Senior Project Officer

Job Description

Management Sciences for Health (MSH) saves lives and improves health by helping public and private organizations throughout the world to effectively manage people, medicines, money, and information. Working from more than 45 country offices and our Arlington, Virginia, and Cambridge, Massachusetts, US headquarters, our staff from 73 nations is highly regarded for its technical expertise, integrity, and commitment to making a lasting difference in health. We live our mission to save lives and improve the health of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people by closing the gap between knowledge and action in public health.

The Senior Project Officer (SPO) works under the direction of the Senior Manager, Project Management in the Leadership, Management and Governance (LMG) Project within the Center for Leadership and Management (CLM). The Center for Leadership and Management implements health systems strengthening programs with a focus on leadership development, organizational capacity strengthening, human resource development, financial management, etc.

Overall Responsibilities

The SPO is responsible for planning and coordinating Outputs implementation. S/he will provide leadership, management, and direction, and will assure quality and perform continuous quality and performance improvement.

The Senior Project Officer provides project management leadership and support to activities within the core-funded portfolio, which includes funding for Vulnerable Populations from the USAID Bureau of DCHA and from the Offices of HIV/AIDS and Population Reproductive Health within the Global Health Bureau. The SPO will manage designated project outputs that encompass various activities, and will be responsible for the implemention of the activities, coordinating with relevant LMG, MSH and partner staff, managing and tracking budgets and sub-agreements, and ensuring targets are met and deliverables completed.

The SPO will be the primary LMG liaison for assigned outputs and will regularly communicate with the LMG management team about activity progress and results. S/he will assure that all technical, contractual, administrative, logistical, and financial assistance related to these activities is provided in and efficient and effective manner. The SPO can be called on to represent the Project with USAID and will adhere to MSH procurement integrity standards in all activities.

Specific Responsibilities

1. Contribute to the design, implementation and tracking of activities programmed under the Project’s annual core funds workplan, as assigned. Participate in strategic planning related to assigned activities and Outputs.

1. Develop workplans and budgets for assigned activities and Outputs. Ensure adherence to technical quality, fulfillment of programmatic objectives within budgetary guidelines, and compliance with LMG Cooperative Agreement requirements.

1. Coordinate a team of technical advisors, junior staff, and other colleagues to ensure activities under assigned Outputs are planned and implemented appropriately. Collaborate with M&E and Communication Team staff to ensure their involvement in activity design and implementation. Promote the use and adaptation of LMG tools and resources in activity design and implementation.

1. Collaborate with other LMG staff and consultants to design, refine, and adapt existing MSH technical assistance, training approaches, tools and materials related to performance improvement, leadership development, financial management, human resource management, project management, governance and management development in general. When a gap in resources is identified, help develop new approaches and materials.

1. Monitor project expenditures. Review monthly expenses monitor use of resources, and regularly review financial reports with the Senior Manager, Project Management.

1. Communicate with partners, MSH offices, USAID missions and others related to activity implementation.

1. Develop and manage subagreements and consultant agreements, and ensure deliverables and reports are submitted and are of acceptable quality.

1. Supervise junior staff as required. Coach and mentor junior staff and help them build their leadership, management and governance technical and program management skills.

1. Assist in the coordination of global short term technical assistance (STTA).

1. Ensure the technical quality of both partner and LMG reports and deliverables; ensure that project results are used by project teams to inform technical strategy; ensure that project results are reported and documented according to LMG Cooperative Agreement requirements and LMG strategic interests.

1. Capture lessons learned and best practices; document and disseminate project results; develop presentations, and author/co-author reports and summary briefs.
2. Assist in preparation of USAID financial and technical reports (review, edit and finalize quarterly and program reports as requested).

1. Assist the Senior Manager, Project Management in the management of the deliverables tracking process.

1. In conjunction with the Senior Manager, Project Management and assigned Monitoring & Evaluation Officers, develop high-quality M&E plans, monitor programs’ results, and support evaluation and communication activities.

1. Maintain communications and collaboration with USAID and other donors and stakeholders, Cooperating Agencies and other technical assistance organizations, host-country institutions and other clients, and other MSH staff, in relation to the Outputs under his/her responsibility.

1. Represent MSH externally, including with donors, partners, technical forums and in conferences, events, and networks related to LMG Project activities.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Public Health, Public Administration or other related international development field and 4+ years of experience; or Bachelor’s degree and 6+ years of experience.
• Significant (at least 3 years) experience managing international development programs, preferably with USAID or on USAID-funded projects.
• Experience working on leadership, management and governance programs desired.
• Knowledge of instructional systems design, including needs analysis and evaluation strategies, and adult learning methodologies.
• Experience in capacity building approaches, best practices and lessons learned, particularly associated with leadership development, management and governance
• Strong writing and communication skills for reporting on program results in a compelling manner to a range of audiences.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Proven ability to lead as well as to participate in multidisciplinary, multicultural teams
• Experience facilitating and working on teams.
• Strong skills in MS Excel, Word, Outlook and PowerPoint.
• Experience managing websites, virtual platforms, project dashboards desired.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, including ability to work and interact with country-based, home office-based project staff, senior leadership, project partners’ representatives, and donor staff.
• Available for domestic and international travel as needed.
• Fluency in English required, French language skills desired.
• Experience with vulnerable populations desired
• Experience with PEPFAR OVC programs desired

Persons with disabilities encouraged to apply

About the Organization

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.

**To apply for this position, please submit a resume to https://jobs-msh.icims.com/jobs/7113/senior-project-officer/job. For more information about MSH, please visit our web site at www.msh.org.