Global Health Fellows Program
Technical Advisor Level II: Knowledge Management/Information Technology Technical Advisor
Policy, Evaluation and Communication Division, Office of Population and Reproductive Health, Bureau for Global Health, United States Agency for International Development
Location: Washington, DC
Assignment: Two year fellowship
GHFP-07-62
The Global Health Fellows Program (GHFP) is a five year cooperative agreement implemented and managed by the Public Health Institute (PHI) in partnership with the Harvard School of Public Health, Management Systems International and Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. GHFP is supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
GHFP’s goal is to improve the effectiveness of USAID Population, Health and Nutrition programs by developing and increasing capacity of health professionals in Washington, DC and overseas. This is accomplished through the recruitment, placement and support of junior, mid and senior level health professionals; a diversity initiative focused on providing internship and mentoring opportunities in international public health to underrepresented communities; and professional and organizational development activities to bolster USAID’s ability to maximize results and strengthen its leadership role in global health.
INTRODUCTION
The Policy, Evaluation, and Communication (PEC) Division within USAID’s Office of Population and Reproductive Health (PRH) supports improved collection, analysis, and use of data in policy making and program planning, and promotes policies, behavior change and community norms that result in improved reproductive health outcomes. The Technical Advisor will provide technical guidance and administrative oversight for knowledge management/information technology (KM/IT) and publishing activities of the Office’s portfolio, currently implemented through the Information and Knowledge for Optimal Health (INFO) cooperative agreement. The INFO Project offers family planning/reproductive health (FP/RH) information, information technology services and knowledge delivery. Program activities include working with partners to improve quality of and access to local and global FP/RH information and knowledge, strengthening networks within and among local organizations and in communities of practice, and helping information organizations build their capacities to network locally and contribute globally by communicating local and global best practices. The Advisor will receive overall programmatic guidance from the INFO Cognizant Technical Officer (CTO) and together they will develop an annual workplan, which will include field site trips for the Technical Advisor.
The KM/IT Technical Advisor will also provide input on KM/IT at the Office and Division level. Within the PEC division, the Technical Advisor will have the primary responsibility for designing and implementing a knowledge management system for the division; the Technical Advisor will also provide expert advice and technical assistance on KM/IT issues for the division’s projects and activities as needed. At the Office level the Technical Advisor will provide expert advice and input on KM/IT for the Office’s projects and activities on request, including serving as an expert resource for new project designs, and will serve as PRH’s representative on the USAID KM Reference Group.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
• Provide technical guidance and administrative oversight for the KM/IT functions of the Office of Population and Reproductive Health’s Information and Knowledge for Optimal Health (INFO) cooperative agreement and/or its successor agreement for the project’s KM/IT functions.
• Assist the CTO for the INFO project and/or its successor agreement to monitor the technical and financial performance of the project(s) and to prepare results, portfolio review, and budget/workplan documents for review by PRH Office leadership.
• Provide expert KM/IT advice and hands-on assistance to the PEC Division to design and implement a KM system for the division.
• Serve as the PRH Office’s representative on the USAID KM Reference Group.
• Work with the GH Communication Team and with USAID’s Analysis, Information Management, and Communication (AIM) project and its CTOs to institute business processes to organize and store PRH information and facilitate access to it.
• Provide expert KM/IT and publishing advice to the PRH Office, its Divisions, teams and projects.
• Provide input on KM/IT and publishing to project design teams in PRH and the Bureau for Global Health as requested.
• Participate in international/regional fora on KM/IT issues that will serve to broaden knowledge and practice of effective information technology for FP/RH program management and related activities.
• Prepare, present and disseminate materials, briefings, reports, etc. on FP/RH KM/IT and related programs.
• Travel to visit field activities, assist missions, and participate in technical meetings (approximately 10-15%).
REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:
• Advanced degree in information systems or related field; substantial experience in information systems or related field may substitute for an advanced degree;
• Minimum five years’ experience in KM/IT and publishing and dissemination of information, including collecting, synthesizing and disseminating value-added information in functions such as marketing research and business intelligence;
• Two years’ work or volunteer experience in international/resource poor settings;
• Demonstrated experience with developing creative solutions to meet the information and knowledge management needs of different audiences;
• Ability to conceptualize and implement knowledge management (KM) systems related to specific user environments in health services/public health and to foster an environment that promotes organizational learning through institutionalization of KM practices;
• Strong understanding of principles of KM as a management technique to enable organizational development and in-depth appreciation of the capabilities and limitations of information technology;
- Demonstrated interest in family planning and reproductive health;
• Strong administrative management skills (workplans, budgeting, results reporting);
- Excellent team and networking skills;
- Strong written and oral communication skills;
• Knowledge of USAID and Department of State budget and programming processes desirable;
- Willing to travel internationally;
- Fluency in Spanish or French desirable; and
• US Citizenship or US Permanent Residency required.
SALARY AND BENEFITS:
Salary commensurate with experience and earnings history. The Public Health Institute offers a comprehensive benefits package including professional development programs.
Submit cover letter and CV to ghfprecruitment@ghfp.net.
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