Institutional mandate:

The International Institute for Primary Health Care - Ethiopia (IIfPHC-E, the Institute) was inaugurated on February 1, 2016. It is envisioned as a world class hub to learn about Ethiopia’s accomplishments in using primary health care (PHC) approaches to achieve dramatic improvements in health. The Institute also strives to provide a global perspective—historical and current—of PHC experiences around the world. The mission of the Institute is to proactively engage and drive the advancement of local and global PHC policy and programming.  The Institute also provides needs-based training in PHC for trainees from Ethiopia, Africa and the rest of the world. Through PHC research, the IIfPHC-E will provide up-to-date information on the strengths and weaknesses of Ethiopia’s PHC program, engage in continuous improvement activities, ensure fidelity to standards of care, and promote high levels of population coverage of services. The Institute will do so by focusing on four programmatic areas: global support, local support, PHC advocacy, and knowledge management and capacity building.

Director of Programs 

Position Location: International Institute for Primary Health Care-Ethiopia 

Reports to: Executive Director

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

Job Overview: 

The Director of Programs works independently and collaboratively with IIfPHC-E staff to direct, develop, manage, and implement activities in the following areas:  program design; research and evaluation; grant and contract management; advocacy and communication; meeting development and implementation; and, resource development. Other responsibilities include serving as an effective IIfPHC-E representative regionally and nationally and establishing and maintaining partnerships to advance the institute’s mission. The Director of Programs position requires a proven, forward-thinking, and dynamic individual to provide proactive leadership and vision in developing new and innovative programs. This includes having excellent analytical, interpersonal, organizational, and writing skills; strong relationships throughout the public health field and across other sectors on the regional and national levels; strong public speaking and presentation skills; as well as discretion, sound judgment, and political acumen In addition, the Director should have a track record of successful grant writing and fundraising. He/She will provide support across programs as required. This position will liaise with global, regional and local officials, implementing partners and IIfPHC-E project staff. The post requires international and local travel.

Key responsibilities include but are not limited to:  

OVERSIGHT/FISCAL MANAGEMENT/FUNDS DEVELOPMENT

• Have a complete understanding of the Institute’s mission, vision, areas of excellence as well as the programmatic areas’ goals, objectives, target groups and approaches.
• Effectively engage staff assets to support the ongoing work of grants and contracts.
• Interact with teams to maintain consistent understanding of project/programs status and deliverables, and identify variances and errors to ensure sound fiscal management of programs.
• Direct budget development for new programs and renewals.
• Direct, lead, and manage the development of grants applications and reports through collaborative writing with staff teams.
• Develop new programs in collaboration with staff and funders. Write grant proposals to secure new resources that expand the Insititute’s programmatic portfolio as well as its capacity to engage in innovative and high-priority PHC work.
• Seek and develop new funding relationships and then leverage those relationships to write and submit successful grant proposals and contract bids.
• Write and submit proposal and bids in response to RFPs and RFAs on a consistent basis, in alignment with fundraising and portfolio goals, and in collaboration with staff and external partners.
• Ensure compliance for all program grants and contracts; work with the teams to implement and/or improve reporting tools; and, ensure timely, accurate reports and communications to funders.
• Apply strategic and innovative vision to drive the programmatic area’s progress, ensure stakeholder engagement, and overcome any implementation obstacles encountered
• Manage a detailed implementation plan, including delegation of tasks, definition of roles and responsibilities, and project oversight in collaboration with implementing partners.
• Engage in program and project design and development, including supporting staff with contextualizing outcomes and the theories of change, as well as selecting interventions based on the best available evidence and the local context.
• Oversee management of programmatic budgets to ensure effective use of grant and contract funds, consistent with international fiscal compliance standards.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with implementing partners, donors and stakeholders, and coordinate activities with local and international service delivery channels and structures.
• Provide the necessary management support to technical advisor teams reporting to this position.
• Provide the necessary management support to the Executive Director.

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT, DIRECTION, AND MANAGEMENT

• Develop and effectively direct programmatic activities to ensure methodology is sound to position IIfPHC-E to be a leader regionally and nationally.
• Ensure and direct the development of regular and timely programmatic updates across all programs to ensure cross-pollination of ideas, knowledge-building, and resource sharing. This includes helping to develop a knowledge management system and supporting processes.
• Serve as a senior leader for PHC  content, program design, evaluation, and dissemination across all programs.
• Monitor work progress to ensure timeliness, quality and accuracy of activities vis-à-vis contractual and grant commitments.
• Ensure programmatic excellence through development and implementation of innovative performance and outcomes measures.
• Lead the collaborative development of monitoring and evaluation tools.

STAFF DEVELOPMENT

• Direct continuous learning (focused on public health and PHC  practice, the evidence base, and latest innovations) for IifPHC-E staff.
• Promote and foster an environment in which proactive thinking and creativity are encouraged and rewarded.
• Identify staff skill sets and competencies needed to achieve programmatic and organizational goals. Work with the Excecutive Director to ensure those capacities are developed or acquired.

Education and Experience

• A strong interest and commitment to health systems, PHC, health financing and Universal Health Coverage
• Master’s Degree in Public Health or related field, or PhD
• A minimum of 8 years of international/local experience, predominantly in leadership posts in related areas.  Vast knowledge of health systems, nationally and globally, including health financing, leadership, management and governance, political commitment, human resources, community engagement, etc.
• Experience in technical tools and materials development
• Experience in strategy development; working across health-related sectors desirable
• Demonstrated expertise in working with donors, project design, proposal development, and monitoring and evaluation, with the ability to turn concepts and strategy into measurable action
• Outstanding capacity to understand the country and global context, portfolio, and overall programmatic needs, and pull together and coordinate the relevant technical assistance from within and outside the Institute
• Demonstrated commitment to staying informed and up to date with best practices
• Ability to work with multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary teams
• Strong interpersonal verbal and written communication skills and ability to facilitate collaboration
• Fluency in English and Amharic, knowledge of French a plus
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint