Technical Director: Maternal Newborn and Child Health – Mali office

JOB ADVERTISSEMENT: Technical Director: Maternal Newborn and Child Health – Mali office  

TEAM/PROGRAMME: MNCH & NUTRITION 

Location :  Bamako,  

Contract Duration : 3 months 

TECH 31003/band NN 

TYPE of position: National, fixed-term contract 

About FHI 360  

FHI 360 is a non-profit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in Health, Education, Nutrition, Environment, Economic Development, Youth, Research and Technology, creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today's interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 50 countries, all 50 U.S. states and all U.S. territories.   We are currently seeking qualified candidates for the position of: Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (MNCH) and nutrition Technical Director for a US Government funded health project in Mali. 

Project Background 

Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC), a global project funded by the U.S Government and the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), that provides strategic technical assistance and direct service delivery to achieve HIV epidemic control among all at-risk populations; strengthen global health security (GHS), including outbreak response; expand tuberculosis detection and treatment (TB), improve maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH), address malaria; and promote health systems strengthening (HSS) including supply chain management.  

Job Summary  

Under the supervision of the Mali EpiC project Director, the Technical Director for MNCH and Nutrition will provide strategic leadership and technical expertise to develop, implement, and evaluate programs aimed at improving maternal, child health, and nutritional outcomes. This role involves coordinating cross-sector collaboration, ensuring evidence-based approaches, and aligning programs activities with national and international health standards.  The MNCH & Nutrition Director will also work closely with EpiC Headquarters (HQ) and in-country Maternal Newborn Child Health (MNCH) teams, United States Government (USG) Embassy and State Department personnel, implementing partners, and Ministries of Health (MOH) to ensure timely development and implementation of workplans and technical quality. This work will focus on the delivery of MNCH & nutrition USG -endorsed life-saving interventions for pregnant women, newborns, and children including antenatal care (ANC), postnatal/postpartum care (PNC) , Emergency obstetric and newborn care (EmONC), Small and Sick Newborn Care (SSNC), integrated management of newborn and childhood illnesses (IMNCI), integrated community case management (iCCM), early initiation of and sustained breastfeeding, infant and young child feeding, among others. 

Accountabilities: 

• Takes leadership role in the timely development of  high quality technical deliverables—including workplans, semiannual reports, and other reports and papers summarizing project results, submitted and approved on schedule and within budget parameters. 

• Provides technical direction to evidence-based MNCH and Nutrition programming for facility and community-level interventions, based on local and global best practices. 

• Establishes and maintains partnerships with stakeholders including leading interactions with government institutions, subcontracted organizations, and the donor on a regular basis.  

• Provides strategic leadership on MNCH and Nutrition policies and programming in ways that are sensitive and beneficial and in harmony with other MNCH country’s programs and coordinating mechanisms. 

• Contributes to program/project design, implementation, learning, and monitoring and evaluation through active collaboration with project teams and the Government of Mali (GoM) structures at central, regional, district and facility levels. 

• Provides technical guidance and support to program teams, partners, and stakeholders in alignment with GOM policies, USG government regulations and approved life-saving activities, and FHI 360’s policies and procedures.  

• Contributes to policy development, advocacy, and strategic planning at the national and regional levels 

• Manages the monitoring and evaluation program performance, producing reports and recommendations for improvement.  

• Develops and implements processes and procedures to achieve strategic technical goals of the project. 

• Responds to client requests and questions on technical matters  

• Promotes project success by collecting, writing, and distributing success stories, case studies, photos, and outreach at events. 

• Attends informative events related to the subject matter or region of a project to network and learn information that could be valuable to project activities. 

• Supports knowledge management within the project, including the capture and articulation of success stories, best practice and lessons learned. 

• Supports performance management and professional development of direct reports, 

including ongoing feedback, coaching and career support. 

•  Performs other duties as assigned.   

Applied Knowledge & Skills 

• Comprehensive MNCH and nutrition knowledge of programming and policy in Mali  

• Experience expanding successful models to improve quality clinical care of MNCH and nutrition activities 

• Demonstrated ability to work within a multi-faceted health development program in collaboration with national MOH personnel and other local partners involved in MNCH and nutrition programming  

• A demonstrated track record in providing mentorship and supervision to strengthen healthcare services; training and use of quality improvement approaches 

• Experience leading moderate to large size teams of health professionals. 

• Experience working with USG-funded health programs is highly preferred. 

• Demonstrated ability to create and maintain effective working relations with Ministry of Health and district and regional officials, and other implementing partners 

• Excellent oral and written communication skills 

• Excellent oral and written communication and analytical skills in English, is preferred.  

• Excellent and demonstrated organizational and problem-solving skills. 

• Excellent and demonstrated project management and technical skills. 

• Ability to influence, motivate, negotiate and work well with others. 

• Proven ability to ensure that budgets, schedules, and performance requirements are met. 

• Excellent and demonstrated leadership skills. 

• Excellent critical thinking and problem-solving skills.  

Problem Solving & Impact 

• Works on problems of complex scope and require in depth evaluation of issues and assessment of intangible factors. 

• Exercises judgment within broadly defined practices and policies to select methods and techniques for obtaining results. 

Supervision Given/Received 

• Typically provides direct supervision of a team of Technical Advisors and Technical Officers. 

• Lead and direct staff to achieve strategic project goals. 

• Coordinates with project lead to set budgets, goals, and develop procedures and training for project. 

• Develops and recommends project management solutions. 

Education 

• Master’s Degree or its International Equivalent in Civil Society, Communication and Social Marketing, Economic Development, Education, the Environment, Health, Nutrition, Research, Technology and Youth or a Related Field. A clinical background with public health training is strongly preferred. 

• Master’s degree in  

Experience  

• Typically requires a minimum of 12+ years of relevant technical/project management experience (including 8+ years of leadership, strong business acumen and/or line management experience). ● 

•  Prior work experience in a non-governmental organization (NGO) is preferred. 

Typical Physical Demands 

• Typical office environment. 

• Ability to spend long hours looking at computer screen and doing repetitive work on a keyboard. 

• Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time. ●  

Technology to be Used 

• Personal Computer/Laptop, Microsoft applications (i.e., Office 365, SharePoint, Skype/Zoom/Teams), cell phone/mobile technology, and standard office equipment. 

Travel Requirements 

• Up to 75% in-country travel