Job Description

The regional TA will provide technical assistance in health with a particular focus on nutrition. The RTA will be supporting 10 countries in the Central Africa Region including Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo Brazzaville, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Rwanda.

The Health RTA will focus on CARO’s full health portfolio, while providing significant technical leadership in nutrition programing and in the application and use of proven behavior change models. These may include nutrition-specific projects or integrated nutrition-sensitive interventions. The incumbent will possess strong expertise in research, technical writing and project MEAL to collaborate with country programs in promoting evidence-based programming and achieving last results. S/he will work closely with his/her counterpart TAs in other sectors to ensure cross-sectoral integration of activities and to jointly advance CARO’s regional strategic priorities. He/she will also collaborate closely with members of the global health and social services technical team to advance health/ nutrition programming in CARO. Consider expanding the collaboration to other sectors such as governance, gender, emergency response. etc.

Health / nutrition projects in the Central Africa region include nutrition-specific projects as well as large integrated nutrition and MNCH programs; robust malaria, and orphans and vulnerable children portfolios; and direct food assistance in emergency or recovery contexts. CARO projects include significant health and community system strengthening, ICT4Health and behavior change components. The Health TA will be the focal point for behavior change programming across all CARO programming sectors.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide technical leadership and strategic assistance to CARO country programs in the design, implementation and monitoring of nutrition and other health activities to ensure alignment with regional and Agency strategic priorities.
• Ensure the application of Agency and industry best practices and standards, and facilitate robust learning for evidence-based health programming across CARO.
• Support funding acquisition by providing technical/design leadership, leveraging existing learning, identifying and cultivating strategic opportunities, and assisting country teams in the development of winning proposals.
• Mentor and build the capacity of Country Program staff in nutrition and SBCC.

SPECIFIC JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Technical Leadership and Assistance

Provide technical guidance and solutions to CRS Central Africa country programs in the design, implementation, and monitoring of health-related programming. This shall include, but not be limited to, the following responsibilities:

• Develop a vision for health programming in CARO and assist country program staff in the development of country-program health strategies that align and further regional and Agency priorities for impact.
• Engage in project start-up, monitoring, analysis, course-corrections and evaluations to ensure high quality, impactful program implementation.
• Support programs in the development of quantitative and qualitative assessments including baseline surveys, participatory rural assessments, operations research and analysis of results, as needed.
• Share guidance in the use of relevant agency policies and frameworks in the development of regional and country level programs and project proposals, especially the Integral Human Development framework and the CRS Global Health & HIV Strategy.
• Lead and coordinate the application of health behavior models and behavior change strategies into new and ongoing nutrition and health programs in the region.
• Liaise with CRS Regional Health Technical Advisors from other regions and Technical Advisors in the Program Impact & Quality Assurance (PIQA) department through virtual and in-person meetings to ensure high impact programming in CARO.

Learning and Leveraging

• Conduct regular technical visits to country programs to support effective implementation, monitoring, evaluation and documentation of ongoing project learning.
• Assist programs to develop and implement qualitative and quantitative monitoring and evaluation tools, methodologies, performance tracking and reporting as well as formative and operational research protocols.
• Identify and disseminate promising practices, including developing and/or identifying innovations in nutrition and SBCC activities, and support their refinement and scale-up in the region, assisting with the testing of new tools developed by the field or headquarters, and documenting innovations.
• Champion regional learning and lead the processes of systematic documentation of evidence from the field for sharing with wider audience including in the form of journal articles and professional presentations contributing to agency leadership in the areas of nutrition and SBCC.

New Project Development

• Participate in the analysis of growth opportunities to ensure strategic alignment and capacity to implement excellent health programs.
• Spearhead innovations in nutrition and SBCC programming including the use of appropriate technologies, including ICT4/Health, to enhance quality and access for health services across CARO.
• Advise on alignment of teaming agreements and project strategies to CRS identity and guidance on family planning, with special attention to integrated health opportunities.
• Provide technical direction and content to project proposals, and assist in writing proposals in health, liaising with other health and social service technical advisors, as appropriate.
• Lead or participate in design workshops for large and/or complex proposals, as appropriate, including defining appropriate monitoring systems and indicators.
• Review both integrated and standalone health proposals to ensure application of agency and international standards and best practices.
• Be familiar with and advise on integrating relevant donor strategies (e.g. USAID and relevant US agencies, Global Fund, UNITAID, WHO, World Bank, CDC, Catholic Donors and other potential donors) and their technical approaches.

Mentoring and Capacity Building

• Mentor staff from across the region working in health, including facilitating community of practice exchanges; advising on staff development plans; participating in recruitment of country program health staff; supporting onboarding; and identifying, organizing, and/or facilitating relevant trainings.
• Contribute to knowledge management in health. This may include, but is not limited to documentation, webinars, engaging in communities of practice to share and disseminate lessons learned, promising and evidence-based practices.
• Develop learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums, conducting trainings and workshops, and mentoring and coaching to CP staff

QUALIFICATIONS

• Advanced degree in nutrition, public health, Behavior Change or health-related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in international health development either as a technical advisor or health program manager, preferably in Africa.
• Excellent writing skills with the ability to design and lead proposal processes.
• Experience in program design/management, program quality and performance assessment as part of ongoing efforts to improve aid effectiveness.
• Experience applying social behavior change communication models.
• Strong analytical skills, sound judgment and the capacity to think and plan strategically.
• Excellent leadership and coordination skills and capabilities with high-level of personal motivation and initiative.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including cultural sensitivity and taking initiatives to create an environment of dynamic professional communications.
• Solid monitoring and evaluation skills.
• A good team player and ability to effectively work well in a multi-cultural environment.
• Computer literacy and familiarity with Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint presentations, and Excel spreadsheets and budgeting). Experience with SPSS, STATA, or other statistical analysis program.
• Willingness to travel extensively and at short notice.

Required Language(s)

Fluency in oral and written communication French and English.

Travel Required (include percentage of required travel, if applicable)

The position will be a telecommuting position, working from a home-base that allows for frequent travel to CARO. The position will require extensive travel (50%) throughout Central Africa and trips to CRS headquarters in Baltimore, as necessary.

Key Working Relationships:

Supervisory: n/a

Internal: Deputy Regional Director for Program Quality, CARO Regional Technical Advisors (RTAs); CRS Heads of Programming; country health Program Managers and other country staff; CARO Country Representatives; CRS HQ Technical Advisors in headquarters; CRS health technical advisors in other regions.

External: Collaborate with host country government health ministries, other national and international NGOs, UN Agencies, USAID and EU missions, local bilateral institutions, other funding agencies, WHO, local and US Catholic agencies.

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff)

These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.

• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.

About the Organization

Catholic Relief Services carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.