Internal/External Vacancy Announcement 

Brief introduction

The Tuberculosis Local Organizations Network (LON) is the USAID funded project designed to fight and end TB effectively and efficiently by partnering directly with local entities within TB priority countries of which Ethiopia is one, to provide accessible services, resulting in increased diagnosis and treatment success rates.

The TB LON Urban project awarded to REACH Ethiopia is a Fixed Amount Agreement implemented by REACH Ethiopia, Hiwot Integrated Development Association (HIDO) and KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation. The project will focus on finding and referring the missing TB cases in 3 urban administrative settings (Addis Ababa, Dire Dawa and Harari) by using urban community TB approach to increase its contribution of case notification from 3.4% to 20% and ensure improved case notification by finding missed TB cases. The project will also aim to strengthen the organizational capacity of local organizations and TB survivors’ associations and enabling environment for urban TB programming. The primary beneficiaries of the project will be key populations living in urban areas of the three cities. The project will be implemented in collaboration with the Regional Health Bureau (Harari), city administrations (Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa), subcity health departments (Addis Ababa), family health team, the urban health extension professionals, public health facilities, health development armies (HDAs), community associations, Idir, Civil Society Organizations such as former TB patients associations and Network of PLHIV.

Purpose of the position (general)

Under the leadership of the TB LON Program Manager TB LON Technical Coordinator is responsible to provide technical support to LON project at all implementation sites, including day to day oversight that technical quality is being ensured within the project. Under the strategic direction of the TB LON project, Technical Coordinator will provide on-going support and capacity development to TB LON project technical staff. He/she is responsible for overseeing the successful implementation and delivery of the program’s activities regularly that the project achieves its intended goal. He/she coordinates the planning and provides oversight to all technical areas under the Urban TB LON project.

S/he will lead the overall day to day management of the Project and the resources (Finance, Human resources and time), technical direction of staff, and technical direction of the Project's detail activities such as work planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting, evaluation, coordination and partnership at sub city levels and at all lower structures. The Technical Coordinator will be the Activity's key liaison between Program Manager and sub city coordinators, government counterparts at sub cities, other non-government organizations and local associations. S/he will support the Program Manager manage program, personnel and sub grantees and ensure that all program assistance is technically sound and appropriate. S/he also oversees program work planning, performance management, and strategic communication at levels below and including sub cities. S/he will be expected to have regular and transparent communication with the program manager, other equivalent sections within the LON, all structures below and including sub cities, Coordinators at Harar and Dire Dawa.

He/she will identify technically sound, cost-effective, and practical approaches to enhance urban TB control that are consistent with Government of Ethiopia and donor policies and priorities. The TB LON Technical Coordinator closely works with section in charges, Sub city Coordinators who are located across the program implementation cities as needed and as approved in the work plan. She/he provides day-to-day supervision to technical staff of the project. He/she in collaboration with other senior staffs enhances and anchors the in-depth knowledge of technical areas and ensures the quality of work of the TB LON project.

Answerability and Position in the organization

The TB LON Technical Coordinator reports to the TB LON Program Manager and is a member of the senior project coordination and management team. The Technical Coordinator supports the TB LON Program Manager on technical issues.

Major and overall Duties and Responsibilities:

Technical assistance

As part of the Project team, the TB LON Technical Coordinator will: 

• Provides technical oversight and support for the strengthening of TB LON project activities:
• Supports technical and M&E staff in effective and technically appropriate project planning, strategy development and implementation against agreed work plans, ensuring project represents effective strategies and innovative approaches based on evidence;
• Provides intense, on-going support, supervision and technical guidance on TB LON project implementations;
• Conducts regular technical support, M&E and quality control visits to project sites to ensure that projects are based on sound evidence, and address challenges to improve performance and quality of project implementation;
• Ensure robust monitoring and evaluation of the project, working with the M&E coordinator and the system is in place;
• Ensure technical compliance and adherence to quality assurance standards with emphasis on policies/guidelines  of donor and MoH;
• In coordination with M&E, closely monitor recording and proper data flow from the grassroots to the top for proper reporting, to taking corrective measure, if need be;
• Ensure technical project experiences and successes are appropriately documented and disseminated, and promote cross project learning and effective coordination across all project sites;
• Conduct regular field visits to support the implementation of the project and ensure that the monitoring and evaluation systems are operational;
• Take a lead and contribute to the regular programmatic (monthly technical report) and donor reporting and provide feedback to TB LON project coordination and management team;
• Work in close collaboration with the Senior staffs to ensure all technical aspects of the project are developed and applied appropriately (e.g. SOPs, questionnaires, data entry forms, etc);
• Assist M&E in the implementation and design of operational research activities conducted in the project;
• In collaboration with the Technical Team including M&E, support the design, implementation, and analysis of surveys as required and share to those who need and deserve these;
• Build and sustain effective close working partnerships with government counterparts at sub city level and other stakeholders through active sharing of information and knowledge;
• Take an active role in contributing to the development of new plans and innovative initiatives;
• Train, guide and mentor technical staff in their day-to-day functions;
• Plan, lead, organize, conduct, trainings and assist, support as well as coordinate with administrative staff for its proper implementations,
• Coordinate with training facilitators/instructors in developing training course content;
• Coordinate and assist in preparing easy-to-understand training materials, brochures, leaflets, etc;
• Evaluate training material and recommend changes;
• Implement best practices in training programs and schedules;
• Develop and provide online learning competencies when these are deemed necessary;
• Resolve and respond to programmatic issues and inquiries;
• Monitor and operate within the budgetary limits;
• Contributes for the formulation of Urban TB policy as part of the team;
• Carries out additional tasks which are relevant to the organization, TB LON project, the donor by own initiative and/or as per immediate supervisors’ guidance;
• Contributes to the design of urban TB policy;
•  Perform any other duties that may be deemed appropriate for this role.

People, project and quality management

• Works with the Admin/Finance and HR team to manage staff and resources for the project;
• In cooperation with ACSM officer, ensures advocacy communication and mobilizations are undertaken appropriately and relevant messages are communicated;
• Supervises and inspires team members, while creating an environment where sharing, technical discussion and innovation are part of the routine practice of TB LON project;
• Together with the TB LON staffs identifies technical capacity issues within the project and during implementation and exert every effort to address these;
• Contributes to the development, implementation and monitoring of the work plan in cooperation with M & E coordinator and other senior staffs;
• Makes people the centre of all endeavours by the project.

Knowledge management

• Identifies areas for crosscutting collaboration with FMOH, RHBs and relevant partners;
• Enhances and anchors the in-depth knowledge of TB technical areas in the technical team;
• Actively shares knowledge with the national and City TB control program;
• Maintain personal in-depth knowledge on TB control areas and able to understand as well as manage a frequently changing development related to TB.

Contract term:   Full time Position, 1-year fixed term contract

Qualifications and Requirements

• Master’s Degree in public health or equivalent, minimum of 5-year relevant work experience in TB control of which 4 years is a senior advisory/managerial experience;
• Bachelor’s Degree in public health, minimum of 8-year relevant experience in TB control of which 6 years is a senior advisory/managerial experience;
• Proven experience in health program management of at least 5 years;
• Experience of urban TB program management is an asset;
• Proven stakeholders management skills and proven track record in people, partners and project management;
• Proven experience managing teams;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English and Amharic;
• Experience in capacity building and utilizing participatory learning methodologies;
• The ability to organize and prioritize with eye for detail;
• Past experience with USAID projects would be an advantage;
• Willingness to locate in Addis Ababa and to travel to other cities.