are being achieved. The incumbent ensures communication flow between USAID public and private partners, and actively contributes to bringing the various actors together. S/he also consults with other donors active in the health sector and identifies opportunities for collaboration and coordination of interventions.
The SPHA leads the management of PEPFAR in the Health Office. The Health Services Team contains the PEPFAR Infectious Disease Specialist who spends 50% of their time managing PEPFAR related activities. The SPHA is responsible for coordinating PEPFAR management, coordination and reporting with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), USAID’s West Africa Regional Office, and USAID’s Office of HIV/AIDS (OHA) and the Office of Global HIV/AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) in Washington.
QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
Applicants meeting the required qualifications for the position will be evaluated based on information presented in the application and obtained through reference checks. USAID Mali reserves the right to conduct interviews with the most highly ranked applicants and make the interview a deciding factor in selection:
1) U.S. citizenship.
2) Minimum of a Master’s Degree in public health, international health, or social sciences
from a recognized institution and/or clinical qualifications. Educational specialization in child health, nutrition, newborn health, HIV or maternal and reproductive health is highly desirable.
3) Specialized experience in management of health programs is required. The incumbent will
have at least eight years of progressively responsible experience in designing, implementing and managing public health programs and activities in developing countries, with a preference given to candidates with African experience, preferably in West Africa. Demonstrated technical leadership, program management, strategic planning, and policy experience and problem-solving skills working on complex projects are required. Experience in managing PEPFAR programs is highly desired. The incumbent will also have the following:
(a) Analytical ability to interpret public policies and assist in the development of revised
policies as required in improving the policy environment related to public health in Mali. Management skills to develop and implement effective health activities involving financial and human resources. Administrative skills to assist in the oversight of cooperating agency technical advisors and institutional contractors. Extensive supervisory experience to effectively manage a team of six professionals.
(b) Skill in conceptualizing programs, policies, and plans and developing strategies for their
management and implementation. The candidate must be able to integrate short and long-range objectives of the USAID Health Office with the cultural/organizational needs of Mali and its Government.
(c) Knowledge and skills in quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods; experience in designing and evaluating Public Health activities in Africa, preferably in West Africa.
The incumbent must have proven supervisory skills to provide strategic leadership for the team, as well as build capacity and mentor local staff in a developing country.
(d) Demonstrable skills are required in working effectively with health personnel of diverse cultural backgrounds, negotiating agreements on matters of program strategy and performance, writing, administration, and management.
Ability to absorb large amounts of information and accurately track and report them; make contacts; take initiative and action; and make on-the-spot decisions, which are necessary to guide, support and complete activities across a broad and complex range of specialties.
4) Ability to work collaboratively in teams, build consensus, and effectively coordinate with external actors in a multicultural setting.
5) Knowledge of basic development principles, program and project development, budgeting, analysis skills.
6) Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor and coach diverse teams in developing country settings.
7) Demonstrated ability to manage administrative responsibilities (e.g. complying with procedural requirements and reporting on activities).
8) Level IV English ability and Level III French ability is required. The incumbent must possess a high degree of professional proficiency in both written and spoken English and French.
9) Preferred Knowledge of USAID policies, procedures and directives in relation to strategic development, project development, results review, performance monitoring and evaluation, and activity and program closeout.
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