Technical Director

MOMENTUM Country and Global Leadership (MCGL), funded by the U.S. Government, is a global mechanism that saves lives and improves access to quality, integrated health services by distributing life-saving commodities, medicines, and vaccines, and providing critical health care services for pregnant mothers and children under five. The project provides safe childbirth for mothers and babies, vaccinates children, treats deadly illnesses and malnutrition, and controls disease outbreaks.   

Jhpiego seeks a Technical Director for its MCGL project to provide technical leadership and project oversight to ensure the strategic, programmatic, technical and financial integrity for a U.S. Government funded maternal, child, and newborn health and nutrition and immunization project in Madagascar. This position will operate under the leadership of the Chief of Party and with MCGL’s senior management team and will oversee and ensure the technical and methodological soundness of all project activities. In collaboration with project teams and local partners, the position will support the design and implementation of service delivery strategies based on scientific evidence and best practices.

• Provide strategic direction and technical oversight of project activities across all technical areas.
• Provide technical leadership to the development of the project strategic plan, work plan, and project monitoring, in close collaboration with USG, local Government, and partner organizations, and stakeholders to ensure timely implementation and compliance to the requirements and regulations of the award
• Collaborate with MEL and technical colleagues to develop the project performance monitoring plan and to regularly review, analyze and use project monitoring results to adjust project activities as needed;
• Provide technical oversight of all project communications with and reports for the GOM and the donor
• Establish and implement a system to ensure a robust approach to technical interventions in project activities;
• Develop and/or update evidence-based training materials, standards, job aids, and curricula, supervisory systems needed for implementation of the Project to meet the needs of the U.S. Government/Department of State (USG/DOS) and the Government ;
• Provide mentoring and capacity building at the individual and to sub-partners in specific areas of expertise including but not limited to strengthening maternal, child, and newborn health and nutrition and immunization services;
• Provide technical assistance to strengthen referral systems and solicit input from key stakeholders on innovative solutions to address referral challenges;
• Provide technical oversight to sub-partners to ensure they can deliver on project scope;
• Actively participate in relevant national technical advisory/working groups and professional forums representing MCGL;
• Work closely with the Chief of Party on setting project priorities and direction, and responding to requests for support from local government and counterparts;
• Collaborate with all local stakeholders and implementing partners, especially the local Government and other U.S. and international implementing partners, to ensure that all activities conform to the requirements and regulations;

• Advanced degree in medicine, nursing, health sciences, public health or a related field ;
• Minimum 9 -10 years of experience in a mid-to-senior management and technical oversight experience with large, multi-partner, multi-sub-grantee, multi-year international health sector development projects that have implemented successful activities in maternal and child health, or similar areas ;
• Skilled in at least two or more of the following technical areas: maternal, child, and newborn health, nutrition, and immunization, with complementary skills in strengthening service delivery, quality assurance/quality improvement, and community health programs ;
• Experience working with subgrantees, local and international and knowledge of capacity development approaches to support frontline health service provision ;

• Familiarity with the U.S. Government’s administrative, management and reporting procedures and systems ;
• Proven track record managing a project team composed of several technical experts at national and subnational levels and fostering effective teamwork ;
• Excellent diplomacy skills and a proven ability to establish and maintain interpersonal and professional relationships with USG, host-country counterparts and representatives from other key stakeholders such as NGOs, CSOs, and the private sector ;
• Expertise in research to practice—identifying and adapting best practices to specific project contexts;
• Excellent verbal, written interpersonal and presentation skills in French and English;
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office;
• Ability to travel nationally to project sites .