Senior Technical Advisor, Malaria Program/Global Fund Liaison

Grade : J

Job ID : 13-7127

Location: CM-Younde

# of Positions : 1

Center/Office : CLM - General

Project/Program : LMG

Application Due Date : None

Overall Responsibilities

The Senior Technical Advisor, Malaria Program/Global Fund Liaison position is designed to provide technical assistance to the country, specifically to the PNLP, to improve the management, implementation and coordination of malaria activities. The incumbent will be placed at the PNLP and will provide leadership and management support to the PNLP Program Coordinator. S/he will assist the Malaria Coordinator in planning, monitoring and coordinating activities, policies, and improving the programmatic and financial management capacity of the PNLP, including the coordination and planning for the 2015 LLIN mass distribution campaign.

The incumbent will work in collaboration with the USAID/Cameroon Mission Team to ensure that up-to-date and strategic information on malaria activities are shared and disseminated among donors for prompt and appropriate decision making.

The work involves complex and interrelated processes. The political environment requires a high degree of sensitivity and diplomacy in supporting the PNLP, establishing dialogue with stakeholders, and developing activities to prevent and treat malaria. The incumbent will require a depth of expertise that will allow her/him to provide leadership and management in malaria-related issues and programs, including the capability to identify and systematize otherwise diffuse issues.

Specific Responsibilities

1. The Senior Technical Advisor, Malaria Program/Global Fund Liaison, provides professional leadership support to the PNLP for the achievement of objectives set forth in its strategic plan. The principal task of the incumbent is to provide overall management, technical support to the PNLP team around implementation of its existing Global Fund Round 9 malaria grant and preparation of the Concept Note for new funding.
2. Assist the PNLP in taking appropriate management actions (planning, monitoring and evaluation, coordination, etc.) to meet the Global Fund grant requirements and/or conditions precedent so as to enable speedy Global Fund disbursements and efficient implementation.
3. Assist the PNLP and the Ministry of Health with initiating communications and conducting policy dialogue between the Global Fund Portfolio Manager and country team to facilitate implementation of existing grants and plan for new grants.
4. Assist the PNLP with planning and implementation of interventions covered by the Global Fund resources in collaboration with other malaria Principal Recipient, Plan Cameroon.
5. Communicate on a regular basis and work jointly with other malaria stakeholders including the private sector and ensure that malaria activities are being implemented in coordination with and complementary to other USG health support, close coordination with USAID/ Cameroon malaria technical advisor, other malaria donors (UNICEF, WHO and the Global Fund, Department of Defense) as required.
6. Assist the PNLP in developing the analytical components needed in the Global Fund Concept Note. This includes providing managerial support to the PNLP leadership to identify technical interventions as well as to assist in preparation of the materials related to the Concept Note.
7. Contribute to improving overall M&E systems, for example by assisting PNLP to improve routine data quality through standardization of tools, establishment of clear and respected indicator definitions, data quality assurance mechanisms, and effective supportive supervision.
8. Provide targeted technical assistance to the PNLP to enhance financial management systems and processes for managing funds accountably and effectively.

This incumbent is not expected to play any supervisory role at the PNLP. S/He will receive administrative supervision from the LMG/Cameroon support team with technical supervision from the USAID/ Cameroon Malaria Technical Advisor and the PNLP Director, who will contribute to her/his evaluation. 

Qualifications

1. Advanced degree (Masters, PhD, or MD) in a health-related field or management field required. Specialized experience in malaria is not required, but preferred.
2. At least ten years of experience in progressively responsible experience in designing, implementing and managing malaria and other health programs in developing countries, with a preference given to candidates with African experience.
3. Demonstrated experience managing successful teams comprised of experienced professionals.
4. Demonstrated technical leadership, program management, strategic planning, policy experience and problem solving skills working on complex projects in a highly sensitive environment are required.
5. Experience with USAID-funded public health programs preferred; demonstrated technical capacity in financial management required.
6. At least five years of experience with or good knowledge of Global Fund operating procedures and financial management processes (proposal development and submission, monitoring and evaluation, PSM plan and reporting).
7. Ability to work effectively with a broad range of Cameroonian and USG personnel and partners, and have demonstrated skills in donor coordination and collaboration. Ability to work both independently and in a team environment to achieve consensus on policy, program and administrative matters is a must.
8. Ability to work effectively in a team environment and communicate information to both health and non-health audiences, and achieve consensus on policy, project, research, and administrative matters.
9. Proven ability to communicate quickly, clearly and concisely – both orally and in writing -- in English and French is essential.
10. Excellent verbal communication skills, tact and diplomacy are required to establish and develop sustainable working relationships at the highest level and a high level of trust with public/private organizations. Verbal communication skills are also used to negotiate activity plans and resolve activity implementation issues with counterparts, partners and team members. Excellent written communication skills are required to prepare regular and ad hoc reports, activity documentation and briefing papers.
11. Excellent computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook, Access, SPSS and other statistical and other relevant software) are required for effectively operating in this position. Good computer skills are required to implement, analyze, and monitor, and manage activity goals, inputs, outcomes, and achievements.

Background Information

The Leadership, Management and Governance Project (LMG) is a global five-year Cooperative Agreement awarded by USAID/Washington, designed to strengthen and expand the people-centered capacity building strategy pioneered under the previous Leadership, Management, and Sustainability Program. The LMG Project’s objective is to support health systems strengthening by addressing the gap in leadership, management and governance capacity of policy makers, health care providers and program managers to implement quality health services at all levels of the health system.

The President’s Malaria Initiative will provide direct technical assistance to the Programme National de Lutte contre le Paludisme (PNLP) through LMG/Cameroon to reinforce leadership, management and governance capacities to improve the coordinated national efforts in the fight against malaria. The PNLP works with national partners in Cameroon to support malaria interventions and develop national policies and norms for the fight against malaria. Additionally, the PNLP is the Principal Recipient of the Global Fund malaria grant and manages implementation of three of four current malaria grants in Cameroon. Global Fund commitments and disbursements in Cameroon are highest for the malaria grants, as compared to tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS, and financial commitments to malaria account for nearly half of all Global Fund investment in the country. However, performance issues for the PNLP malaria grants persist.

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