Maternal Newborn and Child Health Technical Director - Nairobi, Kenya

PURPOSE OF POSITION:

To provide senior technical leadership in global Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) programming, as part of the MCH & Nutrition unit of the Global Health and WASH team, working with regional and country MCH and Nutrition teams. The MNCH Technical Director will provide technical leadership for strategy, capacity building and global representation in MNCH, one of the critical areas of focus of the global health strategy. Reporting to the MCH and Nutrition Director, the MNCH Technical Director will have responsibility to lead development of standards in MNCH, and integrate MNCH effectively with other key sectors and sub-sectors e.g., Nutrition, livelihoods/Food security, Infectious Diseases, HIV&AIDS in order to contribute to the reduction of maternal and child mortality and morbidity in communities where WV is operational.

As part of the global Health and WASH team, the MNCH Technical Director will work in close collaboration with other subsector leads in the Global Health and WASH team and broader Health, HIV and Nutrition Community of Practice (CoP) in order to achieve maximum impact on the well-being of mothers newborn and children in line with the global health strategy.


KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Technical Leadership
• Provide technical leadership in MNCH programming to the Partnership
• Actively participate in field assessment/design missions, program reviews/evaluations and capacity-building and training initiatives to ensure high level quality of program implementation.
• Provide evidence-based advice and recommendations on MNCH policies, procedures, guidelines, tools and standards.
• Lead and coordinate the development, dissemination and promotion of Partnership strategies, standards and tools relevant to WV MNCH programs.
• Work with Research and DME colleagues to ensure that appropriate monitoring and evaluation indicators, tools, and processes cover MNCH programming and results
• Identify MNCH research opportunities including Operations Research, innovations that will contribute to solving complex health problems and enhance the effectiveness of program operations.
• Facilitate the documentation of MNCH best practices, lessons learned, innovations and evidence based methodologies directed towards multiple audiences, internal and external, to influence policy formation.
• Contribute written materials on MNCH-related issues for reporting, policy, advocacy, marketing and communications. Ensure the dissemination of best practices to relevant stakeholders.
• Develop standards for accreditation of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) in MNCH and coordinate their accreditation process and orientation,
• Champion the use of specific project models for MNCH and provide oversight and on-going technical support
• Build and maintain relationships with partners to enhance their understanding of WV MNCH program strategies and standards –
• Collaborate with Policy and Child Health Now group in MNCH-related policy and advocacy initiatives
• Attend and participate in devotions.
  
  Coordination, Networking & Representation
• Provide management oversight to the Senior Advisor to Child and Adolescent Health and Development (CAH&D) position
• Establish and lead Interest Groups (IG) in MNCH with professionals across the partnership,
• Coordinate MNCH Interest Group webexes, updates to the MNCH IG site at WV central
• Represent WV in key MNCH focused initiatives both internally and externally

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES

REQUIRED:
• Advanced degree in public health (MPH) or related field with degree in health care (RN, RM, Nurse/MW or MD)
• At least 10 years experience working in maternal newborn and child health care and reproductive health programming in least developed countries, of which a minimum of 5 years must be field-based experiences.
• Significant experience with planning, monitoring and evaluation tools and standards used by international humanitarian agencies.
• Excellent facilitation, negotiation, coordination and networking skills
• Able to explain, present and persuade through oral and written papers and presentations.
• Demonstrated ability to build consensus and mentor others across a broad range of professional disciplines.
• Excellent communication skills, oral and written in English and the ability to communicate cross-culturally and sensitivity to other cultures.
• Demonstrated ability to create and operationalize strategies in complex political and operational environments - able to provide high-level problem-solving and decision-making skills,
• Significant international travel is required; approximately 30%
  
  PREFERRED:
• A minimum of 3 years of experience of working at a headquarter level is an advantage

Maternal Newborn and Child Health Technical Director -- Location: Nairobi, Kenya