Technical Director /Deputy Chief of Party, RISE Eswatini

Jhpiego is an international, non-profit health organization affiliated with The Johns Hopkins University. For 50 years and in over 155 countries, Jhpiego has worked to prevent the needless deaths of women and their families. Jhpiego Corporation has been providing technical support to the Ministries of Health in partner countries across the globe in a variety of technical areas including cervical cancer treatment and prevention, community health, HIV and AIDS, maternal and newborn health, health workforce capacity development family planning, malaria, and IPC/WASH. 

The RISE project supports countries to respond to the HIV epidemic and COVID-19 pandemic by providing technical assistance, service delivery, research, and cross-cutting health system innovations. RISE partners with ministries of health, local stakeholders, and nongovernmental organizations in more than 25 countries around the world to advance strategic and policy objectives to control the transmission of HIV and COVID-19. Working across the HIV prevention, care, and treatment cascade, RISE bridges country-led efforts to reach the UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals by 2030. To address the COVID-19 pandemic, RISE provides short-term, emergency response aid, alongside longer-term health systems strengthening, to achieve pandemic preparedness. Targeted technical assistance includes strengthening health information systems, human resources for health, supply chain, and health financing. 

In Eswatini, RISE will work with the government at the national level to improve coordination, including developing national guidelines and support human resources for health (HRH). At regional levels RISE will work to strengthen capacity to oversee HIV services in their regions. RISE will also support and partner with local organizations to 1) provide technical support and oversight for comprehensive HIV programming aimed to sustain 95-95-95, prevent new infections and reach all populations for epidemic control, 2) Provide high-quality, life-saving clinical services for HIV throughout the entire continuum of care, including HIV testing, linking to treatment, ensuring retention in care. 3) Life-saving activities related to pregnant and breastfeeding women and their infants, adolescent girls and young women and children. The project is seeking a Technical Director/Deputy Chief of Party based in Eswatini. 

Overview of role:

The Technical Director/Deputy Chief of Party provides strategic and technical leadership for the implementation of life-saving interventions under the RISE project in Eswatini. This role serves as the primary technical liaison with the Ministry of Health (MoH), leading engagements with key MOH departments, technical working groups (TWGs), and other national counterparts.  The Technical Director/Deputy Chief also oversees the technical design and implementation of subawards through sub-partners under the project.

Technical Director/Deputy Chief oversees and supports the technical work of RISE project. The Technical Director/Deputy Chief is accountable for the implementation technically sound, high-quality, evidence-based programming aligned with national priorities and donor expectations. This position reports to the RISE Chief of Party and plays a critical role in guiding the project's technical direction, fostering strong stakeholder relationships, and ensuring integration and synergy across technical areas.

The Technical Director/Deputy Chief of Party will also work closely with the Chief of Party to support overall project management for the project including liaison with donors/MOH/stakeholders in the Chief of Party’s absence, supporting the tracking of progress towards the workplan activities and spending, and ensuring the project is implementing according to scope, timeline and budget. The Technical Director/Deputy Chief will play a critical role in partnering with the RISE Project Senior Management Team in strategic decision-making.

1. Strategic Leadership & Project Management

• Provide high level technical and program leadership, and support the COP with the strategic direction for the project
• Responsible for ensuring project alignment with the MOH and US State Department priorities, incorporating stakeholders' feedback into program design and implementation and ensuring the project activities fit within USG guidance (including HIV programming allowed under the PEPFAR limited waiver)
• Support project planning, implementation, and reporting, ensuring timelines and objectives are met.
• Support development of annual work plans, budgets, and coordinates monthly/weekly implementation plans with the regional/cluster teams.
• Responsible for the delivery of the required reports and deliverables that meet donor requirements and project objectives.
• Collaborate closely with the finance and project staff to track project budget and ensure the project delivers on the budget, scope and timeline.
• Provide support to the COP on the overall leadership and management on tracking project performance against project targets and workplan activities and use adaptive management approaches to pivot project activities as required to meet targets/deliverables
• In collaboration with the M&E Director, provide technical leadership to the project team in the areas of data use for decision-making and use of data for prioritizing interventions and activities.

2. Technical Expertise & Quality Assurance

• Lead the design and delivery of high-quality HIV and TB interventions, covering paediatric HIV care and treatment, HIV care in sub-populations, community health programs, HIV prevention (PrEP), cervical cancer services, and prevention of mother-to-child transmission services.
• Ensure project activities are evidence-based, data-driven, and aligned with international and national standards for HIV and TB
• Oversee and mentor technical and project staff to identify and integrate innovative approaches to strengthen health facility and community HIV response.
• Accountable for continuous quality improvement initiatives and quality assurance activities run by MOH and project technical teams
• Provide overall leadership on driving data based decision making and using adaptive management approaches for prioritization of resources and targeted implementation

3. Stakeholder & Partnership Engagement

• Ensure project activities are coordinated with national and district-level health initiatives, contributing to an integrated response.
• Work closely with MOH including ENAP, National Cancer Control Unit (NCCU) cervical cancer services, and Sexual Reproductive Health Unit (SRHU) to improve coordination, communication and collaboration of the HIV response in country including advocating for regular technical working group meetings in the various technical areas
• Alongside the COP, Technical Advisors and Sr Clinical Advisors, develop and oversee the project’s implementation plans at national, regional and cluster level, supporting implementation tracking and that activities are aligned with workplan and budget.
• Track project performance indicators, document lessons learned, and adapt strategies as necessary to improve impact and sustainability.
• Alongside the COP and senior project team, prepare and submit high-quality reports to the donor, detailing project achievements, challenges, and recommended actions.
• Provide technical oversight and direct support to sub-partners implementing under the project and ensure their activities are evidence-based, data-driven, and aligned with international and national standards for HIV and TB (including HIV programming allowed under the PEPFAR limited waiver)

4. Team Management & Capacity Building

• Recruit, train, and supervise project technical staff, ensuring technical team members have the skills and support needed to perform effectively.
• Provides oversight for required technical mentoring and capacity-building opportunities for technical staff, regional based mentors, and fosters a collaborative and supportive working environment.
• Provide leadership and mentorship on data driven decision making, including regular data reviews that drive prioritization and implementation
• Promote adherence to ethical standards and protocols, ensuring staff safety and community well-being throughout project activities.

• Master’s degree or higher in Public Health, Infectious Disease, Epidemiology, or a related field.
  Experience:A minimum of 10–15 years of experience is required, including at least 5 years of experience in managing large-scale HIV and PEPFAR funded projects
• Strong leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with government agencies, donors, and community groups.
• In-depth knowledge of HIV epidemiology and evidenced based practices
• Experience with digital health tools and platforms for data analysis and use is an asset.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret and communicate complex data effectively.
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, with attention to detail.
• Ability to work in a multicultural environment and build collaborative relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills in English; knowledge of siSwati is a plus.
• Experience with a mix of practical technical skills in HIV/TB necessary for strengthening service delivery at the regional, national, clinical and community-level
• Experience working with Senior MOH Officials and NGOs, FBOs, CBOs, No-Profit business community
• Demonstrated a depth understanding of Eswatini healthcare system
• Strong skills in Office 365
• Familiarity with USG regulations and compliance and reporting procedures and systems;
• Ability to travel 30% of working time
• Demonstrated ability to work under pressure, with minimal supervision, and manage multiple priorities.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required, sometimes at short notice.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.