Maternal and Child Health Coordinator

Job Description

The International Rescue Committee, one of the world’s largest humanitarian agencies, provides relief, rehabilitation, and post-conflict support to victims of oppression and violent conflict in 42 countries. IRC is committed to bold leadership, innovation, and creative partnerships. South Sudan, an independent nation since 9 July 2011, is emerging from decades of brutal civil war rooted in disputes over religion, ethnicity, resources, governance, and self-determination. The security situation remains unpredictable, and the operational context is challenging. IRC has operated in South Sudan for over 30 years now delivering humanitarian relief, post-conflict assistance, and development programs in both refugees, internally displaced and host community settings. IRC operates in 9 field offices including in Juba with field program portfolio covering health, nutrition, child protection, Economic Recovery and Development (Livelihoods), women’s protection and empowerment and general protection. IRC continues to provide life-saving assistance and humanitarian aid to vulnerable South Sudanese and continues to work with the affected to rebuild their lives and restore peace.

Scope of work

The Maternal Health program is implemented in an integrated approach with most of the interventions embedded as a component within the existing Health and Women’s Protection and Empowerment (WPE) projects. The Reproductive Health (RH) interventions aims to reduce the high maternal and infant mortality rates and to support survivors of Gender Based Violence (GBV) to access necessary clinical care.

The Child Health programs which are implemented either through Boma Health Initiative (BHI) programs or as part of the emergency health programs aim to decrease the high child mortality and morbidity rates in South Sudan with the integrated management of childhood illnesses (malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, and acute malnutrition) by trained community-based health volunteers.

The MCH Coordinator is responsible for overseeing the implementation IRC’s Child Health and RH programming in South Sudan. The MCH Coordinator will provide technical and managerial leadership to the Child Health and RH programs and ensure all activities are of high quality. The MCH Coordinator will ensure program delivery is on time and on budget, as well as ensure special initiatives, expansion and scale up efforts align with Health specific and overall country program strategies.

This position is based in Juba with regular travel to the field. The MCH Coordinator will report to the Senior Health Coordinator. The MCH Coordinator will work jointly with the Nutrition and M&E Coordinators on multi-year projects and research initiatives.

Key responsibilities

Program Management & Development

•Provide strategic direction, leadership, and overall technical and management support to the Maternal and Child Health programs in South Sudan.

•Lead design processes that ensure new or adapted programming for the maternal, child and community health sectors focusing on harmonizing best practices, improved impact, and integrated approaches.

•Ensure that the MCH program is utilizing standard protocols, policies and guidelines as prescribed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) and WHO.

•Work collaboratively to integrate MCH with other program sectors where appropriate, particularly with the nutrition, HPF, child protection and women’s protection and empowerment programs.

•Work in partnership with the Senior Health Coordinator to support aspects of the strategic direction and leadership of the maternal and child health programming guiding linkages and integration within the overall health sector.

•Ensure that proposed emergency RH interventions are guided by the MISP (Minimum Initial Service Package for RH in Crisis Situations), including the following services/activities: Facility deliveries, Emergency Obstetric Care (EMOC) or referrals for EMOC, early neonatal care, Family Planning, Post-Abortion Care, Screening of blood donors and safe blood transfusions, Clinical Care for Survivors of Sexual Assault (CCSAS), antenatal and post-natal care services.

•Manage partnership with prime recipient of key grants; work in collaboration to align donor requirements to MCH best practices; coordinate with finance and monitoring and evaluation units on budget issues and reporting; diplomatically balance role as a technical lead with prime’s role as consortium-led grant management.

•Continue to explore and develop new strategies that support adapted maternal and child health programming implemented in emergency settings and camp-based contexts.

•Manage large, complex, multi-donor budgets that support both BHI and Nutrition programming, as well as support operations in up to six sites; oversee monthly BVA meetings, semi-annual budget realignment exercises, and monitor burn rates that align with donor expectations.

•Conduct monthly meetings with Senior Health Coordinator and relevant senior staff to provide regular updates on spending (BVAs, burn rates), progress of achievements against set targets, program challenges and successes, as well as ways forward for on-going implementation.

•Coordinate and manage all grant reporting for program in with inputs from multiple Health program managers and advisors; work in collaboration with grant and finance teams to meet all reporting requirements and deadlines in a timely manner.

•Provide strong leadership and guidance for dynamic complex drug and supply management system across multiple program levels to ensure best practices and donor compliance.

Technical Assistance and Capacity Building

•Support the program managers and field teams in the implementation and monitoring of the work plans ensuring that activities reflect the commitments IRC made to the donor and the community; support and facilitate the development with effective work, spending, procurement, and training plans.

•Provide technical support to Field Coordinators supervising program staff in various field sites to ensure program implementation aligns with grant timelines and targets.

•Undertake RH capacity-development activities/training for RH and clinical health staff; and work closely with the health managers to build their capacity to oversee RH activities.

•Oversee the program’s monitoring and evaluation mechanisms focused on strengthening data collection, information sharing, and data management systems; provide direct support to the M&E Manager in the overall M&E strategy, tool development, and efforts to improve data quality.

•Analyze health data collected from the field to obtain evidence-based trends in diseases and track program progress against set targets; lead and support program managers to utilize data for informed decision making on program direction.

•Support quarterly data analysis review meetings with the Senior Health Coordinator, M&E Manager, and key health team members to direct the utilization of evidence for program decisions.

•In coordination with the primary health team, coordinate and plan visits from the Health Technical Unit providing support for Reproductive Health, child health, M&E and pharmaceutical management.

•Liaise regularly with the relevant Health Technical Advisors on special projects and research initiatives.

Operational Research, Surveys and Assessments

•Work closely with M&E Managers and Health Program Managers to design, facilitate, and implement regular quality of care assessments in each field site.

•Support the emergency preparedness and planning process with guidance and tools for assessing maternal and child health needs in changing humanitarian settings.

Representation and Coordination

•Work in coordination with key consortium partners to provide technically sound perspectives and implementation strategies within the Child Health technical working group and relevant community health forums.

•In coordination with the health team, actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders in South Sudan including donors, government actors, UN agencies, international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors.

•Represent the RH and the health program with national authorities, non-state actors, UN agencies, NGOs, and donors.

•Upon request by the Senior Management Team, organize and facilitate field visits for stakeholders interested in MCH programming in South Sudan.

•Coordinate with field teams, supply chain, and logistics departments on major procurement and pharmaceutical management.

Staff Supervision

•Provide on-going training, technical support and guidance to the program Manage recruitment of international staff for key technical positions in RH; work in partnership and coordination with Field Coordinators in the recruitment of technical program managers based in the field sites.

•Work in collaboration with program managers to recruit, train and supervise national staff.

•Provide on-going mentoring and training for international and national staff.

•Conduct annual and semi-annual performance reviews for technical staff, often in collaboration with Field Coordinators in relevant field sites.

Key working relationships:

Position Reports to: Senior Health Coordinator

Direct supervision: Health Program Managers

Indirect Reporting: Deputy Director of Programs

Other Internal contacts: Nutrition Coordinator, WPE Coordinator, Health Program Managers, Nutrition Program Managers, Field Coordinators, Operations Coordinator.

Other external contacts: HPF, PSI, State and National Ministry of Health, UNICEF, WHO, UNFPA and other relevant other stakeholders.

Job requirements:

•Degree in Medicine or Nursing; preferably with a Master’s in Public Health

•Demonstrated qualifications and experience in program design, monitoring and evaluation of health programs, and provision of technical assistance; experience working in community health preferred.

•At least 5 years overseas professional experience working for an international NGO or equivalent in a program management capacity; experience working in a humanitarian setting preferred.

•Demonstrated strengths in project management, capacity building, and grant reporting; experience with operational research design and implementation preferred.

•Experience working in partnership and coordination with the UN, donors, INGOs, MOH, and other stakeholders.

•Previous experience working with low-literacy and illiterate staff and beneficiaries preferred, particularly in relation to training and health promotion strategies, materials, and tool development.

•Experience in coordinating, implementing, and managing reproductive health programs in emergency contexts and/or refugee settings.

•Thorough understanding of gender-based violence response protocols and service provision.

•Excellent analytical and written skills.

•English fluency; strong interpersonal and intercultural communication skills.

•Ability to work well both within a team and independently.

Work environment

Security level yellow – standard precautions apply. Concerns include common criminality, presence of armed troops, and tribal violence.

The position is based in Juba. Lodging is a private bedroom in a shared IRC guest house – with electricity, internet, and cable TV. Food is the individual’s responsibility. Field office housing is more basic, i.e. in traditional huts or tents with separate shared latrines and showers.

Standards for Professional Conduct: All IRC staff must adhere to THE IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct and the IRC country employment policies. These include Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Anti Workplace Harassment, Fiscal Integrity, and Anti-Retaliation.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer. IRC considers all applicants based on merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability.

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