Country Director – Ethiopia, Req. 43487, closes 5/26/08
Position Description:
The Country Director reports to the Director of Country Programs (DCP). The position of Country Director requires an individual with demonstrated expertise in public health program management and capacity development. The position requires effective and efficient communication with both domestic and international staff, local Ministry of Health and other governmental bodies, US-based funders and other implementing partners within and beyond the country where the Country Director is placed. The Country Director must provide leadership in developing sustainable programs and in coping with rapid change of direction to most effectively use available resources. This requires the ability to use sophisticated problem-solving skills and to successfully interface and communicate within the organization, across the I-TECH network, and externally.
It is the responsibility of all I-TECH staff to understand the organization’s operating principles and apply the principles in their daily work
Strategic Leadership (40%):
Lead development of productive working relationships with national government representatives, local and international non-government organizations, and funders. Advance effective communication, planning, development and implementation of activities grounded in I-TECH’s recognized leadership role in HIV/AIDS training.
Serve as the primary contact for I-TECH in-country administrative and programmatic partners. Represent I-TECH at stakeholder meetings to build collaboration to advance I-TECH’s mission and vision.
Provide technical assistance to national counterparts for high-level planning with regard to health care worker capacity development, sustainable approaches to training, and extension of health care services. Participate in relevant technical advisory groups with regard to these issues.
Lead regular strategic planning for I-TECH country project. Mobilize expertise and resources to address priorities in alignment with I-TECH country strategic plan.
Promote I-TECH’s sustainability through new business development, diversification of I-TECH funding sources, development of scope and/or depth of-TECH’s technical expertise, extension of I-TECH’s mandate with respect to training and health care worker capacity development.
Participate in I-TECH’s leadership team, and contribute to the strengthening of I-TECH’s global network of projects. Collaborate in network-wide strategic planning.
Identify and promote avenues for network-wide program exchange, sharing of best practices, and extension in innovative and promising program areas.
Program Management & Administration (35%):
Oversee the implementation and use of I-TECH’s Program Standards and Global Operations Manual at the country project level, with emphasis on in-country capacity development to attain or surpass standards.
Assist in the development and implementation of network-wide program management standards.
Provide leadership in the development, implementation and regular monitoring of I-TECH country project activities. Assume overall accountability for attainment of I-TECH program goals, objectives and deliverables as detailed in country operational plans (COPs) and country project workplans.
Develop and manage COPs, project workplans and budgets in collaboration with I-TECH Country Project Deputy Director, country project team leads, and Seattle-based Country Project Manager (CPM), as relevant.
Evaluate country project performance with respect to decentralization milestones.
Identify technical assistance needs to I-TECH Headquarters to support in-country capacity development, and report trends in capacity development to the leadership team.
Oversee development, application and regular updating of written policies and procedures for country office operations. Assure concordance between country project policies and procedures and I-TECH, UW, funder and national government requirements and regulations.
Oversee all administrative, financial, logistical and security functions within the country office. Maintain overall responsibility for I-TECH country-based project budget and staff.
Communication, Reporting, Monitoring & Evaluation (10%):
Communicate regularly and substantively with I-TECH headquarters on all project activities.
Submit regular reports to funders and stakeholders as required. Respond in a timely manner to ad hoc reporting requests from CDC-Global AIDS Program, USAID, and other partners.
Provide oversight to the development and implementation of I-TECH country monitoring and evaluation plan.
Assure integration of Program Standards and Quality Improvement activities throughout the country project.
Human Resources (15%):
Provide overall management of all in-country staff and consultants.
In collaboration with Director of Country Programs (DCP) identify optimal organization chart and staffing pattern for country project. Strategize cost-effective, technically adequate approaches to staffing.
Collaborate with DCP, CPM, and UW colleagues to execute, implement, and monitor a contract with a human resources services firm, as needed. Ensure that all contracts and employment packages are consistent with local practice and labor law.
Hire, evaluate, discipline and/or discharge employees as necessary. Review requests for new and replacement positions, reclassifications, and salary increases.
Provide regular feedback to direct reports, and support development of supervision skills in team leads.
Collaborate with DCP to identify responsibility and authority delegation matrix for I-TECH country project staff working under supervision of the Country Director. Contribute to effective mentoring of other team members to fulfill their delegated roles.
Apply I-TECH principles throughout all aspects of staff oversight. Embody and engender those qualities that support an effective, efficient, inspired workplace. Support each team member in optimally contributing to the achievement of overall programmatic goals and objectives.
Identify and lead initiative to promote staff professional development at the individual and group levels.
Requirements:
Master’s degree in Public Health, Health Administration or related field.
Five years of related work experience, with a leadership role in complex, multi-faceted public health programs
At least three years of experience in a supervisory role, including supervision of managers, technical experts and support staff
Fluency in English (reading, writing, speaking)
Knowledge of issues faced by developing countries with high HIV prevalence
Knowledge of program management, monitoring and evaluation methods
Experience with budget development and management, and monitoring of fiscal systems
Working knowledge of US government and other grants and contracts systems, to advance project progress and comply with funder directives
Demonstrated ability to bring together diverse professionals into a functioning, effective work team
Demonstrated ability to facilitate effective collaboration with diverse partners
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Demonstrated ability to interact with persons from a variety of professional disciplines and from different levels of society in a tactful, diplomatic, and culturally-appropriate manner
Demonstrated ability to work independently, with balance between strategic leadership and attention to detail
Desired:
Experience in human and organizational capacity development
Experience living and/or working in limited-resource settings
Experience with training program development, curriculum development, and training facilitation
Computer skills including MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Access
Conditions of Employment:
This position is 1.0 FTE, based in Ethiopia. The CD job requires a two-year commitment, with possibility of extension, pending funding. The CD must be available and willing to travel within Ethiopia and internationally up to 15% and must be prepared to follow the UW and US government recommended precautions and prophylaxis for disease. Several times per week, the CD job requires participation in conference calls during the early morning and late evening to accommodate the time difference between the country office and HQ.
If you’re interested in applying, or know someone who might be interested, please check them out at:
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