Jhpiego is a nonprofit global leader in the creation and delivery of transformative health care solutions for the developing world. In partnership with national governments, health experts and local communities, we build health providers’ skills, and develop systems that save lives now and guarantee healthier futures for women and their families. Our aim is revolutionizing health care for the planet’s most disadvantaged people.

Overview

The Technical Director will provide technical leadership and project oversight in the areas of quality reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) for an upcoming USAID integrated health project in Ethiopia. The Technical Director will provide technical assistance at all levels of Ethiopia’s healthcare system (including national, regional, woreda, and facility levels). The Improving Quality of Healthcare Activity aims to build capacity of urban and peri-urban PHCUs and referral health facilities in planning and delivering client-centered quality RMNCAH services. The project will operate over a 5-year period.

The position will operate under the leadership of the Chief of Party, serve on the project senior management team, and ensure the technical and methodological soundness of all project activities. In collaboration with the project team and partners, the position will support the design and implementation of service delivery strategies based on scientific evidence. This position is contingent upon award from USAID. Ethiopian nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership, strategic direction, oversight, and definition for effective project activities
• Establish and implement a system to ensure technical quality of all project activities
• Provide technical leadership to the development and implementation of project strategic approach, work plan, and project monitoring, in close collaboration with Ministry of Health, Regional Health Bureaus, Woredas, facility personnel, private sector, and other stakeholders to ensure results-oriented, impactful implementation and compliance with award.
• Assure use of evidence-based capacity-building approaches, including training materials, standards, job aids, curricula, and supervisory support systems
• Provide assistance, mentoring, and capacity building at the individual and organizational levels in specific areas of expertise, including but not limited to
  • Health systems strengthening and quality improvement, including governance
  • Reproductive, Maternal, and Newborn Health
  • Strengthening referral systems
  • Assist in testing of RMNCAH+N innovations
  • Develop service delivery strategies for accessing hard-to-reach populations, including the identification of opportunities to integrate services with non-health sectors, such as agriculture, democracy, environment, and economic development.
• Work with colleagues to develop a cadre of quality improvement champions to advance a continuous culture focused on quality.
• Work closely with the Chief of Party on setting project priorities and directions and responding to requests for support from local counterparts.
• Work with M&E staff to design and implement a plan to track, analyze and utilize data to inform project implementation adjustments that mirror the systems approach to quality improvement required for continuous quality improvement among public and private sector counterparts.
• Document successes, challenges, and lessons learned in implementation consistent with collaborative learning and adaptation, assuring such efforts are reflected in formal and informal project reporting.
• Coordinate advocacy, demand generation, and policy support as required
• Lead the formulation of innovative approaches for further adoption at scale
• Actively participate in relevant technical advisory/working groups and professional fora representing the project and Jhpiego
• Supervise technical staff
• Manage technical contributions of subgrantees, including defining scopes of work
• Maintain excellent relationships with USAID and in-country stakeholders and develop rapid responses

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• A Medical Degree and Master’s degree.
• At least 10 years combined experience implementing and/or providing technical assistance related to quality improvement and service delivery, a meaningful portion of which has been in Ethiopia.
• Demonstrated in-depth understanding of Ethiopia’s healthcare system, particularly the public health system, including effective pathways to promote continuous quality improvement.
• Demonstrated effectiveness in mentoring and training in both clinical and systems levels approaches to improve health outcomes both at individual and organizational levels.
• Expertise in research to practice—identifying and adapting best practices to specific project contexts.
• Skilled in the following technical areas: strengthening service delivery projects; training; performance and quality improvement; monitoring and evaluation.
• Accomplished at increasing sustained adoption of new approaches and change management.
• Demonstrated success analyzing and using data to improve outcomes.
• Proven track record managing a project team composed of several technical experts and fostering teamwork
• Familiarity with international donor administrative, management, and reporting procedures and systems, USAID preferred
• Excellent diplomacy skills and a proven ability to establish and maintain interpersonal and professional relationships with USAID, host-country counterparts, and representatives from other key stakeholders such as NGOs, CSOs, and the private sector
• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal and presentation skills in English and
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Ability to travel nationally to project sites

Preferred Qualifications

• A Master’s degree in Public Health preferred