Requisition Number: D 09 039
Job Summary:
The primary responsibility of the Senior Technical Advisor (STA)AIDSRelief Programming and Health Systems (SAHS) is working with AIDSRelief. CRS is the consortium lead for AIDSRelief, a $335 million program to provide increased access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) to persons with HIV and AIDS. The project is funded by the Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA), as part of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). As the lead agency, CRS has the responsibility of managing and coordinating the activities of five consortium members in nine countries, as well as tracking and reporting on these activities to the donor. The STA will provide programmatic support and technical expertise to ensure the fulfillment of CRS’ responsibilities within the AIDSRelief program. As AIDSRelief enters the 3-year project extension period as part of PEPFAR II, the program requires new skill sets in health systems strengthening, which necessitate modifications to the current AIDSRelief staffing. The transition of management of the AIDSRelief program to indigenous health organizations with commensurate health system strengthening in a manner that ensures continued program quality and long term sustainability characterizes the major challenge facing AIDSRelief.
The STA is a member of the AIDSRelief Global Management Team that provides oversight and technical assistance across the nine AIDSRelief countries. The STA will participate in key decisions involving AIDSRelief strategy. The STA must promote the vision, goals, objectives and strategies of AIDSRelief.
Specific Duties and Responsibilities: Reporting to the Deputy Chief of Party for Africa, the STA is based in Baltimore, travelling to Africa and the Caribbean.
Programming and Technical Leadership (25%)
1. Work with DCOP/P to ensure program quality on all components of the project in collaboration with consortium members.
2. Work with regional and country-level staff to identify, design and/or integrate tools, operational models and best practices for (non-medical) program interventions that advance the objectives of the ART project.
3. In collaboration with DCOP/P and eventually Africa program advisors, work with Technical Coordinating Teams (CTCTs) and consortium members to identify and make recommendations on capacity-building needs in Haiti, Guyana and other assigned countries, and facilitate the development and implementation of strategies to address these needs.
Representation and Advocacy (25%)
1. Represent the AIDSRelief Consortium with donors and other stakeholders at consortium meetings, technical working groups, and NGO forums as needed.
2. Serve as a key point of contact to ensure alignment of all programmatic activities and objectives.
3. Serve as a key actor in integrating the AIDSRelief program into the CRS Program Quality and Support Department (PQSD) while working to leverage access to other CRS programs.
4. Participate in strategic decision-making, goal setting, and problem solving for the coordination and strategic development of program-related activities.
5. In collaboration with DCOP/P and eventually Africa program advisors, work with the CTCT and other technical staff to develop and support mechanisms to communicate progress in Guyana, Haiti, and potential other assigned countries on programming activities
6. Facilitate regular and timely exchange of information between country programs, consortium members, and headquarters staff on key programmatic issues.
7. In collaboration with consortium members, provide updates to country programs on innovative issues (nutrition, etc) related to ART.
AIDSRelief Health Systems : (50%)
1. Realigning AR health system strengthening activities around WHO 6 building blocks.
2. Work with AIDSRelief Partner compliance and institutional development manager, AIDSRelief in-country teams and LPTFs to:
a. Assist country programs develop country specific health systems strengthening frameworks and implementation strategies.
b. In relation with in-country leaders, contribute in the development of national and regional Centers of Excellence
c. In relation with in-country leaders, contribute in the establishment of network of health facilities around the identified secondary or tertiary level Center of Excellence locally and regionally.
d. Participate in the planning and facilitation of technical workshops for capacity-building and experience-strengthening in health systems for country programs
e. Train and provide technical assistance to country teams in undertaking health systems assessment using AIDSRelief tools.
f. Provide technical assistance to country program teams to develop an action plan to address major institutional challenges identified from health systems assessments; and monitor the implementation and performance of critical activities in the action plan.
g. In relation to Partner Compliance and Institutional Development Manager, assist LPTFs to adopt efficient business models for managing ART programs;
h. Provide tools and technical assistance to LPTFs to develop, document and implement organizational policies and standard operating procedures that support efficiency and high quality improvements in the provision of care.
i. Assist country team in guiding LPTFs to integrate ART program and systems into wider health systems structure of the health facility/ hospital/clinic.
j. Assist country teams in supporting LPTF management to develop systems to measure performance.
k. In relation with AIDSRelief country teams, develop and adapt key tools, templates, frameworks and models for effective improvement of health management and leadership capacity for LPTFs systems within a realistic project environment in which the AIDSRelief operates;
l. Identify, document and share lessons learned and best practices within and outside country programs.
3. Support local partner and local technical partner to improve their planning and management skills and help them institutionalize strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation processes.
4. Identify other international and local programs focusing on health systems improvement and build linkages with such programs as a way of gaining access to key resources needed to supplement AIDSRelief work in this field;
5. Develop the monitoring and evaluation system for health systems capacity strengthening and transition to local partners;
6. Explore with AR PBF advisor, the integration of PBF within the country program Development and piloting of a contracts management approach by the indigenous organizations, and a performance based funding approach for their LPTFs.
Supervisory Experience: Not applicable
Key Working Relationships:
Internal: AIDSRelief Deputy Chief of Party Programs, AIDSRelief Deputy Chief of Party Operations; AIDSRelief Global Management Team Members; AIDSRelief Sustainability Advisor; AIDSRelief Country Program Chiefs of Party; CRS Manager Health and HIV and AIDS Unit of PQSD, CRS Deputy Regional Directors for Program Quality
External: IHV Senior Physicians, Constella Futures Team, Representatives of CMMB and IMA, HRSA and CDC technical staff responsible for health systems, Members of the CRS health systems strengthening network
Travel: The position will require travel throughout Africa, the Caribbean, and other destinations as necessary.
Qualifications and Experience:
1. Master’s Degree in health systems, or its equivalent; medical degree is a plus;
2. Minimum 5-10 years previous work experience in preferably more than one developing country working with HIV and AIDS and/or health programs;
3. Minimum 3-5 years experience in program management and/or experience in health systems in the formal health sector; preferably in a technical support role within a hospital environment;
4. Experience working in the health sector in resource limited settings including living in Sub-Saharan Africa;
5. Familiarity with strategic planning processes including the systems approach to strategic management;
6. In-depth understanding of hospital operations is required;
7. Strong organizational, analytical and information management skills
8. Excellent report writing and communication skills;
9. Ability to work with a diverse team and in different cultural settings.
Language Skills: Proficiency in French is a plus
NOTE: All interested applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. at the time of application.
To apply for this position please visit www.crs.org/about/careers
EOE/M/F/D/V
