Senior Malaria Project Manager (National Position)

Job Description

Background/IRC Summary: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is at work in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. The IRC has been operating in Thailand since 1975 and currently provides assistance to displaced persons in Tak, Kanchanaburi, Ratchaburi and Mae Hong Son provinces.

Job Overview/Summary: IRC provides primary health care and environmental health services in several refugee camps in Thailand. IRC provides preventive and curative health care services in the camps, including primary health care, reproductive health, neonatal care and health education. Clinical services include out-patient department (OPD) and in-patient department (IPD) care; laboratories supporting IPD/OPD and reproductive health clinics; pharmacy services for essential drugs; community health education, and mental health care. Environmental health services aim to create a healthy living environment for refugees living in the camps through the provision of quality water and sanitation facilities, leading efforts to improve access to chlorinated water, sanitation, and hygiene in the camps.

The Regional Artemisinin-resistance Initiative (RAI) has been expanded with a third phase, the RAI3Elimination (RAI3E) program, to accelerate elimination of P. falciparum malaria in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Building on the current progress, the objectives under RAI3E are to achieve high coverage of key interventions using area-based microstratification and targeting the A1 and A2 areas with the aim to eliminate local transmission of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) cases by 2023 and all malaria by 2024. Additional focus will be placed on active Pf foci and in high burden provinces which accounts for most of the malaria cases to accelerate elimination efforts, as well as nine temporary shelters on the Thailand-Myanmar borders. IRC Thailand is expected to implement RAI3E in the temporary shelters.

Under the direct supervision of the Health Coordinator and the overall guidance of the Senior Health Coordinator, the Malaria Senior Project Manager will be responsible for the overall management and implementation of the RAI3E project in the temporary shelters (refugee camps).

Major Responsibilities:

Project Management, Implementation and Monitoring • Manage the overall RAI3E project and closely monitor implementation of the project in the nine refugee camps to ensure all activities are delivered according to plans, and that when delays and problems occur remedial actions are identified and undertaken. • Develop the work plan for the implementation of the project in collaboration with external stakeholders (e.g. Office of Disease Prevention, the Division of Vector-Borne Diseases (VBDC), Vector Borne Disease Unit (VBDU), public health offices, the Ministry of Public Health, etc.), project staff and community representatives. • Ensure regular follow-up on monitoring data to feed into on-going review of project cycle and decision-making for programming. • Ensure that activities are implemented according to the work plan, ensuring a balance between the need for timely achievement of objectives and the importance of quality processes and methodological rigor. • Manage and monitor budget and update spending plans; estimate monthly cash forecasts based on detailed analysis of activity projections and previous expenditure patterns. • Ensure proper integration of gender and inclusion in all dimensions of the project. • Provide overall supervision to project staff to ensure that the implementation of the project aligns with the project proposal and donor’s requirements. • Participate in and/or prepare necessary project-related reports and presentations. • Provide for monitoring of the Malaria component’s activity plan with regards to the results and indicators defined in the agreement. • Coordinate with the IRC M&E team and the Health Information System (HIS) team in developing a monitoring-evaluation system that will enable to develop quarterly progress reports and the annual report and provide for the training of partners and camp-based stipend workers. • Initiate and coordinate the evaluations of actions undertaken and learn the lessons in order to improve the component’s results; provide support/advice to various partners on the implementation strategies that will enable to meet objectives and expected results. • Conduct technical analysis of any document relating to the activities planned and emanating from the different sub-beneficiary structures. • Identify technical assistance needs and develop terms of reference for consultations and any other national studies required within the framework of the component. • Integrate service delivery and quality improvement - develop, train and implement refugee camp treatment guidelines in alignment with the Thai National Treatment Guidelines and malaria elimination measures. • Coordinate and facilitate Monitoring visits by DVBD, PHO, VBDC, etc. • Set up and ensure implement of effective services at the Camp Malaria Posts in 9 refugee camps. • Integrate community case management (ICCM) in collaboration with community outreach team, ensure effective integrated community case management services and supervision on the distribution and use of LLINs among refugees in transmission areas in the refugee camps through outreach activities. • Manage and supervise community system strengthening - social mobilization, building community linkages and coordination. • Develop and produce IEC materials and tools for behavioral change communication for use in the refugee camps. • Train relevant project staff and malaria camp-based stipend workers on behavioral change and risk communication. • Prepare donor reports and draft activity reports and success stories for inclusion in the qualitative and quantitative reports submitted to line manager and contributing to the other reports as required. • Support the implementation of qualitative assessment of risk behavior in nine refugee camps as necessary. • Coordinate with IRC senior clinical managers and referral team to refer severe cases to Thai Hospitals. • Conduct regular field visits to each of the camps to ensure program efficiency and quality and address issues and concerns, working closely with the Senior Health Coordinator.

Partnership, Coordination and Representation • Coordinate with other project stakeholders including the Global Fund Primary Recipient of the RAI3E project – Department of Disease Control to implementation project activities in the refugee camps. • Coordinate and work with the IRC Partnership Coordinator in managing and monitoring of the RAI3E sub-recipient. • Participate in meetings and ensure coordination with all stakeholders. • Forge strong relationships with the National Malaria Control Program to solidify their engagement in and understanding of the project. • Identify or establish a coordination mechanism between project partners and the National Malaria Control Program to disseminate project progress and findings. • Collaborate with partners to analyze and synthesize project findings for dissemination purposes.

Staff Management and Development • Support staff by creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes teamwork, trust, mutual respect, and empowers staff to take responsibility. Approve and manage all leave requests to ensure adequate coverage. • Mentor, manage and evaluate staff performance of direct reports.

Key Working Relationships: Position Reports to: Health Coordinator Position directly supervises: Malaria Data Information Manager, Malaria Project Officers Indirect Reporting: Malaria camp-based stipend workers Other Internal and/or external contacts: Internal: Health team, Technical/Program Coordinators; Grants and Partnerships; Finance Department; Human Resources Department; Logistics/Supply Chain Department as needed; IRC Thailand’s Protection and Livelihoods teams. External: Ministry of Public Health – Department of Disease Control, VBDC, VBDU, public health offices, etc.

Qualifications