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The Country Project Director is responsible for coordinating and managing all activities for the project. S/he also serves as the technical lead on project activities focusing on pharmaceutical systems strengthening approach. S/he shall be responsible and accountable for the development, regular update and implementation of the country work plan, technical strategies, and budget to ensure attainment of the program goals and objectives in line with the project’s mandate and approaches, to contribute to the goals of the local USAID Mission and government partners. S/he is the primary liaison between the project and the local USAID Mission, Government counterparts, stakeholders, and partners involved with pharmaceutical management activities and/or implementing related programs in the country. The Country Project Director is accountable for the management of the project’s Country office, provides strategic and technical guidance and works closely with the assigned Arlington-based Senior Manager, other project home office technical and operational staff, other MSH projects in the country, and the MTaPS regional team to ensure that Project targets and deliverables are met on time. As the head of the Country Project Leadership Team, he or she ensures the timely and quality delivery of project products and activities and supervises in-country staff.
This position is not eligible for work sponsorship or relocation.
Specific Responsibilities
Vision, Technical Strategy and Results (25%)
- Develop and manage the Results Framework, Performance Monitoring Plan, Technical Strategy, annual project work plans, technical assistance plan and budget for project technical assistance in the country, in collaboration with Arlington-based Senior Manager, Performance and M&E team and Technical Advisors, according to USAID Mission requirements, obligations, results frameworks, approaches and standards, and Results Management Systems (RMS) guidelines.
- Manage the implementation of project technical activities at the national, provincial/regional, and facility levels ensuring that all activities are adequately implemented in a timely fashion and that they adequately address pharmaceutical, regulatory and commodity management needs at the different levels of the system to meet the expectations of clients, partners and other local stakeholders.
- Provide technical leadership and direction for the development and implementation of innovative strategies and approaches in support to pharmaceutical system strengthening activities in country including pharmaceutical regulatory systems.
- Facilitate the identification and provision of required short-term technical assistance in support to program activities in collaboration with home office and regional office based technical teams
- Monitor project training and on-site capacity building activities, ensuring the development of local institutional and personal capacities needed to maintain adequate pharmaceutical management systems while ensuring country ownership and sustainability of interventions
- Maintain close interaction with Senior Manager based in Arlington to ensure adequate support to the country program, completion of work and the achievement of targets in a timely fashion and within budget. Also, ensure that plan adjustments are made and documented as necessary.
Documentation, Communication and Client Relations (25%)
- Facilitate the review of technical reports developed by other team members and/or consultants ensuring the quality of delivered products and that reports/recommendations are appropriately disseminated among counterparts and partners.
- Maintain all verbal and written communications with the local USG health team and represent project in meetings with external partners including the USAID Mission, CDC office, the Ministry of Health including Rwanda Food and Drug Authority (FDA) and the Rwanda Pharmacy Council, USAID implementing partners, the Global Fund, other MSH projects in country, as well as with other public and private partners implementing health activities ensuring identification and coordination of commodity management priorities in support of national and USAID priorities.
- Ensure the development of regular activity updates and their timely submission to the local Mission, and the development of quarterly and annual progress reports, financial reports and other reports as required to be submitted to the local USAID Mission as well as Program home office in Arlington.
- Ensure the timely update of the project Strategic Monitoring System (SMS), USAID TraiNet, MSH and project external websites and others as may be required from time to time.
- Ensure submission of technical documentation to MSH’s central Institutional Memory System (IMS), clients, partners and stakeholders
- Build and maintain strong working relations with key internal and external stakeholders, beneficiaries, subcontractors, suppliers and partners. Provide effective and timely responses to inquiries and concerns.
- Seek out new and strategic partnerships in the public and private sectors to advance program objectives and promote innovation.
Project Management (40%)
- Manage the day-to-day operations of the country/project office and serve as a liaison with the home office to ensure that logistics, contracts, letters of agreement, and any approvals are adequately in place in support of program activities. Also, ensure adherence to MSH office management and accounting procedures.
- Conduct budget monitoring and cost control based on sound financial and accounting principles, MSH Standard Operating Procedures, and MSH and project requirements.
- Ensure implementation of activities in compliance with project cooperative agreement, MSH and USAID policies, regulations and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
- Implement a Financial Pipeline Tracking system for effective budget monitoring and cost control based on sound financial and accounting principles, MSH Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and MSH and project requirements.
- Ensure project staffing, structure and reporting relationships are aligned with country needs, local context and available resources.
- Promote and facilitate staff participation in MSH’s Technical Exchange Networks (TEN), relevant social networks and south-to-south exchanges.
- Manage human resources as per MSH values, policies and guidelines, and implement an effective performance management program focusing on results and individual accountability, including regular check-ins, annual reviews, supportive supervision, a merit-based reward system, training, coaching and career development support.
Safeguarding MSH (10%)
- Ensure technical, financial, contractual and political integrity are maintained to safeguard MSH reputation
- Ensure effective collaboration, coordination and internal partnerships with other MSH projects, and departments to build synergies across programs for maximum impact.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications and Experience
Education:
Required:
- MPH, MBA or master’s level degree in a health-related field required.
Preferred:
- Physician, nurse, or pharmacist qualification preferred.
Experience:
Required:
- Eight plus (8+) years of progressively responsible, related experience is required.
- Several years of experience in senior level position(s) in international public health coupled with significant experience in the field of pharmaceutical management and services, especially pharmaceutical regulatory systems strengthening required.
Preferred:
- 10 years of progressively responsible experience is preferred.
- Experience with public health programs supported by bilateral agencies, such as USAID, and international agencies, such as WHO and World Bank, preferred.
- Demonstrated managerial and organizational skills in a developing country setting with flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and deadlines.
- Experience in health systems strengthening strongly preferred, particularly those related to the implementation of reproductive health, MCH, HIV/AIDS, Malaria, TB prevention, care, and treatment programs in developing countries.
Knowledge and Skills:
- Demonstrated subject-matter expertise in technical content relevant to the project including knowledge of the country’s pharmaceutical sector.
- Demonstrated leadership and management abilities.
- Prior experience and success directing similar or larger international donor-funded projects.
- Demonstrated strategic planning and visioning skills.
- Familiarity with USG regulations and administrative procedures in the implementation of donor assisted projects.
- Proven record of aligning diverse, multi-level teams with project mission and vision.
- Track record of strong commitment to sharing knowledge, documenting experiences, supporting creative initiatives, and sharing credit.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with senior-level colleagues, particularly interacting productively, proactively, and comfortably with government agencies, NGOs, private sector groups, USAID, CAs, and donor organizations.
- Demonstrated strategic agility, diplomacy, conflict management, team building, written and oral communication, and negotiation skills.
- Excellent writing and presentation skills in English are required, along with good French.
- Ability to travel as required to support the progress of program activities.
- Demonstrated experience and knowledge of Rwanda and/or other country in East/Central African region is highly preferred.
Competencies:
- Navigating the Environment: Perspective, Dealing with ambiguity, organizational agility, political savvy and strategic agility.
- Ensuring Delivery of Results: Functional/technical skills, client focus, managing through systems, managing and measuring work, negotiating, information sharing, process management, priority setting, problem solving and timely decision making.
- Leading with Credibility: Managing others—building effective teams, conflict management, managing vision and purpose, integrity and trust, motivating others, approachability and developing direct reports and others.
- Core Personal Competencies: Ethics and values, integrity and trust, listening, written communication.
- Core MSH competencies: Adaptability, communication, problem solving, creativity and innovation, quality, quality and timeliness of work, quality of work and team relationships, resource utilization
Demonstrated ability to assess priorities and manage a variety of activities in a time-sensitive environment and meet deadlines with attention to detail and quality. - Track record of, and strong commitment to, transparency and collaboration as demonstrated by sharing knowledge, documenting experiences, supporting creative initiatives, and sharing credit.
- Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with senior-level colleagues, particularly interacting productively, proactively, and comfortably with government agencies, NGOs, private sector groups, USAID, Collaborating Agencies, and donor organizations.
- Demonstrated strategic agility, diplomacy, conflict management, team building, written and oral communication, and negotiation skills.
Physical Demands:
- Ability to travel as required to support the progress of program activities. This position will require 25% of domestic and international travel.
