Job Description
(a) BACKGROUND
- The Republic of Rwanda is a land-locked country located in the Great Lakes region of Central Africa. Rwanda has the highest population density in Rwanda with an estimated 2022 population of 13.78 million (World Bank), an average life expectancy of just 66 years, and with a GDP per capita (USD) of $966.23. USAID/Rwanda has a bi-lateral portfolio valued at approximately $500 million.
- The Health Program Management Advisor is located in the Health Office in the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Mission to the Republic of Rwanda (USAID/Rwanda).
(b) BASIC FUNCTIONS OF THE POSITION
- The Health Office (HO) is USAID/Rwanda’s largest team with 24 technical and administrative staff. It is responsible for managing a combined annual portfolio of roughly $85 million in HIV, malaria, MCH, family planning/reproductive health, water and sanitation, nutrition, global health security, and health systems strengthening funding, including two Presidential Initiatives: the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI). Emerging priorities such as climate change, youth-led programming, and localization emphasize the need for key personnel who can engage with private sector, academia, civil society, other Development Partners (DPs) and Government of Rwanda (GOR) Ministries such as the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Youth (MINIYOUTH), Ministry of Infrastructure (MININFRA), Ministry of Family and Gender Promotion (MIGEPROF), Ministry of Education (MINEDUC), and the Ministry of the Environment to ensure USAID’s investments are aligned, targeted, and strategic in addressing these concerns.
(c) MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Program Support/Project Management (40%):
- Coordinate the HO’s inputs to the Performance Plan and Report (PPR), PEPFAR quarterly reports, annual portfolio reviews, annual budget requests, and other briefings as required by the GOR, Congress, Department of State, USAID/Washington, US Embassy, and USAID/Rwanda.
- Support the HO Director to synthesize USAID inputs into health sector strategic planning documents (e.g., GOR’s HSSP V, NST 2) in conjunction with other USG agencies, international organizations, or other DPs.
- Ensure project alignment with GOR Ministries that influence health outcomes and key DPs through establishing and maintaining effective working relationships in relevant sectors beyond health.
- Develop analyses, assessments, or reviews of good practices that would be beneficial in the development of future Mission activities, as well as designing and overseeing the implementation of such analyses or assessments and follow up as necessary.
- Provide analytical support to the HO and USG interagency health team during PEPFAR Country Operational Plan (COP) season and PEPFAR sustainability roadmap planning, implementation, and monitoring.
- Provide input into program design and implementation elements of health projects, guidelines, interventions, and community-based programs.
- Serve as the HO’s efforts on localization, positive youth development, gender equity and social inclusion, climate change, and private sector engagement work and participate in the Mission’s working groups.
- Handle unsolicited proposals that the HO receives, in collaboration with the Program Office and HO staff that may include developing recommendations for funding. Support HO leadership in the strategic development of the health development objective in the upcoming CDCS 2025-2030 and contribute to its implementation and monitoring.
Monitoring and Evaluation (25%)
- Maintain the THRIVE (HO) Project Performance Management Plan (PMP) (and its follow-on under the new Country Development Coordination Strategy) to ensure indicators are up to date and track progress as needed in collaboration with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist.
- Maintain the THRIVE Project Learning Agenda (and its follow-on) to ensure questions are relevant and impactful and check in with the HO team regularly to ensure questions are being considered in IP learning agendas in collaboration with the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Specialist.
- Support HO leadership to prepare and carry out regular IP meetings to assess HO progress towards results under the new CDCS 2025-2030.
- Assist Agreement Officer Representatives (AORs)/ Contracting Officer Representative (CORs)/Activity Managers (AMs) with monitoring site visits quarterly to ensure maximum participation by target audiences.
- Review M&E and workplans of the HO projects and provide comments.
Communications (20%)
- Draft speeches, talking points and related material for public events by Senior Management including Office Director, Deputy Mission Director, Mission Director, Deputy Chief of Mission, and Ambassador.
- Prepare written briefings for all Congressional Staff Delegations, Congressional Delegations, and any other VIP visits.
- Synthesize and interpret information in written and oral form for use by Office and Mission Leadership, as appropriate.
- Serve as the Point of Contact for questions about project management activities inquiries including those coming from US Congress, Embassy, State and AID/W and respond to those queries often with very short turnaround times.
- Work closely with the Mission’s Development Outreach and Communications (DOC) office to develop public relations materials such as profile/Fact Sheet updates, press releases, technical updates, etc. as needed.
- Provide guidance and support to USAID HO leadership in high-level conferences and meetings, for the purpose of Agency representation and professional interchange.
Reporting (15%):
- Act as a resource to others for Presidential Initiative reporting requirements and coordinates the HO’s preparation of the COP, Malaria Operational Plan (MOP), the Operational Plan (OP) and the Health Implementation Plan, including annual and semi-annual progress reports by developing or completing templates, collecting information, and success stories from AMs, AORs, and CORs according to annual guidance.
- Ensure proper reporting compliance with USAID norms and standards.
- Draft, edit, and proofread narratives for COP, OP and MOP and other planning and reporting requirements to ensure accuracy and to meet USAID quality standards.
- Manage the Portfolio Review process for the HO in collaboration with AMs, AORs and CORs. This includes gathering and analyzing data and preparing PowerPoint presentations that summarize program results.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION
- a. Education: Possession of master’s degree in public health, international development, or a closely related field is required. Additional education may NOT be substituted for Experience.
- b. Prior Work Experience: A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience managing public health or public sector programs is required. Previous experience with an international development agency, donor, or implementing partner is highly desirable.
- c. Language: Proficiency in both written and spoken English is required, at Level IV (Fluent).
- d. Job Knowledge: Expert knowledge in public health, international development, and the Rwanda context are required for this position.
- e. Skills and Abilities: Excellent organizational and leadership skills are required to achieve a high level of health program coordination and reporting across agencies and multi-disciplinary teams. Excellent written communications skills are required to draft, edit, and clear documents, reports, and policy guidelines in the English language.
- Excellent oral communications skills are required to ensure clarity and direction exist within the inter-agency working groups. The ability to maintain contact at all levels of the Rwandan government and with other stakeholders in the non-government arena is required to explain USAID and PEPFAR program policies, objectives and procedures and to assist partners in reporting requirements.
- Ability to develop and deliver oral presentations on programmatic matters is required.
- Demonstrated ability to multitask in a fast paced, highly detailed work environment is required, as well as working in multicultural contexts. Intermediate user level of MS Office including word processing, spreadsheets and databases is required. Keyboarding skills that include both speed and accuracy are required. A facility to work with higher mathematical calculations for purposes of budget and reporting is required.
DEADLINE: JULY 26, 2024
