Chief of Party – USAID Strengthening Integrated Health Services Activity (SIHSA) Full Time

Company Description

Options Consultancy Services Limited (Options) is a global team of experts and innovators tackling some of the world’s most pressing health challenges. We work with leaders and change makers around the globe to bring health strategies to life. We provide ideas, advice and technical know-how that enable our partners to build a path to lasting change.

With 30 years’ experience in global health, we collaborate with our partners to explore existing evidence, combine expertise, scale up ideas and co-create solutions that accelerate change. This includes collaborating on policy design, managing initiatives, building powerful coalitions and galvanizing social movements. Our impact is felt across whole communities, with a focus on women, girls and those who have been marginalized.

Gender equality and social change are at the forefront of our work. As part of MSI Reproductive Choices, all our profits go back into supporting MSI’s own mission of children by choice, not chance.

We believe in a world where everyone can access the high-quality health services they need, without financial burden.

Options is preparing to bid for the anticipated USAID Strengthening Integrated Health Services Activity (SIHSA) in Sierra Leone. The 5-year project aims to contribute to the Government of Sierra Leone’s overarching goal of improving the health of adolescents, pregnant and postpartum women, and children less than five years old.

Position

The Chief of Party is responsible for the overall strategic leadership, managerial oversight and technical direction of the anticipated USAID Strengthening Integrated Health Services Activity in Sierra Leone. They lead the implementation team and serve as the key point of contact for USAID, government, project consortium partners, and other stakeholders.

Summary purpose and objective of role

The Chief of Party (COP) will be responsible for the overall strategic leadership, managerial oversight and technical direction of the anticipated USAID Strengthening Integrated Health Services Activity (SIHSA) in Sierra Leone. They will lead the implementation team and serve as the key point of contact for USAID, government, project consortium partners, and other stakeholders. They will coordinate closely with other USG projects and development partners to ensure joined up approaches and complementarity with other health and governance projects. The COP is accountable for high quality delivery of the project within the budget parameters. The post holder draws support from Options’ global management services. The role reports to Options’ Director of Global Health. Coordinating the inputs of the team from Options and partners, they will ensure that project objectives, outcomes, and deliverables are met and that financial, operational, and reporting requirements comply with USAID regulations and Options’ policies and processes.

The ideal candidate will know Sierra Leone well and has extensive experience in a senior position in Sierra Leone or West Africa.

Key responsibilities

• Strategic leadership and people management: Provide overall leadership, technical direction, and management oversight to staff and the overall project team including staff, consultants, and consortium partners. Plan, direct and coordination strategic plans, annual and quarterly work plans, and overall management of the project to achieve project objectives in line with USAID regulations and Options’ policies.
• Technical and operational oversight: Provide overall technical and administrative leadership to the project implementation team, including development of strategies, budgets, work plans, MEL plans and reporting. Responsible for meeting contractual obligations, producing deliverables and targets, and achieving project results as specified by USAID.
• Relationship management: Primary point of contact with USAID, consortium implementing partners, Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) and other stakeholders. Maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders, effectively representing the project at external meetings. Manage proactive and responsive relationship with USAID in close collaboration with Options staff in Sierra Leone and the UK.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree in a relevant subject, preferably in public health.
• Extensive experience providing technical, strategic and project management oversight to multi-year, multi-partner and complex projects in Sierra Leone and/or West Africa as a Chief of Party or Team Leader.
• Demonstrated experience working to strengthen governance and accountability mechanisms as well as enhancing national local cooperation.
• Strong understanding of Sierra Leone’s health sector including key context and trends relevant to health systems strengthening. Relevant networks at the district level.
• Strong external liaison and negotiation experience fostering partnerships between Government and other stakeholders, including at district level, and building national and sub-national capacity. Familiarity with government practice and protocol.
• Significant experience and a track record of successful leadership and management of teams based in multiple locations. Previous experience leading a team of highly skilled, multidisciplinary staff to leverage joint management support, and empowering team members to deliver high quality work. Experience managing teams in high-risk environments.
• Demonstrable experience of working with USAID and familiarity with USAID practice and protocol with a proven ability to represent organizations and project with USAID. Significant experience with USAID planning and reporting systems, operations, programming, and structure.
• Experience in managing sizable budgets effectively with oversight on spending while providing regular oversight on issues related to risk and audit.
• Experience of risk management and mitigation in a project context.
• Leadership and influencing skills
• Strategic thinking, problem solving and decision-making skills
• Strong financial and risk management skills
• Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills
• Strong administration and organizational skills, good time management
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including report writing
• Commitment to equal opportunities
• Commitment to the project’s and Options’ principles of Safeguarding, Do No Harm, and to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights.
• Awareness and commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.

Benefits

Options offers a comprehensive benefits package including generous annual leave allowance, season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme and a performance related bonus scheme.

Other information

• Options is dedicated to equal opportunity for all and recognises that every individual is unique. Whilst we always seek to embrace individual differences and celebrate the diversity of our workforce, we also want to ensure that every team member is suited to their role and that they are given the best opportunity to succeed*.*
• Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and post holders to share this commitment.
• We seek people who are pro-choice, promote diversity and inclusion, are energetic and enthusiastic about Options’ vision.