The Director of Leadership, Governance, and Capacity Building will have technical and management responsibility for leadership and governance strengthening and capacity building of health personnel to be implemented under the Health System Reform Project in Gabon. The Director of Leadership, Governance, and Capacity Building will provide general program and technical direction to ensure the increased understanding of Gabonese policymakers on leadership and governance, and the establishment of a system of policies and procedures that ensure trained and motivated health staff. The Director will also be responsible for ensuring that MSH’s financial controls and systems comply with generally accepted accounting practices, and that all activity-procured materials and equipment are safeguarded, and prudently and responsibly used.
Specific ResponsibilitiesVision, Strategy and Planning
1. Ensure congruence of values, mission, strategy, structure, systems, and daily actions.
2. Oversee the development and implementation of strategies and work plans that focus on integrated health systems strengthening, sustainability, feasibility, cost effectiveness, and achievement of the required results. Along with other project directors, assure integration of technical strategies of the six project pillars, and with the overall operational strategy of the project.
3. Ensure that all work planning is completed collaboratively with local counterparts and partner organizations.
Project Management and Implementation/Delivery of Technical Results
1. Provide leadership to the staff and direction of all technical and administrative operations under the contract. With other project directors, contribute in responding to changes in the operating environment and making decisions on reallocation of program resources, adjusting functional and reporting relationships as appropriate.
2. Ensure the high quality, within-budget, and on-time delivery of interim and final results agreed upon with the donor. In collaboration with the donor, partners, and key stakeholders (including the Ministry of Health), periodically evaluate progress towards the completion of project deliverables to verify alignment with strategic directions and defined targets.
3. Ensure that the program has adequate staff to carry out high-quality work and that staff are recruited and hired in accordance with local, donor, and MSH requirements.
4. Ensure collaboration with partners, donor, and stakeholder representatives.
5. Serve as a technical resource in areas of leadership and governance and capacity building.
Relationship Management
1. Cultivate, manage, and strengthen positive, productive relationships with high-level government staff of Gabon, the Gabonese MOH, other governmental agencies, partners, other cooperating agencies, NGOs, etc.
2. Represent MSH and liaise between donor, MOH, and other collaborating agencies on all administrative and financial matters related to the project.
3. Ensure consistently effective, timely responses to donor and other key stakeholder inquiries and concerns.
4. Together with the MSH/Medford, maintain good working relationships with all partners to assure that the project receives the full benefit from their specific areas of expertise.
Financial Management
1. Together with the other project directors, and finance and administration lead staff, adapt and implement management systems with standard operating procedures to administer all activities funded by the contract.
2. Ensure there is sufficient financial staff to disburse all local costs under this project, monitor and track expenditures, and prepare financial reports of project expenditures for submission upon donor’s request.
3. Monitors budgets, and controls costs based on sound financial and accounting principles, MSH guidelines, and donor requirements.
Supervision
1. Supervise direct reports with particular focus on their key tasks and project deliverables.
2. Supervisory responsibilities include, but are not limited to, meeting with supervisees on a regular basis to discuss issues, track work progress, provide guidance and support, and ensure consistent quality of work performed; conducting performance planning and reviews; communicating, implementing and assuring adherence to MSH and project policies, guidelines and values; developing staff skills and knowledge; approving time sheets; and facilitating supervisee success whenever possible.
3. Ensure existence across the project of adequate supervisor-employee relationships which support professional development and mentoring, and address problems in a timely manner.
4. Manage and supervise the project staff in the identification of all project technical assistance needs required to achieve the expected outputs of the contract, develop suitable scopes of work, recruit consultants, and execute technical assistance contracts. Supervise the work and assess the performance of all long-term and short-term advisors and consultants.
Monitoring and Evaluation
1. Along with other project directors, oversee development of a project monitoring and evaluation plan and guide the implementation of that plan throughout the project.
2. Oversea the selection and utilization of appropriate indicators that are directly linked to, measure and report progress against required results.
3. As needed, ensure the establishment of baseline measures for all indicators.
4. Ensure appropriate, timely, and accurate monitoring and evaluation of people and project work.
5. Ensure that project reports are completed and submitted on time and with high quality.
1. Minimum of a Master’s degree, with focus on public health, social sciences, management, community medicine, or a closely related field.
2. Minimum of ten years senior-level experience in leadership, management, governance, and capacity building for health/health systems strengthening. Significant experience designing, implementing, and managing large, complex projects in/for developing countries.
3. Previous experience as a Project Director or Chief of Party.
4. Demonstrated international credibility as a leader in leadership, management, and governance for health/health systems strengthening in developing countries.
5. Demonstrated leadership qualities and strategic vision, broad technical expertise and experience, professional reputation, management experience, and interpersonal skills needed to meet the diverse managerial and technical requirements of the project.
6. Demonstrated success in building and maintaining partnerships with government agencies, host country governments, counterparts, and international donor agencies.
7. Strong interpersonal, writing, and oral presentation skills.
8. Broad understanding of public health and, in particular, knowledgeable in the area of health systems leadership and governance and staff capacity building. Knowledgeable about the relevant socioeconomic, institutional and policy issues related to this area of work.
9. Demonstrated fluency in English and French (FS-4 level or higher in reading, writing, and speaking).
10. Previous work experience in Francophone Africa, particularly Gabon, required.
11. Willingness to travel within the country as needed.
Management Sciences for Health (MSH) is a nonprofit international health organization with nearly 2,500 people from over 74 nationalities working in over 40 countries. Our mission: Saving lives and improving the health of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people by closing the gap between knowledge and action in public health. Together with our partners, we are helping managers and leaders in developing countries to create stronger management systems that improve health services for the greatest health impact.
Management Sciences for Health is an equal opportunity employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship, physical or mental handicap, or status as a disabled or Vietnam Era veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.
