Family Planning and Reproductive Health Advisor , Tanzania

Global Health Fellows Program II

Technical Advisor II/III: Family Planning and Reproductive Health Advisor

USAID/Tanzania

Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Assignment: Two year fellowship

GHFP-II-P2-087

The Global Health Fellows Program (GHFP-II) is a five year cooperative agreement implemented and managed by the Public Health Institute in partnership with CDC Development Solutions and Management Systems International. GHFP-II is supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

GHFP-II’s goal is to improve the effectiveness of USAID health programs by addressing the Agency’s immediate and emerging human capacity needs. The program seeks to accomplish this goal first through the recruitment, placement and support of diverse health professionals at the junior, mid and senior levels. These program participants include fellows, interns, corporate volunteers and Foreign Service National professionals. The program then provides substantial performance management and career development support to participants, including annual work planning assistance, and ensures that professional development opportunities are available.

Looking to the future, GHFP-II also seeks to establish a pool of highly-qualified global health professionals that will ensure the Agency’s ongoing technical leadership and effectiveness. This objective is supported by an extensive outreach program that brings global health opportunities and specialized career advice to a diverse range of interested individuals, with a particular focus on those underrepresented in the field of global health.

BACKGROUND:

USAID/Tanzania leads the US Government’s (USG) complex, high-profile development program supported by an FY 2012 budget of $334 million. The Mission’s programs support the following major development sectors: health, natural resource management and biodiversity, economic growth, education, and democracy and governance. Reflecting its importance to the Obama Administration, Tanzania participates in all major USG development initiatives, including: Partnership for Growth; Global Health Initiative (GHI) with PEPFAR and the President’s Malaria Initiative as cornerstones; and Feed the Future. USAID/Tanzania employs 118 staff and works with nearly 80 implementing partners including an increasing number of Government of Tanzania (GOT) entities and local organizations through more than 100 active awards.

The 45-member Health Office manages an annual budget of $222 million that supports HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, maternal and child health (MCH), family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH), and health systems strengthening activities. The Health Office is structured in an integrated, crosscutting manner rather than by specific health issue/disease; this structure directly reflects the three intermediate results under the USG/Tanzania GHI Strategy via the: (1) Facility-Based Services Team; (2) Health Systems Strengthening Team; and (3) Community-Based Services Team.

USAID has supported the GOT’s FP/RH program since 1989. In March 2010, the Mainland’s Ministry of Health & Social Welfare (MOHSW) launched its “Family Planning National Costed Implementation Plan,” which chose an ambitious contraceptive prevalence rate target of 60% by 2015. While this program has been largely unfunded by the GOT, USAID has continued to support the GOT to support the Plan through: (1) supporting long-acting and permanent contraceptive methods in the public sector; (2) expanding social marketing of condoms and short-term hormonal methods; (3) ensuring contraceptive security; and (4) advocating for FP with both national and district decision makers.

INTRODUCTION:

The Family Planning and Reproductive Health Advisor (Advisor) position is based in the Community Health Promotion Unit within the Community-Based Services Team.

The Advisor will provide technical guidance, strategic direction, and coordination for the FP/RH program in the Health Office at USAID/Tanzania. This will include coordination with other implementing partners, Health Office staff, USAID teams, USG agencies, and other donors. The Advisor also oversees activities that largely promote FP/RH through behavior change communication, social marketing, and other community-based interventions.

The Advisor will receive day to day guidance from the Health Promotion Unit Lead.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The primary responsibilities of the Family Planning and Reproductive Health Advisor include:

1. Serving as technical advisor and FP/RH champion. Activities include:

• Providing FP/RH advice relevant to Tanzania and/or East Africa.

• Serving as the point person for Mission health activities and coordinating within USAID and other relevant USG agencies in an effort to provide program continuity and continued quality of health programming.

• Providing FP/RH-related guidance and keeping up with the health programs’ reporting requirements. Regularly reviewing and analyzing data on FP/RH activities as a basis for providing up-to-date information on the effectiveness and impact of program strategies and inputs.

• Preparing technical and programmatic materials as requested by the Health Office Director and Team Leads, including financial and performance data, content for reporting documents, speeches, cables, analyses, and briefing papers.

1. Coordinating donor focal points for the multi-donor FP initiative (FP2020), which includes:

• Liaising with donors to facilitate mobilization to develop, implement and monitor the FP2020 plan under GOT leadership.

• Facilitating regular meetings of country coordination committees that support FP/RH programming.

• Providing input and quality checks on FP/RH plans to donors and GOT leadership.

• Encouraging local technical partners and donors to address resourcing for FP2020 plans.

• Assisting in communicating country progress and identifying country needs that cannot be addressed through the in-country FP2020 donor group.

1. Serving as Activity Manager for the Health Office’s FP/RH portfolio, which includes:

• In collaboration with Agreement/Contracting Officer’s Representatives (AORs/CORs), providing technical input on annual work plans for implementing partners to maintain consistency with current USG and Tanzanian priorities.

• In collaboration with AORs/CORs, reviewing implementing partner performance reports for compliance with bilateral government agreements and performance expectations as outlined in approved work plan and contract(s)/agreement(s) with USAID.

• Managing relations with DfID, which provides funds to USAID/Tanzania in support of its FP and maternal health commodities programs.

• In collaboration with AORs/CORs, monitor implementing partners’ compliance with all relevant USAID regulations and procedures. Based on personal observations, assessment reports, performance statistics and other available data, make programmatic recommendations to USG interagency structures (e.g., PEPFAR team).

1. Providing project oversight, monitoring, and reporting which includes:

• Supporting regular site visits to review program implementation and meet with beneficiaries.

• Preparing relevant sections of the Mission's program performance reports per various requirements (USAID/Washington and Department of State/Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator).

• Working closely with USAID implementing partners to ensure that program achievements and lessons learned are disseminated to sector representatives.

• In collaboration with AORs/CORs, maintaining detailed and updated project management files for each designated activity.

1. Supporting operations research planning and programming activities, which includes:

• Working with partners to plan operations research project in Tanzania.

• Reviewing and providing technical feedback on research concept note, protocols, reports and other technical documents.

Training and Professional Development:

It is expected that the Family Planning and Reproductive Health Advisor will be responsible for:

• Keeping abreast of the latest information, developments and publications on FP/RH effectiveness and impact on programming.

• Deepening knowledge of USAID’s approach to FP/RH programming.

• Attending and participating in technical meetings with partners, and other stakeholder meetings with the donors and GOT.

• Participating in professional continuing education and skills training within the purview of GHFP-II.

International and local travel approximately 5-10%

Other tasks or responsibilities may be assigned based on (a) organizational and programming need and/or (b) the Advisor’s expertise and interests.

Level III:

A Senior Advisor will further be expected to:

• Provide expert direction, guidance and advice to high level Ministry counterparts and donors on FP/RH issues, including commodities. Strong technical skills in FP/RH are required to provide leadership in this setting.

• Maintain high level of technical expertise and knowledge of FP/RH and other health areas.

• Mentor and build capacity of implementing partners on management of programming activities.

REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree in public health or health related discipline.

• Prior experience with FP/RH programming in sub-Saharan Africa.

• Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-site and multidisciplinary team-based organizational structure, including partners and other collaborators; experience with cross-cultural teams.

• High degree of judgment, ingenuity and originality to interpret strategy, to analyze, develop and present work and to monitor and evaluate implementation of programs.

• Strong interpersonal communication and excellent oral communication and writing skills necessary in the interaction with implementing partners, GOT and USG colleagues including the ability to exercise judgment in balancing technical, administrative, bureaucratic and political considerations.

• Demonstrated flexibility and openness in responding to changing work priorities and environment.

• Ability to work effectively individually and with minimal supervision.

• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team.

• Ability to travel internationally.

• US Citizenship or US Permanent Residency required.

In addition to the above, the position requires the following at each level:

Technical Advisor II:

Minimum five (5) years’ experience in family planning and reproductive health programming with at least two (2) years’ experience in an international or resource challenged setting.

Technical Advisor III:

Minimum ten (10) years’ progressively responsible experience in family planning and reproductive health programming with at least three to five years’ experience in an international or resource challenged setting.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

Salary will be based on commensurate experience and earnings history. The Public Health Institute offers a comprehensive benefits package including professional development programs 2013 benefits Booklet.

How to apply:

All applicants are required to apply for this position through GHFP-II’s online recruitment system athttps://www.ghfp.net/recruitment/, which allows you to store your CV, profile and bio data form in our database. A separate cover letter describing your qualifications and experience, interest and familiarity with issues relating to this position, and how this position relates to your career goals is required for each application. All applications must be submitted by 5:00 pm Eastern Time on July 16, 2012.

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