Project Director in Burundi

Management Sciences for Health (MSH) saves lives and improves health by helping public and private organizations throughout the world to effectively manage people, medicines, money, and information. Working from more than 45 country offices and our Arlington, Virginia, and Cambridge, Massachusetts, US headquarters, our staff from 73 nations is highly regarded for its technical expertise, integrity, and commitment to making a lasting difference in health. We live our mission to save lives and improve the health of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people by closing the gap between knowledge and action in public health.

MSH seeks a Project Director to provide strategic leadership, management, and direction for a program designed to assist the Ministry of Health improve the quality of the package of basic maternal and child health services; to build the capacity of health center staff; to build the capacity of national, provincial and district authorities to collect, analyze, disseminate and act on health information data; and to provide targeted communities with the knowledge and skills to identify, prevent and address key MCH risks.

This position is contingent upon project award and funding.

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Project Director leads and manages the project and is accountable for project deliverables and results, with full accountability and authority for the development, execution, and monitoring of the project, including (1) vision and technical strategy; (2) project management; (3) documentation and communication; (4) client(s) and stakeholder(s) relationships; and (5) coordination and synergy with other MSH projects.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Oversee implementation of program activities and provides high quality technical and strategic leadership, managerial oversight, and administration of the project.
2. Serve as the primary project liaison from MSH to the donor and is accountable for the achievement of results, ensuring quality of services are maintained at the highest standard, and that all project objectives and deliverables are met.
3. Adapt and implement management systems with standard operating procedures to administer all activities funded by the agreement, ensuring sufficient financial staff for disbursing all local costs under this project, monitoring and tracking expenditures, and preparing financial reports of project expenditures for submission to the donor.
4. Collaborate with partners, donor, and stakeholder representatives, building and maintaining productive relationships.
5. Supervise direct reports with a particular focus on achievement of their key tasks and project deliverables.
6. Communicate, implement, and assure adherence to MSH and project policies, guidelines and values; develops staff skills and knowledge; and facilitates supervisee success and professional development whenever possible.
7. Serve as the primary liaison for communication with the donor, US Government representatives, partners, civil society organizations, appropriate officials from local governments and municipalities and representatives from other donor and development agencies.

QUALIFICATIONS: 1. Minimum of a Master’s degree in Public Health or other relevant discipline. 2. At least 10 years senior-level experience designing, implementing, and managing complex health programs in the Burundi or other sub-Saharan African countries, preferably in the area of maternal and child health. 3. Significant experience and technical expertise in the implementation of programs in IMCI, or supporting maternal and young child nutrition; birth preparedness and maternity services in Burundi or other sub-Saharan African countries. 4. Demonstrated ability to negotiate and influence policy and program decisions with senior government and donor officials. 5. Familiarity with donor regulations and administrative procedures in the implementation of donor-assisted project. 6. Track record of strong commitment to sharing knowledge, documenting experiences, supporting creative initiatives, and sharing credit. 7. Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with senior-level colleagues, particularly interacting productively, proactively, and comfortably with government agencies, NGOs, private sector groups, cooperating agencies, and donor organizations. 8. Demonstrated strategic agility, diplomacy, conflict management, team building, written and oral communication, and negotiation skills. 9. Fluency in French and English.

How to apply:

Management Sciences for Health is an equal opportunity employer offering employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, citizenship, physical or mental handicap, or status as a disabled or Vietnam Era veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.

To apply for this position, please visit the Employment Opportunities section of our website at www.jobs-msh.icims.com. If you cannot apply online or have difficulty doing so, please email an explanation of your problem to iRecruiterproblem@msh.org.