IMMEDIATE VACANCY:
Innovations Country Manager IF/ICM/MAL MALAWI
Concern Worldwide is an international non-governmental, humanitarian organization dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.
Founded in Ireland in 1968, Concern works in 27 countries throughout Africa, Asia and the Caribbean with a team of 3,500 personnel providing emergency relief, and long term assistance in the areas of education, health, livelihoods and HIV&AIDS. www.concernworldwide.org
Job Title:
Innovations Country Manager (iCM)
Reports to: The Innovations Country Manager (iCM) reports to the Project Director (PD) – Innovations for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health (Innovations).
Direct reports: All Innovations country staff (technical and administrative). Based in: Concern’s office is located in Lilongwe, Malawi; travel within the country, and to other project countries will be necessary at times.
Job Background and Purpose: Job Background Nearly 10 million children die each year before they reach the age of five. Nearly a half million women die each year from pregnancy or as a result of childbirth.
Most of these deaths can be prevented. Simple, low cost measures are available to save millions of lives. However these are failing to reach those who need them most because of a variety of challenges including shortages of trained staff, cultural misperceptions, quality of care, distance to health facilities, and the costs of services and medicines.
The Innovations project is designed to complement the national efforts of six countries to achieve the 2015 Millennium Development Goals of reducing by two thirds the mortality rate for children under five years (MDG 4), and reducing by three quarters the maternal mortality ratio (MDG 5). Innovations is taking a completely new approach to identify, test and implement new ideas to overcome well-known and significant health delivery challenges, by tapping into fresh ideas from unheard voices from outside the health sector. Concern Worldwide US received a five-year grant a large private Foundation to support the development and field testing of bold and innovative ways to overcome barriers to delivering proven maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) solutions in six countries in Africa and Asia. In 2009, the project commenced in Malawi, India and Sierra Leone.
This is a high profile and innovative initiative for Concern and we seek talented, dynamic and experienced managers. More details are available at www.innovationsformnch.org
Job Purpose The Innovations Country Manager (iCM) is responsible for ensuring that Innovations attains its goal of contributing to the wide coverage of equitable MNCH interventions in the country through the realization of scale-able innovations that solve key implementation problems. The iCM is a senior manager who will build and lead the Innovations country team, manage all aspects of Innovations in the country, represent Innovations to key external stakeholders, build key relationships and partnerships, promote innovation and entrepreneurship, and deliver on objectives and milestones within agreed budgets and timelines.
As a key member of the Innovations Project Team, the iCM will provide timely information, reports and learning from the country; ensure good stewardship of all resources; track progress; and participate in key local and international meetings. The iCM will also undertake other duties assigned by the Director in conjunction with Innovations and changes therein. Main duties & Responsibilities: Major Responsibilities •Contribute to overall project vision and strategy, in consultation with other Country Managers, Project Director, Project Deputy Director (DD) •Adapt global project strategy to national context; create national-level strategies and plans; manage key risks •Manage all aspects of the Innovations project at country level and ensure project goals are achieved •Ensure Innovations project is aligned with overall Concern country-level strategy, contributes to Concern’s health approach for the country (if applicable), and links to national health-sector plans, initiatives or structures •Build, motivate, and lead national project team •Establish quality assurance principles and procedures in the selection and oversight of consultants, partners, and other persons/entities involved in developing or field-testing ideas •Represent the project with key external stakeholders, including UNICEF, development partners, sector-wide networks, and government (in coordination with Malawi Country Director) •Monitor national landscape relating to innovation, MNCH developments, and policies affecting the project
Specific Duties Pilot Project Implementation •Act as the focal person coordinating project design and implementation, obtaining necessary inputs/guidance from DD and PD and ensuring program goals are achieved •Develop agreements, contracts, ToRs (in consultation with Finance & Operations Manager) •Create and monitor budgets (in consultation with Finance & Operations Manager) •Develop and monitor progress on workplans (in consultation with Deputy Director) •Develop and maintain project management systems, including communication, reporting, authorities and decision-making protocols •Facilitate oversight of research partner by DD Idea Generation and Incubation •Adapt to local context and manage the implementation stages of the revised approach to idea generation and development as envisioned in the approved revised proposal/workplan with the donor •Generate: Plan and execute various strategies, as agreed with PD and in alignment with global strategy, for soliciting and generating innovations •Greenhouse: Evolve promising ideas to determine suitability for further investment •Pre-select: From best proposals, select a group for incubation over 3-6 month period •Incubate: Provide mentoring, resources, expertise, support, space, infrastructure to teams assembled to implement proposed innovations •Select: Oversee process for selecting top ideas post-incubation for full scale pilot implementation •Implement: Design implementation strategy (team, project design, research plan) under direction of DD and PD (see above Duty)
Financial Management •Using the existing developed financial procedures within Concern Worldwide country office, plan and manage the Innovations country budget and expenditure, including review and revisions of the budget with the relevant finance officer •Ensure that activities are managed in accordance with approved budgets •Ensure financial reports are in line with agreed guidelines and timelines and within the financial framework of the Concern country program. •Review monthly financial reports to monitor expenditure and variances, agreeing prompt action where required
HR Management •Lead and develop the Innovations team •Under the leadership of the Director and in consultation with the Concern HR Officer, plan and execute the recruitment of staff •Ensure that regular Performance and Development Reviews (PDRs) are undertaken and documented for all direct reports and are in keeping with the guidelines of Concern's country program •Review and support staff development in consultation with the Project Director •Ensure adherence to relevant policies of Concern Worldwide
Systems Oversight •Work closely with Assistant Country Director for Concern in Malawi—to ensure Innovations planning, administration, logistics, IT and other systems support are consistent with Concern Malawi policies, procedures and best practices •Implement and maintain at country level and with local implementation and research partners PB Works information management platform (under leadership of Finance & Operations Manager)
External Relations •In close consultation with the Malawi Country Director, establish and maintain strong external relationships with government, donors, multi-laterals, other NGOs, private sector organizations and community groups •Support and work closely with National Innovations Networks •In collaboration with the Country Director, liaise regularly with national health authorities (and, if necessary, support implementation teams with advocacy and coordination with district-level officials) to update on implementation progress and issues of program and policy significance
•Engage counterparts in the UNICEF field office in strategic decision making related to implementation and the use of data for action •Proactively seek and actively participate in forums that link the Innovations Initiative to the broader development community •Support country-specific advocacy efforts related to the testing of innovations in MNCH and the scale-up of successful innovations for national impact
Communications •In close collaboration with the Malawi Country Director and Central Management Team’s Communications Manager, develop and effectively deliver a communications plan for Innovations •Serve as primary in-country media liaison on Innovations Project •Ensure effective internal communications between Innovations project and country office •Create communications tools as required to achieve project goals •Contribute country information to the Innovations website and other central communications activities
Person specification: Essential 1.Masters degree and/or substantial management experience in the development sector 2.At least 4 years relevant senior management and/or program management experience at State and/or country level 3.The ability and reputation to champion the project to national level stakeholders 4.Experience of negotiating with government, multilateral, bi-lateral and national level organizations and leaders 5.Proven people management experience, including the ability to motivate, develop and harness the skills of a multidisciplinary team, and work as part of a dynamic global team 6.Strong leadership qualities, including the ability to innovate, take risks, manage change and effectively apply learning 7.Demonstrated ability to make sound decisions and provide leadership in pursuit of Concern’s organizational goals of innovation, influence and impact 8.Excellent organizational and planning skills, ability to prioritize a diverse and heavy workload, and meet tight deadlines 9.Experience in representation with the media, including developing communications strategies and plans 10.Strong interpersonal, networking, communications (written and oral in English), problem solving and analytical skills 11.Willingness to travel regularly, including to challenging locations 12.Commitment to the core values and vision of Concern Worldwide, and empathy with Concern’s ethos, values, strategy and longer term objectives.
Desirable 1.Experience in the global health sector 2.Research, monitoring and evaluation experience 3.Links with social innovation networks, social entrepreneurs, and social enterprise incubators
To Apply: Interested applications should submit 1.Resume 2.One to two-page letter outlining how your experience meets the person specification and including details of your current salary
All applications should be submitted through our website at hr.innovations@concern.net
Concern Worldwide is an international, non governmental, humanitarian organization dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries.
Founded in Ireland in 1968, Concern works in 30 countries throughout Africa, Asia and the Caribbean with a team of 3,600 personnel providing emergency relief and long-term assistance in the areas of education, health, livelihoods and HIV & AIDS.
Concern has a Staff Code of Conduct and a Programme Participant Protection Policy which have been developed to ensure the maximum protection of programme participants from exploitation and to clarify the responsibilities of Concern staff, consultants, visitors to the programme and partner organization, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. In this context staff have a responsibility to the organization to strive for, and maintain, the highest standards in the day-to-day conduct in their workplace in accordance with Concern’s core values and mission. Any candidate offered a job with Concern Worldwide will be expected to sign the Programme Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct as an appendix to their contract of employment. By signing the Program Participant Protection Policy and the Concern Staff Code of Conduct candidates acknowledge that they have understood the contents of both the Concern Staff Code of Conduct and the Programme Participant Protection Policy and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these.
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Any offer of employment (either paid or voluntary) with Concern Worldwide will not be made pending a clearance check being conducted on the applicant. For additional information please consult our web site or contact the Human Resource Division in our Head Office. By submitting a formal application for paid or voluntary employment to Concern, you agree to Concern carrying out a clearance check as outlined above and that Concern will not proceed to recruit you should your name appear on any of the aforementioned lists.
Concern Worldwide is an equal opportunities employer.
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