Partnership Capacity Sharing Manager

Job Description

Over 80 years ago, Albert Einstein helped create the International Rescue Committee (IRC). Today, we are a leading humanitarian and development organization working in more than 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. The IRC has been present in Liberia since 1996 serving as a lead partner in the health sector. The country program supports the Ministry of Health (MOH) in strengthening the health care systems and service delivery at all levels in accordance with the MOH national standards.

In recent years, IRC Liberia has deepened its commitment to supporting both local civil society organizations and community groups in their recovery efforts - first from the devastating civil war and now from the Ebola crisis. The Scaling Up Health Services Activity presents an opportunity to bring these two critical elements together by strengthening civil society engagement in the delivery of health services and the rebuilding of health systems in Liberia.

Scope of Work

The IRC has entered into a four-year cooperative agreement with USAID to implement the Scaling Up Community Health Services project in Liberia. This project will strengthen the Liberian community health system to provide health care services in hard-to-reach areas while supporting sustainable country ownership of community-based health services, through technical assistance and capacity building of Ministry of Health (MOH)/County Health Teams (CHTs). This project will increase the coverage of service providers in underserved districts and improve their capacity to deliver quality health services while strengthening CHTs and communities’ capacity to plan, manage and monitor health services. In addition, the project will work directly with local civil society organizations (CSOs) at the county and community level, providing them with funding opportunities and strengthening their technical and operational capacity to play a key role in service delivery.

This award is designed to build on the gains achieved under the previous USAID community health grant; “Partnership for Advancing Community-based Services (PACS)”, implemented by the IRC and partners. PACS supported the government to strengthen health systems, improve reproductive maternal and child health, as well as restore public confidence in health facilities and health staff. PACS also provided support to build the government of Liberia’s capacity to control infectious diseases and efforts to rebuild the health system.

USAID Community Health Activity Implementation Overview

This project is USAID’s flagship community health services activity and is being implemented in Bong, Lofa, River Gee, and Grand Kru Counties with support to the Community Health Program Unit at the Ministry of Health. The IRC and partners will assist in the decentralization process and ensure that county and community-level systems are equipped to deliver high quality community-based services in line with key MOH strategies. Project staff will work in close collaboration with MOH staff of the relevant units, and county offices in strengthening their capacity to effectively supervise and coordinate community-based health activities.

IRC is seeking a Capacity Sharing Manager to lead the capacity sharing activities under the USAID Community Health Activity using the Partnership Excellence for Equality and Results System (PEERS). The Capacity Sharing Manager, under the supervision of the Partnership Director and in close collaboration with the project team will be responsible for planning and providing capacity sharing related support in the efficient and effective execution of project activities. This individual will develop training materials, models, as well as necessary PEERS training and other learning materials. The manager will ensure capacity sharing interventions are being applied by the CSOs, CBOs and CHTs regarding the provision of community health services in this project.

Specific Responsibilities

Partner Support and Capacity Sharing

- Lead the capacity sharing component under this project by providing guidance in developing comprehensive capacity sharing strategy and plans. - Collect and apply relevant capacity sharing tools and techniques for project stakeholders. - Build rapport and strong relationships with government stakeholders, CSOs and other relevant partners/structures. - Support the process of managing partnership agreements between IRC and participating CSOs outlining each organization’s commitment to the capacity sharing process and its broad objectives. - Under the guidance of the Partnership Director, prepare specific technical trainings and mentoring sessions for CSO staff designated to deliver community services. - Assist in coordinating trainings for CSO staff on any newly introduced service packages ensuring CSO staff are fully trained to successfully implement their activities in compliance with emerging MOH standards and resources. - Facilitate the development of the project support plans of the partner CSOs, which will consist of a concrete set of project development goals, specific indicators or milestones, and proposed interventions/actions aimed at strengthening organizational weaknesses, filling priority capacity gaps, and gender mainstreaming in line with PEERS standards. - Provide on-the-job coaching to the CSO/CBO partners and oversee the introduction of peer support activities through coordination mechanisms. - Perform the initial Partner’s Project Capacity Review and assessment checks of local CSOs. - Review CSOs project narrative reports and provide technical feedback to inform the development of project report. - Support the planning and implementation of TOT for CHSSs and CHAs training and the rollout of the actual CHAs trainings ensuring capacity building is prioritized as a part of all training activities. - Develop and adapt various simple-to-use and practical resource materials that will directly enhance local CSO staff’s project management skillset. - Support the CSOs and CHTs to conduct CHSS/CHA/CHV mapping and update the registers - Any other capacity strengthening activities as required by the project.

Develop IRC Capacity

- Promote a culture of mutual learning and good partnership among IRC staff. - Coach, train, and mentor staff to strengthen their abilities to effectively support partners. - Contribute to quality improvement of existing capacity sharing guidance, tools, and curriculum to adapt to the local context and staff/partner capacity. - Contribute to the development of capacity sharing standards and best practices for the country and/or region.

Area of consideration: This is a local position.

Key Working Relationships:

Position Reports to: Partnership Director Position Directly Supervises: None.

Indirect Reporting: Deputy Program Director Other Internal and/or external contacts:

Internal: Project Team, Grants and Finance Units

External: Partner Organizations’ Headquarters

Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in management, development studies or related field. - Five plus years of experience in capacity building within the INGO setting. - Experience designing and overseeing partner mapping processes, ideally focused on civil society’s role in service delivery. - Proven capacity strengthening expertise in organizational development, including the ability to tailor and target support for different levels/ sizes of civil society groups. - Demonstrated experience in developing training manuals, modules, curricula, and other relevant training materials. - Experience of conducting TOTs, training needs assessment along with facilitation skills and ability to prepare training reports. - Ability to work with partners to identify priority growth areas within the organization and develop goals based on results of assessments. - Ability to design and deliver trainings, provide on-the-job coaching or mentoring support, and facilitate workshops to support partners’ capacity development priorities. - Strong communication, both written and oral, and experience contributing to project/donor reports. - Problem-solving, multi-tasking, independent judgment, and time management, particularly in a multi-cultural environment. - Able to respond rapidly to changing environments, yet remain productive, focused. - Prior IRC experience desired, especially the implementation of PEERS. - Willingness to travel frequently to remote program locations, often for an extended period. - Strong computer literacy skills and experience working with Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, and PowerPoint.

Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and implements policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons, and several others.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.

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, disability or any other characteristic protected by applicable law