Senior Health Coordinator (SHC)

Job Description

Background

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. Founded in 1933 at the request of Albert Einstein, the IRC offers lifesaving care and life-changing assistance to refugees forced to flee from war or disaster. At work today in over 40 countries, we restore safety, dignity and hope to millions who are uprooted and struggling to endure. The mission of the IRC is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover and gain control of their future.

The IRC started operations in Chad in 2004 to respond to the humanitarian crisis caused by the influx of refugees from Darfur to eastern Chad, with intervention in the Ouré Cassoni refugee camp. Assistance to Sudanese refugees has now expanded to the management of the ten camps in the East and one camp in the West with assistance to refugees and local communities in health, nutrition and water, hygiene and sanitation. In 2012, to respond to drought and food insecurity, IRC expanded its geographic coverage in the Guéra region. IRC is currently working in three health districts Mongo, Mangalmé and Melfi and is providing prevention and treatment of malnutrition to the local population. In May 2016, IRC opened an office in the Lac region to respond to the Boko Haram crisis. IRC implements assistance projects in health, nutrition as well as protection and response to gender-based violence.

IRC Chad is committed in its 2022-2024 Strategic Action Plan, to continue to provide essential humanitarian services in health, nutrition and protection / GBV, while improving the economic well-being and building the resilience of beneficiaries, especially women and girls. IRC Chad will continue to work with and closely support states actors/ Ministries for key areas of intervention so that IRC's actions fit into national policies to ensure better ownership of actions taken towards.

Job Overview:

The Senior Health Coordinator (SHC) is responsible for the coordination of the different health sub-sectors and ensuring their quality and alignment with the IRC's health program strategy in Chad. Therefore, he (she) will provide technical assistance and guidance to the health team, including neonatal, child and maternal health, nutrition, environmental health (EH), reproductive health, mental health. He (she) will, in addition, contribute to the identification of needs, and ensure that health programs are developed and implemented in accordance with the IRC Global Health Strategy, the IRC Chad National Strategic Plan (SAP), the Outcome Evidence Framework (OEF) and the Program theories of Change (ToC). He/she will be the quality assurance responsible of the health program by ensuring that the priorities of the country and the health technical unit are taken into account in all phases of the project management. To this end, he/she will provide regular technical support for the integration and use of new tools, in particular those for the assessment of infection and prevention control and the improvement of the quality of care in health facilities.

The SHC will work under the supervision and guidance of the Deputy Director of Programs (DDP), and he (she) will work closely with him and will receive technical support from the Primary Health Care Technical Advisor of the IRC Health Unit.

Major responsibilities

Program Coordination :

- Provide technical leadership and strategic vision on health policies and programs, and ensure consistent, technically sound, and appropriate implementation of IRC Chad programs. - In collaboration with other health coordinators and managers who are specialists in their field, identify strategic needs that have not been addressed by current programs, and encourage the realization of needs assessments and ensure the quality of their reports. - Organize regular meetings with the technical health advisors who support the country program for an integrated health approach and programming. - Is responsible for the development, implementation and revisions of Strategic Action Plans for the health sector (and health sub-sectors) including self-assessments, stakeholder analyzes etc; - Ensure that health projects and programs are developed in accordance with the IRC Strategic Actions Plan (SAP), IRC Results and Evidence Framework (OEF) including Theories of Change (ToC) and core indicators, and IMPACT approach to improve project quality.

· Ensure the integration of the different components of the health program (primary health, reproductive health, mental health, nutrition, environmental health, etc.) with other sectors (protection, economic well-being, education, etc.) to maximize impact for clients and ensure better use of resources and appropriate gender integration, protection, and inclusion in all dimensions of the program.

· Ensure that IRC Chad's health project implementation promotes local health systems strengthening, including capacity building of local communities, local NGOs, Community Health Organizations, and government staff and agencies related to SAP.

Proposal and reports:

· Lead, initiate, and act as focal point in the development of new proposal, based health collected data and analysis of health needs in consultation with the other health technical coordinators and the various technical advisors at the headquarters.

· Provide technical assistance to the health coordinators/managers to ensure the delivery of comprehensive, good quality and timely inputs to donor reports for the ongoing health projects.

· Review reports and ensure that donor and IRC requirements are met and that donor reports are produced, reviewed, and submitted on time in relation with the Grant team.

Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning:

· Conduct monitoring and evaluation of the IRC health programs through regular data analysis and supervision and review of the program activities, including field visits.

· Ensure that monitoring and evaluation are part of the program and contribute to their improvement. Ensure constructive and timely feedback to health staff and partners.

· Based on data and evidence, improve the quality of methodology and reporting. Ensure that IRC's programs and projects are properly documented, based on quality data analyzed monthly and contribute to the organization's institutional learning and advocacy. on behalf of beneficiaries and the communities we work with; write down lessons learned, innovative approaches and the collect information and evidence in order to contribute in the IRC overall learning.

- Contribute in identifying problems that require operational research, defining research questions to be studied and developing technically appropriate protocols and TORs for conducting research activities.

· Work with the coordinators/managers to ensure quality control of program activities and adjustment of program interventions to ensure maximum impact through capacity building of staff, development, and regular monitoring of dashboard tools such as: Work plan, expenditure plan, procurement plan as well as regular and unannounced inventories.

· Ensure that program implementation strategies reflect the latest best practices and evidence, including lessons learned from monitoring, evaluation and/or related research activities.

· Work with the MEAL Coordinator, Health data senior Managers and M&E field staff and coordinators/managers to ensure that data collection systems meet IRC, Ministry of Public Health (MoH) and donor requirements.

Human resources management:

· Manage human resources under direct supervision according to the IRC management model.

· Ensure that there is a system in place for regular performance evaluation of staff, including the provision of technical support and development opportunities.

· Ensure regular meetings with the health staff under his/her supervision.

· Assess technical gaps among IRC staff and promote formal training and retraining.

· Ensure standard induction and orientation procedures for new health staff.

· Contribute to the recruitment of new staff including consultants by participating in : Selection of candidates, completion of the written test, and conducting interviews with candidates.

· Promote professional working relationships and resolve conflicts and problems between staff members in a timely manner.

Budget and Financial Resource Management:

- Collaborate with the Deputy Director of program (DDP), Deputy Director of Operations (DDO), Deputy Director of Finance (DDF) and Country Director (CD) in the financial management of the health program, assisting in the preparation of budgets, review of BVA, delivery of Purchase Orders, financial accounting, etc.

Partnership, Coordination and Representation:

- Ensure technical representation of IRC to other health stakeholders, donors, UN agencies, national and international NGOs in important forums and meetings and interact productively with national and local government representatives and other key actors responsible for ensuring quality and access to Primary Health Care. The technical coordinators will continue to participate in technical sector meetings, such as clusters, technical meetings within the ministries which are in partnership with IRC - Upon request from DDP, meet with donors to provide them update on the progress of program implementation, advocate for their support for current and future activities, and if possible, inform them on IRC's National Strategic Plan (SAP). Monitor collaboration and funding opportunities available in the country to meet the humanitarian needs of the SAP. - As assistance to the Ministry of Public Health, provide expert input into the development and review of national policies, guidelines, standards, protocols, programs/modules, and other tools to improve the delivery of quality primary health services. - At the request of the DDP, provide support for donors, press or personality field visit and act as main focal point for health planning at IRC Chad.

Key Working Relationships

· Position reports to: Deputy Country Director for Programs (DDP)

· Positions under direct supervision: Coordinators (nutrition, EH, reproductive health, health East) and mental health specialist

· Indirect reporting: Senior pharmacist manager and Health MEAL manager

· Other Internal and/or external contacts

o Internal: Coordinators (ERD, Grant, WPE and WASH), Supply chain Department, Project Managers, human resources, MEAL, communication

o External******: Clusters (health, nutrition et WASH0, government partners particularly the Ministry of Public Health, lnternational and national NGOs, UN agencies(HCR, UNICEF, UNFPA, WHO)…

Job Requirements:

Education: A degree in health, particularly public health with demonstrated technical expertise and knowledge of public health work, with particular emphasis on primary health, reproductive health and nutrition, and Environmental Health.

Work Experience:

- At least 7 years of progressive experience in managing large-scale health programs, including in a conflict or post-conflict environment in Africa. - Broad experience in program development and implementation. - Previous work experience in Chad is preferred. - Strong interpersonal, team building and leadership skills as well as coordination, mentoring and training skills. - Previous experience managing programs financed through one or more of the following, OFDA, ECHO, Sida or private foundations, with strong program/technical and budget management skills - Strong planning, reporting, monitoring and evaluation skills; - Successful experience in developing new programs in line with strategic goals - Strong written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and advocacy with external stakeholders. - Experience managing, supervising, coaching and mentoring staff. - Proven ability to work well in and promote teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure with professional grace.

Language skills: Fluent in French and English

Working Environment:

Security: The SHC will be based in Ndjamena with travel throughout the country. The security situation in Chad continues to be volatile [in the NE with the security at phase yellow].

Accommodation: He/she will be provided with shared accommodation in N'Djamena. This position is unaccompanied.

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

The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in IRC Way - Standards for Professional Conduct. These are Integrity, Equality, Service, 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.

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