Health Expert _Deputy Head of Department Country Office: Ethiopia Work Base: Addis Ababa Availability: As Soon As Possible Contract Duration: 1 year with a high possibility of extension Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply for this position.
About Action Against Hunger

Action Against Hunger-USA is a global humanitarian organization that takes decisive action against the causes and effects of hunger. We save the lives of malnourished children and we enable entire communities to be free from hunger. With more than 8,000 staff in over 50 countries, our programs reached 17 million people in 2019.

About the Country Program in Ethiopia

Action Against Hunger has been operational in Ethiopia since 1984 responding to both chronic and acute needs through a multi-sectoral strategy where nutrition, Food Security and Livelihoods, WASH, and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support activities are integrated to have a meaningful impact on people’s resilience. Action Against Hunger currently operates in 5 different regions (Oromia, Somali, Amhara, Benishangul Gumuz, and Gambella) with a portfolio of 20m USD/year of emergency, resilience building, research, and innovation programs. We have a country team of around 600 staff in 17 regional and satellite offices. Our main donors in Ethiopia in 2020/2021 are BHA, ECHO, Europaid, UNHCR, UNICEF, GFFO, BPRM, SIDA, EHF, WFP, CIAA, and others.

Summary of position

The Health Expert-Deputy HoD under the direct supervision of the Head of the Department for Nutrition and Health provides technical support to the Action Against Hunger-Ethiopia mission in the operationalization of mainly health programs, provides capacity building to the nutrition and health staff under the department, assists in the development of a country strategy, coordinates with the Head of Department in the designing and formulation of an integrated health and nutrition programs and projects, liaises with various focal points at the Ministry of Health, Ethiopia and regional health bureaus with a focus on building partnerships and the mission’s portfolio on Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, Child Health (RMNCH) programs, coordinates with project partners and stakeholders for efficient management and functioning of health programs and projects in the mission.

He/she will spend at least 25%-to-50% of the time in the field and depending on the need and humanitarian response, it could be up to 80%. He/She is also expected to collaborate with the nutrition expert and other thematic area technical advisors based in the capital office as well as with nutrition program managers, nutrition and health supervisors, and field coordinators based at the field level to ensure the existence of functional and viable programmatic as well as operational coordination and integration between all Action Against Hunger programs (Nutrition and Health, WASH, FSL, PG-MHPSS, and MEAL).

The role’s purpose, engagement, and delivery are:

Purpose (The substantive focus of the job encompassing scope, depth, and difficulty of work both conceptual and applied)

Design, develop, implement and evaluate health actions and programs

• Assess and analyze the national health policy landscape and dynamics in Ethiopia and contribute to Action Against Hunger-Ethiopia mission country strategy development.

• Support the HoD in producing technical and strategic health program reports for internal and external communication purposes.

• Support and assist technically in the development of sound and quality health proposals and ensure proposals are Sex and Age Disaggregated Data (SADD) sensitive.

• Engage with the HoD and thematic area technical advisors to develop integrated multi-sectoral proposals based on emerging evidence and guidelines and ensure effective implementation at the field level.

• Develop health technical content of SOPs for health programs and projects. 

• Build capacity of field health staff on project implementation, and reporting, with a focus on high-quality services.

• Conduct joint supportive supervision to the field teams with a focus on health programs on the ground, and provide formal training and OJT wherever required.

• Ensure that BoQs are prepared as per the latest information received from various bases and are prepared in line with standard templates to better inform project budget preparation.

• Conduct a regular technical review of health work plans, project presentations, reports, and other related documents received from the base/filed team and provide timely feedback.

• Engage with other technical advisors based on the capital level to develop a multi-sectoral project proposal based on emerging evidence and guidelines.   

• Produce high-quality, analytical project and program progress update reports.

• Provides technical advisory support and consultation on medical treatment modalities within the health programs and projects.

• Closely support various bases in health project implementation, monitoring, and effective delivery of health projects with the aim to ensure the quality benchmarks for health services are met and projects are implemented as per the standard guidelines and protocols.

• Regularly follow project budget utilization as per the latest information (BFUs) received from the finance department and provide regular guidance and support to the base team for efficient budget utilization.

• Identify programmatic challenges and bottlenecks in the overall health programming approaches and suggest, propose and implement innovative rectifying measures in close consultation with HoD and sector heads.

• In case of any public health emergency in the country, will be in charge of coordinating the entire emergency response at the Mission level with support from other team members and liaising with government officials, HEARO, and other stakeholders, ensuring appropriate implementation of the emergency response on the ground, regular documentation and reporting of the same.

• Support capital level pharmacy and drug management procedures and practices including planning, purchasing, quality assurance, transportation, utilization of drugs, medical items, nutrition commodities, and supplies in line with SOPs and guidelines both at the national and base level.

Engagement: (The focus of interaction both internally and externally needed to deliver a service seek collaboration and build effective partnerships) 

Foster External coordination, representation, and communication in the field of Health.

• Participate in and become a member of TWGs in various sectoral and cluster-based health coordination meetings.

• Participate and represent AAH as a technical health expert and focal point in sectoral and cluster-based health coordination mechanisms and task force meetings such as Health Cluster Coordination meetings, NGO health forums, UN and MoH sector, and budget work planning sessions in close communication with the HoD for Nutrition and Health.

• Regularly and timely communication to the HoD, thematic technical advisors, program managers, nutrition, and health supervisors on standard operating procedures (SOPs), revised national strategies, guidelines, joint statements, and recommended action plans related to health programs.

• Produce and share sectoral and cluster-based weekly and monthly health updates/ reports to respective coordinators and focal points as per standard guidelines and templets timely and quality manner.

• Ensure validation of the technical parts of protocols, SOPs, and MoU with local health authorities, partners, and other organizations (MoH, RHBs, ENCU, WHO, UNICEF, UNHCR, WFP, Other donors, etc.) when needed and ensure their consistency across all areas of operations.

• Participate in the collection of health program data from formal or informal meetings and platforms to inform the health needs in the country and in the mission, and propose actions (assessments, surveys, program implementation) accordingly.

• Advocating for the implementation of high-impact health strategies as well as interventions generates proof of concepts and evidence that could serve as an input for policy change and adaptation at the national level.

Delivery: (The focus on the execution of the work and the role of the team for supporting business/operational functions in terms of timeliness and quality)

Overall management of the Health Research, Survey, Monitoring Evaluation Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) activities:

• Produce and submit periodic project update reports in line with standard donor templates and timelines and ensure that reports are Sex and Age Disaggregated Data (SADD) sensitive.

• Review and compile monthly health/RMNCH project APRs, provide timely feedback to nutrition program managers and make follow-up on areas of improvement.

• Ensure the quality of health program data and its utilization of it for internal programming, Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation purposes.

• Participate in the development and review of best practices, lessons learned, and documentation on health programs and projects and ensure that all are reflected in progressive learning agendas and project designing exercises.

• Support MEAL team in system development, planning exercise, and implementation activities.

• Participate and support health data quality assurance and Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) initiatives together with the MEAL team.  

• Provide support in the identification and articulation of health research, survey, and assessment needs within and outside AAH operation areas.

• Together with the HoD and MEAL team ensure that all health program surveys, assessments, and evaluations are passed through relevant reviews and approval stages by various actors.

• Participate and collaborate with key governmental authorities (MoH) and other relevant groups (e.g. Academic institutes, nutrition agencies, and other INGOs) during health research, surveys, assessments, and evaluations.

• Together with the MEAL team, ensure that the research, survey, assessments, and evaluation methodologies (sampling, questionnaires, etc.) and ethical considerations used in the field are in line with defined approaches and protocols validated by relevant actors including academic institutes, EFDA, EPHI, and MoH.

• Together with the MEAL team, act as a focal point for the dissemination of health information and research findings from surveys, research, evaluations, and assessments.

• Coordinate with MEAL team on appropriate health research and survey data analysis, result from interpretation, timely internal and external validation, report writing, and dissemination at the national and sub-national level.

• Conduct health program MEAL activities as requested by the HoD.

Coordinate within the Action Against Hunger team and provide technical support and management to the Nutrition and Health team

• Ensure adherence to and standard practices of health projects in line with national guidelines, protocols, and SOPs in all operational areas by all nutrition and health staff.

• Responsible for technically supporting health programming in AAH Ethiopia mission in close coordination with the HoD. 

• Collaborate and communicate with technical and support advisors, program managers, DCD, CD, and any other AAH resource persons in order to ensure the coherence of activities and reports.

• Informing/updating the HoD on assessment/survey implementation and any issues on a regular basis.

• Support and monitor the consistent applications of standard operating procedures (SOPs), revised national health strategies and policy, guidelines, joint statements, and recommended action plans related to health programs by all base staff.

• Participate in regular Grant Review and APR Meetings and provide updates on project implementation progresses and suggest and take doable action points to ensure timely and effective completion of health projects. 

• Participation in departmental coordination team meetings and in other general team or strategy meetings.

• Follow up on logistics requirements for routine health project activities, including health supply procurement, the undertaking of health surveys in liaison with the logistics department and in collaboration with HoD, program managers as well as field coordinators.

• Provide periodic health project progress updates to HoD and collectively review project progress and produce a progressive plan of action based on the findings of the exercise. 

• Guide and technically assist Health care workers, program managers, and nutrition and health supervisors in preparation of project plans, organizing various high-impact health training, periodic reports, budget management, and preparation of project-related documents.

• Support HoD in preparing, organizing, and documenting health project documents, including project (grant) proposal, master beneficiaries, and BoQ for each base.

• Provide capacity-building training for government and project health staff on revised health guidelines and protocols.

• Provide regular post-training follow-up support and technical assistance to program managers and nutrition and health supervisors as well as government health program supervisors.

• Capacitate field team on skill-based analysis and interpretation of health program data, reviewing APRs and providing timely feedback, and proposing recommendations when necessary.

• Support and ensure that health supplies and commodities such as essential medicines, medical equipment, and supplies are available in all AAH bases and supply chain management is properly monitored to ensure continuity of essential health services in all operational areas.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Directly supervises the mission senior pharmacy officer based in Capital.

• Acting as the direct technical supervisor for Nutrition and Health program experts in ACF operational areas in the absence of HoD at the capital level and nutrition-Health program managers at the base level. 

Gender Equality Commitments  

• Foster an environment that supports the values of women and men, and equal access to information.

• Provide a work environment where women and men must be evaluated and promoted based on their skills and performance.

• Respect beneficiaries’ women, men, and children (boys and girls) regardless of gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion, race, color, ancestry, national origin, age, or marital status.

• Value and respect all cultures.

 Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA):

• Beware of the minimum operating standards of SEA

• Protect and prevent others from SEA.

• Report SEA.

• Strictly compile with AAH child protection and SEA policies

 Fiscal Responsibility

• The health expert will ensure timely budget utilization of health programs and project activities in liaison with the finance department, HoD, field coordinators, and Nutrition-Health program managers.

• S/he will provide regular follow and support to the base team, specifically for the Nutrition-Health team (Pharmacist, nutrition and health managers, and supervisors) on ways to efficiently and timely utilize project resources, including project-committed budget without compromising the quality of expected deliverables.

 Physical Demands

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

 Working Conditions, Travel, and Environment

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to sit for long periods and to concentrate on work, including typing, and turn out heavy volumes of work accurately, within short time frames under stressful situations in the context of a moderately noisy office with many interruptions. Must be able to proofread own work accurately so that only minor corrections are needed on an infrequent basis.

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Job Requirements

Required Qualifications and Professional Experience

• University degree in doctor of medicine (Mandatory) and preferably with Masters of Public Health (MPH) from a recognized university/college.

• At least 5 years of practical experience in designing, implementing, leading, and evaluating high-impact Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH) programs.

• Experience in managing RMNCH projects or grants funded by major donors USAID, DIFD, GAC, UNICEF, etc.

• Good knowledge in drugs and medical supplies management with practical exposure to Integrated Pharmaceutical Logistics and Supply Management System (IPLS).

• Having a better understanding and exposure to the national Maternal and Child Health progressive agendas, Health Service Quality, Health System as well as Primary Health Care Service provision modalities.

• Practical exposure to and participation in national RMNCH coordination platforms and Technical Working Groups (TWGs).

• Having practical experience working in INGOs is preferable.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Strong communication.

• Networking and representation skills.

• Good strategic and analytical abilities.

• Embracing Diversity, Self-Awareness and Self-Regulation, good experience in staff management and capacity building.

• Desirable project management skills.

• Quality report writing skills and capable of working in a team. Knowledge and practical skill in applicable computer software such as Epi info, SPSS, Stata, ENA, and MS Offices is added advantage;

• Fluent in written and spoken English and Amharic and preferably with other local languages.  

How to Apply

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

If you are interested, please send your application composed of none returnable CV, a Covering Letter with “ Health Expert_Deputy HOD” written in the subject line, and three references, applicants to the following addresses: Through THISLINK

 NB: Only short listed applicants will be, communicated on and selection process includes technical test and an interview     

Action Against Hunger-USA provides all staff with an attractive salary & benefits package. We provide equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees & qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, ancestry, national origin, age, handicap, disability, marital status, or status as a veteran. Action Against Hunger-USA complies with all applicable laws governing nondiscrimination in employment