Malaria Program Manager, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Founded in 2002 by President William J. Clinton, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to strengthening integrated health systems around the world and expanding access to care and treatment for HIV/AIDS, malaria and other illnesses.

In Tanzania, malaria remains one of the most significant public health challenges, directly causing an estimated 60,000 deaths per year and increasing childhood mortality from all causes; over 80% of malaria deaths occur among children under 5.

Approximately 40-50% of Tanzanians seek treatment for malaria in the private sector, but the private sector has lagged behind the public sector in providing high-quality malaria diagnosis and treatment. CHAI has been working hand-in-hand with the Tanzania National Malaria Control Program to improve malaria case management in the private sector, primarily through three channels: 1) supporting the implementation of a national program to subsidize high-quality malaria treatment in the private sector; 2) coordinating the introduction of negotiated low-cost, high-quality malaria rapid diagnostic tests (mRDTs) into formal private health facilities, in order to increase the use of malaria diagnosis; and 3) conducting a pilot study to assess the feasibility of increasing access to malaria diagnoisis by introducing mRDTs into informal drug outlets.

To date, CHAI has successfully supported the NMCP to apply for funding for the malaria treatment subsidy program; negotiated with manufacturers to lower the cost of mRDTs and recruited distributors to import and sell these tests at a low price; introduced mRDTs into informal drug shops into two pilot districts; and conducted other activities (included a national marketing campaign and health provider training sessions) to support the uptake of malaria testing. In the next year, CHAI will continue to support the malaria treatment subsidy program; assess and disseminate the results of the pilot study; advocate for evidence-based policy change based on the results of the study; and continue and initiate new activities to increase the use of malaria testing nationally - all with the goal of supporting the NMCP to achieve its strategic objectives and improve the management of malaria and febrile illness generally.

Responsibilities:

General responsibilities:

• Manage and lead the execution of all components of the program, and ensure deliverables are met on time
• Manage and coach program staff
• Liaise closely with technical partners in government to monitor and evaluate interventions against objectives and targets
• Develop strong working relationships with key stakeholders in government, international partners, donors and NGOs, and ensure maximum coordination of resources and effort
• Take the lead in the preparation and monitoring of the budget and other finance related activities
• Help identify new opportunities and good practice both externally and from within
• Perform other tasks as necessary

Specific activities include, but are not limited to:

• Support the NMCP to implement its current Global Fund grant and write a new grant proposal under the New Funding Model
• Become familiar with the research methodology, intervention plan, and successes/challenges of the Operational Research (OR) project on mRDTs in informal drug outlets
• Disseminate results from the OR project and advocate for data-driven policy formulation
• Work with private sector distributors to ensure availability and increase the uptake of mRDTs
• Promote the use of mRDTs in the private sector by increasing provider and patient awarenes, such as through marketing activities, training sessions, or other new initiatives
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the nationwide program to scale-up mRDTs (e.g. organize surveys or analyze data from partners' surveys)

Qualifications:

• Excellent problem solving, analytical and quantitative skills, including proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint
• Excellent communications skills—both written and oral—and the ability to manage within sensitive political contexts
• Strong management skills, including supervision of others as well as upward-communication to senior team members
• Good understanding of operational research, including basic statistical evaluation methods
• Ability to think strategically and plan several steps ahead to achieve long-term objectives
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, set priorities, and work independently
• Ability to learn on the job quickly and absorb/synthesize a broad range of information
• Ability to work within limited budgets and human resources
• Strong work ethic and flexibility
• Ability to multi-task and to be effective in high-pressure situations
• Ability to develop strong relationships with wide range of people – within CHAI, in the Ministry, and externally
• Fluency in English

Experience:

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent plus 3-4 years work experience; Advanced Degree in a relevant field (MBA, MPH, MPP) and/or additional years of work experience valuable

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