Malaria Consortium is one of the world’s leading non-profit organisations specialising in the comprehensive prevention, control and treatment of malaria and other communicable diseases among vulnerable and under privileged populations. We increasingly find our work on malaria can be effectively integrated with other similar public health interventions for greater impact and therefore expanded our remit to include child health and neglected tropical disease interventions.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

 

Job Title: Senior Malaria Specialist

 

Location: Abuja, Nigeria 

Grade: 10 

Role type: National 

Department: Technical 

Length of contract: Five years 

Reporting to: Team Leader, SUNMAP2/ Project Director 

Travel involved: Up to 40%

Dotted line manager: Country Technical Coordinator 

Direct reports: Market systems development specialist, Diagnostics specialist, SBCC specialist  

 

Country and Project Background

Malaria is highly endemic in Nigeria and it remains one of the leading causes of childhood and maternal morbidity and mortality in the country. Nigeria is deeply committed to making progress towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and it recognizes the fact that, without firm efforts to control malaria, achievement of the targets related to child mortality, maternal mortality, and reducing the burden of communicable disease will not be possible. Malaria therefore constitutes a significant development challenge for Nigeria. Interventions for reducing malaria burden in the country are documented in the national malaria strategic plan with Government taking the lead in its implementation with the support of all the RBM partners.

The DFID funded and Malaria Consortium led malaria programme, SUNMAP, provided technical assistance and other support to the Nigeria National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) covering the period 2008 to 2016. The anticipated follow on project, SUNMAP2 has been designed to strengthen the management and technical capacity of NMEP, State Malaria Elimination Programme (SMEP) and their stakeholders to drive the implementation of the National Malaria Strategic Plan, 2014 to 2020 and achieve its ambitious targets.

This will include short term technical assistance and technical assistance embedded in NMEP in key areas of programme management, evidence generation and use, and capacity building across all project outputs and ultimately reducing Nigeria’s malaria burden and strengthening the Government of Nigeria’s health systems capacity to ensure long term programme and impact sustainability.

 

Job Purpose

The Senior Malaria Specialist will provide technical leadership on all aspects of malaria control to the project and working closely with the project team to implement evidence-based approaches to achieve the projects outcomes.

The position holder will serve as a resource for up-to-date technical information on malaria control and elimination including providing technical support to NMEP, SMEP and other key stakeholders.

He/She will supervise a team of three specialists and support them to implement work plans in a coherent and harmonised manner.

 

Scope of Work:

Provide technical oversight for the project and take direct a lead in implementing malaria initiatives such as severe malaria case management and seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC).

The position holder line manages four technical specialists.

He/She will support the team to adapt the project strategies to their settings and see that they are revised periodically based on learnings (both internal and external to the project).

He/She will provide technical assistance and capacity building to NMEP and SMEP especially within a paradigm of changing malaria epidemiology along the malaria elimination continuum.

He/She will represent the programme on relevant technical working groups.

 

Key Working Relationships:

The Senior Malaria Specialist will mobilise and coordinate with a broad range of stakeholders to deliver the project.

They will work closely with the National Malaria Elimination Programme, State Malaria Elimination Programmes in the six SUNMAP2 supported states, public and private sector actors in the malaria control landscape and Malaria Consortium’s team of global technical specialists.

Along with the Team Leader he/she will liaise periodically with DFID Nigeria. He/She will be a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) of the project.

Key Accountabilities (Percentage level of effort) 

 

Strategic contributions (10%):

Contribute to development of project strategy papers, in particular those directly related to malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

Contribute to the development and improvements in the projects value-for-money approach, in particular related to effectiveness and impact optimisation.

Lead the development and facilitate the use of a framework for technical quality improvement for the project

Provide strategic technical support to the National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP), include support in the harmonisation of tools and approaches.

 

Qualifications and Experience: 

Essential:

Postgraduate degree in Epidemiology or Public Health with a focus on malaria control/elimination

At least 8 years working in technical role with an excellent understanding of malaria control/elimination approaches

Significant experience in intervention design and implementation of large-scale malaria control projects

Familiarity with the challenges and opportunities of malaria control Sub Saharan Africa (SSA)

Experience in setting up standards of technical quality as well as internal quality assurance mechanisms 

Experience with value-for-money measurements

Familiarity with the Nigerian health system

 

Desirable:

Significant knowledge in communicable diseases control

Experience of supporting development of learning processes and structures, ideally in an NGO context

Experience working with private sector actors involved in malaria prevention, diagnosis and treatment

 

Work-based Skills: 

Essential:

Excellent skills in public health and or disease control, and in particular related to malaria

Strong analytical ability

Excellent writing and presentation skills 

Management of high performing teams, including ability to delegate efficiently and technically support teams

Mentoring and coaching skills with respect to junior staff 

Strong skills in negotiating with and engaging Ministry of Health Officials at all levels of the health system

Ability to work in a multicultural team

Results-oriented attitude to work

Excellent time management skills

Ability to work independently with little support 

Expert competency level in reviewing, understanding and synthesising data for sharing with wider audiences

Practical organisational skills with the ability to manage a fluctuating workload, prioritise and reprioritise when necessary and meet tight deadlines

Able to travel to SUNMAP2 supported states for up to one week at a time to oversee implementation activities

Attention to detail

Problem solving mind-set

Positive work attitude; a team player

 

Desirable:

Excellent project management and planning skills

Excellent statistical analysis skills including familiarity with software such as STATA, R or Statgraphics

Demonstrable publication writing skills include peer reviewed publications

Advocacy skills

 

Core Competencies: 

Delivering Results:

LEVEL D - Inspires wider teams to achieve outstanding results and to manage risks:

Proactively improves effectiveness and performance of other senior staff to increase ability to meet objectives, acquiring new skills when appropriate

Encourages mitigating risks amongst the teams/ groups they work with/ manage

Ensures the quality of all internal/ external work of own and others

 

Analysis and use of information:

LEVEL D - Analyses the external environment confidently:

Generates a range of policy options and appraises them based on the internal and external evidence

Develops ways of applying new knowledge and ensures lessonâ€ï¿½learning with self and wider team

Analyses the significance of external events and situations for Malaria Consortium Interpersonal and communications

LEVEL C - Adapts communications effectively:

Tailors communication (content, style and medium) to diverse audiences Communicates equally effectively at all organisational levels

Understands others’ underlying needs, concerns and motivations and communicates effectively in sensitive situations

Resolves intra-team and inter-team conflicts effectively

 

Collaboration and Partnering:

LEVEL D - Develops external networks to increase internal thinking/ learning:

Actively develops partnerships with relevant organisations, think tanks and individuals

Takes initiative to establish a network or partnership where one does not exist

Ensures any external learning is effectively brought in-house

 

Leading and motivating people:

LEVEL C - Effectively leads and motivates others or direct reports:

Gives regular, timely and appropriate feedback

Acknowledges good performance and deals with issues concerning poor performance

Carries out staff assessment and development activities conscientiously and effectively

Develop the skills and competence of others through the development and application of skills

Coaches and supports team members when they have difficulties

 

Flexibility/ Adaptability:

LEVEL D - Clarifies priorities and ensures learning from experience:

Clarifies priorities when leading change

Sees and shows others the benefits of strategic change.

Helps colleagues/ team members to practise stress management through prioritisation of workloads and modelling of appropriate self-management and care

Makes time to learn from experience and feedback, and apply the lessons to new situations

 

Living the values:

LEVEL D - Acts as a role model in promoting Malaria Consortium’s values

Champions and takes ownership of corporate decisions, values and standards and ensures team members implement them in a positive manner

Acts as role model internally and externally in promoting Malaria Consortium’s values 

Is accountable for ensuring that cultural awareness is demonstrated across the area (s) they manage 

Strategic planning and thinking and sector awareness:

LEVEL C - Keeps up to date with the internal and external environment:

Takes into account economic, political and other business factors when drawing up medium and long-term plans, covering both public and private sectors

Looks beyond the immediate operations to prospects for new business

Engages with appropriate internal and external sources to establish major influences on future plans

 

Salary

$72,865.

 

Application Closing Date

30th August, 2019.

 

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should:

Click here to apply online

Click Here for More Information (PDF)