Posted on: Wed 03-08-2022

Sightsavers is an international organisation that changes lives for the long term. We work in more than 30 countries to eliminate avoidable blindness and support people with visual impairments to live independently.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: NCO NTD Technical Manager (SCH / STH)

Location: Abuja, Nigeria

Contract Type: Fixed Term Contract

Contract: 2 year Fixed Term Contract

Specific Hours: 35 Hours per week

Directorate: Operations, Performance and Finance

Reports to: Director Programme Operations

About the Role  

• We are currently seeking two NTD Technical Managers to provide technical support for the Onchocerciasis, Lymphatic Filariasis, Schistosomiasis, and Soil transmitted Helminths Programmes implemented by the Sightsavers supported States and downstream partners supported by Sightsavers.  
• They will work closely with the NTD MEL Manager, Country Trachoma Coordinator, NTD programme teams, Sightsavers Global Technical leads, as well as implementing partners to ensure the delivery of the programme targets and monitoring of programme activities.  
• As the NTD Technical Manager you will work with the state teams to ensure quality assurance for all SCH/STH and Oncho/LF NTD programmes and ensure the implementation of high-quality surveys and assessments in line with the Sightsavers NTD strategy and survey quality assurance standards and practices.  

Job Purpose

• The Nigeria Country Office (NCO) NTD NTD Technical Manager (Oncho / LF and SCH / STH) will be a member of the NCO NTD Technical team.
• This resource is expected to support the progression towards the control of Schistosomiasis and STH elimination as a public health problem from Nigeria.
• The NCO NTD NTD Technical Manager (Oncho / LF and SCH / STH) will provide technical support for the Schistosomiasis, and Soil transmitted Helminths Programmes implemented by the Sightsavers supported States and downstream partners.
• This resource will work closely with the NCO NTD MEL Manager, Country Trachoma Coordinator, NTD programme teams, Sightsavers Global Technical leads for Schistosomiasis, as well as implementing partners to ensure the delivery of the programme targets and monitoring of programme activities.
• The role holder will work with the state teams to ensure quality assurance for all SCH/STH and Oncho/LF NTD programmes.
• This resource will also work closely with the Ministry of Health Schistosomiasis/STH, programme Managers especially in ensuring the implementation of high-quality surveys and assessments in line with the Sightsavers NTD strategy and survey quality assurance standards and practices.

Key Accountabilities (Specific Activities and End Results)

Main Responsibilities (60% of time):

• Lead on collating, editing, and writing a core package of survey support materials, including technical protocol templates, SOPs for survey teams and PowerPoint training materials to be used for training of survey teams.
• Make sure the core survey support packages are aligned to minimum internal Sightsavers and World Health Organisation (WHO) quality standards.
• Support robust monitoring and reporting systems for SCH/STH, and ensure lessons learned are actioned in a programmatically relevant time frame.
• Work with the Technical advisors for SCH/STH and Oncho/LF and the global Sightsavers NTD technical team to make sure that where needed, the survey and assessment packages can be tailored to meet the national guidelines in country.
• Continuously monitor quality of surveys during implementation and correct usage of the core survey support package, working closely with the broader technical team to do so.
• Work with the NCO procurement and NTD operations team to develop standardised procurement calculators and supplier guidance for each type of SCH/STH and Oncho/LF survey.
• Lead on training and mentorship of Sightsavers country office NTD staff to enhance their technical knowledge base and empower them to make technical decisions with lesser direct input from global technical advisors.
• Lead on the review of NTD related data to publish results of surveys supported by Sightsavers in peer reviewed journals, in collaboration with Sightsavers research team.

Planning and Organisation responsibilities (30% of time):

• Ensure timely evidence-based reports and updates are developed and delivered promptly.
• Provide support to the NTD technical team to update and maintain accurate records in the survey tracker.
• Attend and actively participate in the NCO NTD Technical departmental meetings.
• Represent Sightsavers at external events when appropriate.
• Ensure all materials developed for survey use upholds a commitment to gender, equity, social inclusion, and sustainability.
• Review country work plans and give feedback on planned surveys promptly

Research (10% of time):

• Assist the state programme teams to identify opportunities for operational research and support the conduct of research ideas conceptualised.
• The principal accountabilities are not meant to be an exhaustive list of tasks. The need for flexibility is required and the job holder is expected to carry out any other related duties that are within the employee's skills and abilities whenever reasonably instructed.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Similar working experience, or Post Graduate Degree in Public Health, Biological Sciences or related disciplines.
• Technical knowledge of one or more of the five PCT NTDs.
• Direct experience and/or qualifications in transmission, control or prevention of onchocerciasis and/or lymphatic filariasis.
• A successful track record of working in different contexts.
• Direct experience implementing SCH/STH surveys
• Experience designing and delivering training to survey personnel
• Knowledge of the biology and control of Schistosomiasis and STH in Africa
• Ability to think strategically and effectively translate technical concepts into action plans and SOPs.
• Demonstrably skills in both written and verbal communication in English.
• Excellent analytical and IT skills.
• An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity for all.

Core Behaviours & attributes:

Problem Solving:

• Be able to adapt to changing national, international or Sightsavers policy changes while maintaining standardisation in the support of surveys.
• Be able to consider and adapt to the delivery of the surveys in a health system and integrated context, in a range of different settings with different levels of endemicity, programme strength and co-endemicity with other NTDs, tailoring responses and advice to suit the setting at hand.
• Work closely with the NTD technical team in Country and global to ensure Sightsavers NTD strategy is implemented and strategic recommendations regarding Schistosomiasis and STH surveys and technical methodologies are made to the relevant authorities.

Decision Making:

• Escalate issues to the Director of Programme Operations and senior members of the NTD technical team.
• Ensure SCH/STH implementation strategies are evidence based and aligned with Sightsavers technical advice
• Choose the timing and method to directly disseminate technical advice on SCH/STH and Oncho/LF surveys to all relevant staff and partners.
• Work collaboratively with the key leaders of the national programmes to implement decisions made for SCH/STH survey protocols and procedures

Others:

• Self-motivation
• Flexible and adaptable approach
• Communicating, influencing and leadership
• Team working, motivating others & empowerment
• Change & improvement
• Output focussed.

Key Contacts:

Internal:

• NTD programme Managers and project Officers in Schistosomiasis/STH endemic States.
• Sightsavers NTD Operations Oncho/LF/Schisto/STH team, including Director, Deputy Director and programme officers
• Downstream partners
• M-health, data and innovations team, monitoring, learning and evaluation team (MEL), institutional funding team, research team
• Givewell regional programme Manager
• Givewell NCO project Monitoring Officer

External:

• Implementing partner Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)
• Health Ministry staff (National NTD teams)
• Wider NTD community.

Remuneration

Local Terms and Conditions apply

Application Closing Date

14th August, 2022.

Interview Date

Commencing 22nd August 2022.

Method of Application

Interested and qualified candidates should:

Click here to apply online

Note

• As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Sightsavers is a Disability Confident Leader and qualified people living with a disability are particularly encouraged to apply.

Next Steps:

• To apply for this exciting new opportunity, please complete our online application via our recruitment portal. We are particularly interested in learning of your motivations for applying.
• We anticipate that remote interviews will take place in the week commencing 22nd August 2022 and the evaluation process will include a remote interview.

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