Openings at International Rescue Committee

Job Overview/Summary: 

The Health Unit MEAL Coordinator will lead the Health Unit’s coordination of the annual statistics process, update of the core indicators, analysis of Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and quality improvement data, support for the uptake of the Program Indicator Dashboards, and support for health evaluations, assessments and routine monitoring for strategic projects at country program level. The specific responsibilities include:

Global Support

• Lead the coordination of the Annual Statistics process, including liaising between the Measurement Unit, Technical Advisors and country programs to review submitted health data, ensuring completeness and identifying gaps, and leading the analysis of the data.
• Lead the coordination of the global efforts to monitor and evaluate Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) within health facilities and Quality Improvement (QI), including liaising between the Measurement Unit, Technical Advisors and country programs to review submitted IPC data, ensuring completeness and identifying gaps, and leading the analysis of the data.
• Lead the support to the Health Unit for their use of Program Indicator Dashboards as a way to support monitoring of program delivery
• Collaborate with members of the Health Unit and country programs to analyze M&E data, and to identify and document lessons learned related to health programs
• Provide capacity strengthening of Health Unit and country program staff about health MEAL
• Support data needs for health focused advocacy and communication

Country support

• Support monitoring, evaluations and learning efforts for strategic health projects
• Provide capacity strengthening of country program staff about health MEAL

Key Working Relationships

Position Reports to: Senior Technical Advisor, Health MEAL

Position directly supervises: None

Internal: 

• Regular relationships with the EH, nutrition, health and country technical counterparts. Interacts with IRC internal departments across CRRD and other technical units

External: 

• May participate in outside meetings and academic forums with donors, other non-governmental organizations and inter-agency groups as needed.

Job Qualifications

Education: 

• University degree in related field plus Master’s degree in Public Health, Statistics, or related field is required.
• At least five years of experience working in public health within low resource contexts.

Skills: 

• Ability to work optimally and respectfully on diverse teams and across diverse contexts. Good technical acuity, takes initiative and produces results, ability to accept feedback and integrate it, strong communication and presentation skills and a dedication to contribute to a positive work environment.
• Strong data analytical skills and understanding of health monitoring and evaluation in low resource contexts is required; Committed to upholding diversity, equality and inclusion principles. Good level interpersonal skills with a high level of English oral and written skills.
• Ability to proficiently communicate and write in French is highly desirable, but not required. Experience working with digital technology for health platforms (CommCare, PowerBi) is desirable.

Work Experience: 

• A minimum of 3-5 years of international experience is required leading health M&E within humanitarian settings.
• Expertise and experience working on the monitoring and evaluation of primary health care is required, and knowledge of environmental health is a plus.

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Program Management

Key Responsibilities :

• Provide technical supervision and guidance of all IRC health programs including clinical services, reproductive health, community health programming, HIV/AIDS programming and Mental Health. Extend technical support and supervision to the IRC’s implementing partners as required.
• Participate in the development of annual program forecasts and budgets and ensure implementation of Health related activities in line with approved budgets and spending plans.
• In collaboration with program managers, revise plans and budgets to maintain program quality and progress; work with the Deputy Director of Grants and Accountability to ensure all program activities are implemented in compliance with donor requirements and meet the measurement requirements of IRC and donors.
• Provide leadership and direction on integration of health activities with other sectors including, but not limited to, Nutrition, HIV/AIDS, livelihoods and women protection; work with relevant collaborators to conduct operational research and document and disseminate lessons learnt.

Technical Monitoring And Program Quality

• Promote the quality of the IRC’s health programs by setting up quality assurance mechanisms and providing technical supervision of health program staff, and technical support to IRC Kenya programming activities.
• Ensure that all activities are consistent with established standard processes and apply standardized protocols, policies and guidelines, as outlined by relevant health institutions and statutory bodies.
• Make certain that the stated goals and objectives of all health projects are met with strong monitoring and evaluation (M&E) follow up, including any required operational research, with technical support from the Health Information Management team in New York Health Unit and the Country Technical Advisors for health and nutrition as needed.
• Participate in the design of robust M&E plans, lead technical assessments, design/adapt health information systems including surveillance systems as a basis for primary health care program development.

Health Systems Strengthening

• Support emergency health programs to transition their approach to ensure that health system strengthening is a key component of their approach. Ensuring that health programs are working with MoH structures at county level to support health system reforms and strengthening
• Work at the policy level with key decision makers from various county governments and donors, participating in strategy development and technical discussions relating to strategic direction of the health program and influence health policy reforms/development.

Emergency Preparedness and Response

• Ensure that the IRC Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans are prepared in consultation with relevant government and aid partners, are kept up to date with protocol, standards and guidance from relevant bodies and conform to the needs of clients.
• Together with the Senior Management Team (SMT), collaborate on establishment and operationalization of the Emergency Response Team (ERT).
• Monitor data from the camps on disease trends (IDSR, HIS and DHIS) and take the necessary steps to prevent disease outbreaks in the refugee camps.

Staff And Partner Capacity Development

• Participate in recruitment and design of staff development plans based on performance reviews in collaboration with the human resources department and contribute to the training of health staff (mentoring, as well as formal trainings). This includes staff training in program management areas such as reporting, budgeting, monitoring, evaluation, and supervision.
• Develop/coordinate training and other capacity strengthening opportunities to build the capacity of local partners where relevant/ required.

Business Development And Fundraising

• Proactively look for funding opportunities for Health and Nutrition programming in Kenya, lead in development of quality proposals and review donor reports together with Program Managers, other Technical Coordinators and the Technical Advisors.
• Develop strategic partnerships with local and international organizations, where possible.

Coordination, Representation And Advocacy

• Represent IRC Kenya in external Health and Nutrition related forums; actively develop and maintain effective working relationships with key collaborators in Kenya including donors, government actors, UN agencies (especially UNHCR), international and local NGOs, and other relevant actors; identify advocacy issues in consultation with the country management.

Qualifications

• Degree in Health e.g. MBChB, MD and an advanced degree in Public Health.
• Minimum 6 years experience in primary health programs in resource poor settings and at least 4 in progressive management position.
• Demonstrated skills in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.
• Proficient in Windows, MS office programs, email and database (HMIS, PEPFAR database, EPI-Info) experience.
• Good communication, people management, organizational and analytical skills.
• Ability to work in complex emergency environment, multitask, handle pressure and flexibility.
• Training and competency in LQAS, SPSS, SQUEAC and SMART methodology for conducting surveys is an added advantage.
• Proven practical experience in program design, implementation, and M&E and experience in developing and using community participatory approaches.
• Experience working with community groups, community engagement and negotiation.
• Highly diplomatic with excellent political awareness and advanced negotiation skills.
• Experience of working on issues related to human trafficking and smuggling desirable.
• Experience of working with forced migrants is required.
• Experience of working on government policies and laws.
• Proven experience in governance programming such as working with GOK, county governments, devolution processes for increased demand and improved service delivery is desirable.
• Proven practical experience in partnership/collaborator engagement and management.
• Good written and oral communication skills, effective in representation and liaison with external parties.
• Strong cross-cultural communication skills and comfortable working as part of a diverse team. Sensitive to interpersonal differences and a range of viewpoints.
• Demonstrated advance planning and organizational skills. Able to effectively prioritize and follow multiple activities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Flexible and innovative. Able to adapt plans and pivot approaches in response to changes in context.
• Proactive, reliable, and able to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Proficient in English and Swahili, spoken and written- a requirement.