Team Leader for the FCDO Health Systems Strengthening in Sierra Leone (HSS-SL) project

Job Description

The IRC is seeking a qualified Team Leader for the anticipated five-year FCDO-funded Health Systems Strengthening in Sierra Leone (HSS-SL) project. The budget for the project is TBC but the FCDO have indicated that it will be up to GBP 65million. The Team Leader will be responsible for the overall coordination and delivery of the project. Working in close collaboration with the consortium partners and project staff, the Team Leader will ensure that HSS-SL is implemented in full alignment with relevant national policies and protocols and that it meets the donor requirements. The Team Leader will work under the oversight of the IRC in Sierra Leone, and will be based in Freetown, with frequent travel to project locations.

Background

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) is 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.

Present in Sierra Leone since 1999, the IRC supports Sierra Leonean institutions – government, civil society, community-based organizations and private sector – to provide improved social services. The IRC does this through programs and partnerships designed to improve the life of women, youth and children by implementing Health, Education, and Women’s Protection and Empowerment programming.

The IRC - along with its consortium partners – is planning to bid for the upcoming FCDO-funded Health Systems Strengthening in Sierra Leone (HSS-SL) project. The IRC is the incumbent lead of the NGO “Unite” consortium for the FCDO Saving Lives in Sierra Leone (SLiSL) phase II programme (2018-2022), which is the predecessor of HSS-SL. The HSS-SL project will support the Government of Sierra Leone to improve the quality, availability and accessibility of reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health (RMNCAH) services through a comprehensive systems strengthening approach at district level and national level.

Scope of work

The Team Leader will provide overall strategic, technical and operational oversight and management in order to achieve the greatest impact towards the project goals and objectives. They will oversee a core project team that includes senior technical, monitoring and evaluation, finance and operations personnel. They will also manage the consortium partnerships and maintain excellent relationships with all partners, ensuring that the partners are actively involved in achieving the project objectives.

The Team Leader is responsible for ensuring the quality and timeliness of all project deliverables. This will involve conducting regular field monitoring visits to the districts as per the monitoring/quality assurance plan to ensure quality is maintained throughout project implementation. The Team Leader will work closely with the project’s Deputy Team Leader and the Technical Leads to ensure that project delivery is high quality, that the project takes an adaptive approach to incorporate learnings and overcome challenges, and that implementation follows IRC, MoHS and FCDO requirements.

The Team Leader will oversee review and monitoring of implementation progress in coordination with key project staff based on workplans and performance plans to ensure that long-term and short-term priorities are on track. They will report to FCDO through both formal and informal debriefings, monthly, quarterly, annual and semi-annual reports, ensuring timely submission of high-quality narrative and financial reports to the donor.

The Team Leader will be the primary liaison for the project with Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) representatives, the FCDO, and other key stakeholders. This includes representing the project and sharing information externally about project achievements and lesson learned. The Team Leader will attend national and district government meetings and other related workshops, working groups, and coordination forums to ensure close coordination and collaboration.

The Team Leader will support and mentor project staff, creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes teamwork, trust, mutual respect, and empowers staff to take responsibility.

This position reports to the IRC Sierra Leone Country Director. It is contingent on the IRC being awarded funding; we anticipate that the project will begin in late 2022 / early 2023.

Requirements

• At least 10 years of increasingly responsible experience in implementing and managing large and complex multi-partner, multi-year international health projects ($15million+)

• Medical/health degree, preferably post-graduate (MD, RN, PA or midwife) or MPH/Masters in International Health / Global Health or another relevant management or economics degree

• Demonstrated credibility as a leader in public health, especially in health system strengthening, strategy and policy making, community health, maternal, newborn & child health (MNCH) and/or sexual and reproductive health (SRH)

• Experience working in the Sierra Leone and/or West Africa context

• Prior experience of working on FCDO projects and an excellent working knowledge of FCDO project regulations, compliance and reporting requirements, preferably for FCDO contracts as well as grants

• Demonstrated experience overseeing and managing programmatic budgets (GBP 15million+) for institutional donors such as FCDO, USAID, EU, World Bank

• Use of results-based management and Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) frameworks as a primary management tool

• Excellent diplomacy skills and a proven ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with donors, partners, host country governments, and other key stakeholders (e.g. INGOs, NGOs, CSOs, private sector)

• Adept in planning, adaptive management, and supervising large, diverse teams

• Outstanding leadership, communication, presentation, analytical and organizational skills

• Strong written, oral presentation and facilitation skills in English

• Highly motivated, problem-solver, innovative, possesses strong sense of integrity

• Willingness to travel within Sierra Leone, as needed

Safety & Security Situation

All staff must comply with all IRC Sierra Leone security policies and procedures.

Standards for Professional Conduct

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.

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

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Qualifications