Health Manager – AMR at the International Rescue Committee (IRC)

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries and 22 U.S. cities, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The IRC leads the way from harm to home.

The IRC has been present in Nigeria since 2012 when the organization responded to flooding in Kogi state. In February 2014 the IRC moved into Adamawa State in NE Nigeria to provide humanitarian interventions through a multi-sectoral, integrated approach for conflict affected populations. IRC Nigeria now operates a country office in Abuja and field offices in Mubi and Yola of Adamawa State, Maiduguri and Monguno of Borno state and Damatru of Yobe State. Currently, IRC Nigeria implements programs primary health care, nutrition, environmental health, women’s protection and empowerment, protection, child protection, education, food security & livelihoods.

We are recruiting to fill the position of:

Job Title: Health Manager – AMR

Requisition ID: req20963
Location: Maiduguri, Borno
Employment Type: Full Time
Sector: Health
Employment Category: Regular
Open to Expatriates: No

Job Overview / Summary

• This project employs a health system strengthening approach to provide a high-quality primary health care services (reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) services), while using antimicrobials rationally.
• Under the direct supervision of Senior Health Manager, the Health Manager -AMR is the focal point
• for IRC Borno State AMR project intervention. He/she will be responsible for supervising health staff of AMR project and will carry over, implementation, monitoring, support with the overall capacity building of health program staff, and progress reporting of AMR projects.
• The Health Manager -AMR ensures that the IRC’s AMR project interventions are guided by the Nigeria Country Program SAP Implementation Plan.
• He/she reports to the Senior Health Manager and works closely with other health managers, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager and sectors.

Major Responsibilities
Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy:

• Provide overall managerial oversight for implementation of the health program activities.
• Ensure health projects implementation are of high quality and meets the IRC/MOH/NCDC/International standard.
• Support Health Officer -SBCC and Health Office to prepare project work plans with clear targets/achievement benchmarks based on project milestones and deliverables.
• Employ a health system strengthening approach and manage the AMR health team to create meaningful and sustainable solutions to prevent, correctly diagnose, and appropriately treat infectious diseases in the targeted populations.
• In collaboration with RH, Nutrition, WPE and protection, initiate activities that culminate to reducing Maternal/Child Mortality and Combatting the Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance in the targeted population.
• On need based, develop protocols, SOP and IEC materials and ensure they are put into use in supported health facilities.
• Provide technical support to health staff and provide them necessary mentoring and
• trainings as needed to build their capacity and enabling them to perform their tasks, including
• project management skills.
• Develop and coordinate work plans, and budgets aimed at sustained and effective implementation of the awareness raising activities for better results and coordination.
• Advocate for the preservation of antimicrobials through effective coordination and partnership with state MOH, NCDC, UMTH and other stakeholders for strengthened impact and result at the state level.
• Coordinate and organize global advocacy campaigns, including annual World Antimicrobial Awareness Week and facilitate its evaluation.
• Provide oversight and support trainings (antenatal care, basic emergency obstetric and neonatal care (BEmONC), postpartum care, integrated management of neonatal and childhood illness (IMNCI), sexual transmitted infections (STIs), immunizations, rational use of antimicrobials and IPC), of HWs and stakeholders in the supported locations. And ensure Knowledge, attitudes and practices related to AMR will be assessed before and after the trainings, and again at the end of the project
• Follow up and ensure quarterly supportive supervision sessions jointly conducted by the IRC, State MoH and NCDC to monitor improvement in diagnostics, prescribing practices and IPC with quality-of-care audits are duly carried out.
• Support advocacy meetings with diverse stakeholders, such as MOH, NCDC; National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC); professional bodies; social, political, and religious leaders; and private medical providers/ chemists’ representatives, who are not government health care workers.
• Ensured an AMR technical working group in Borno state are convened and operational.
• Ensure and support that health system stakeholders and community members have improved knowledge, attitudes and behaviors about the risk of antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use as planned.
• Promote a culture of learning whereby lessons-learned and good practices are documented and shared for institutional memory.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.

Program Development / Grant Management:

• Review monthly BvA and submit monthly BvA corrections.
• Prepare and keep updated budget spent out plans in order to maintain program expenditure within budget.
• Participate in project opening meeting (POM), Mid-Term and Closing meetings.
• Prepare internal and external reports within agreed deadlines using IRC and donor formats, as required.
• Assure appropriate and timely spending of grants to achieve program goals, grant reporting contributions, use and distribution of supplies and resources.
• In collaboration with senior health Manager, develop and expenditure plan, review budget vs. actual expenditure for health grants on a monthly basis and take necessary actions.
• Ensuring budgets are used appropriately and efficiently and spending is in line with the IRC financial procedures and donor requirements.
• Ensure data collection, data compilation, timely preparation and submission of all internal reports including weekly and other associated monthly, quarterly, donor and special reports.

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:

• Undertake RMNCH and AMR capacity-development activities/training for health and clinical health staff.
•  Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies.
•  Develop and implement remote management capacity building approaches to build the strengths of the team in Nigeria.
•  Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
•  Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Approve and manage all time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage; ensure monthly, accurate timesheet submission and carry out probationary reviews.
• Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least monthly.
• Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team and providing guidance on career paths.
•  As required identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures and communicates through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.

Research, Learning and Analysis:

• Monitoring health program implementation:
• Make regular field visits to monitor project implementation and provide on spot support to field teams and propose modifications as necessary.
• Ensure regular health program data analysis and review, take follow up action on project implementation and prepare relevant action reports.
• Supervise and provide technical oversight in the interpretation of data for improved programming and implementation.
• Monitor and promote integrated programming in a way that increases overall impact of health program at the community level.

Coordination & Representation:

• Represent the program to State and Local government representatives, partner agencies, etc. as required.
• In coordination with the senior health manager and health coordinator, actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders with government actors, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors.
• Attend all relevant meetings in relation to the health program as may be required and feed in the IRC priorities during meetings.
• Facilitate field visits for internal and external stakeholders, when required.

Key Working Relationships

• Position Reports to: Senior Health Manager
• Indirect/Technical Reporting: Health Coordinator
• Position directly Supervises: Health Officer -SBCC and Health Officer -Laboratory.

Key Internal Contacts:

• Country Program: SPC, Deputy Director Program, Finance Manager, Supply chain Manager,
• Field coordinator, DDFM. Region/Global:

Key External Contacts:

• MOH, NCDC, UMTH, other INGOs (e.g., possible collaborative partners), Community leaders, health facility management team and private providers.

Qualifications
Education:

• Health professional (MD, RN, or CO) with strong Public Health background, Epidemiology or MPH preferred and evidence of completion of NYSC (Discharge / Exemption Certificate)
• Must possess the practicing license or qualifying certificate.
• Certificate in AMR, biosecurity, biotechnology is an added advantage.

Work Experience:

• At least 3-4 years’ experience in coordinating, implementing and managing Health and RH programs preferably in insecure location.
• Experience in technically supervising health staff in a complex setting.
• Thorough understanding of gender-based violence response protocols and service provision.
• Ability to validate and interpret health data.
• Demonstrated ability to support and build staff capacity.
• Ability to work independently and as a collaborative team member.

Demonstrated Technical Skills:

• Background in situation analysis, health assessments M&E and program implementation.

Demonstrated Managerial / Leadership Competencies:

• Skills and experience of remote management and willingness to travel to hard-to-reach areas
• Flexible, diplomatic and have ability and willingness live and work under pressure of workloads.

Languages:

• Fluent in written/spoken English and Hausa.

Ability to Travel:

• 10 % of time if applicable.

Computer/Other Tech Requirements:

• Full professional competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.  Add position-specific (e.g., accounting software, statistical software, etc.).

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online