Corus World Health | Technical Director

IMA World Health, a member of Corus International, is seeking a Technical Director for the anticipated 5-year $10-$24.99 million USAID-funded Strengthening Systems for Health Security Activity (SSHS) in Peru.

This activity seeks to help Peru build robust capabilities in preventing, detecting, and responding to infectious diseases and health threats to ensure national and global health security (GHS). The Activity will work to achieve this goal by working on the following three objectives: 1) better prevention of infectious diseases through the reduction of disease transmission from animals to human populations 2) better detection of Infectious diseases through improved surveillance systems, 3) effective response to infectious disease outbreaks through a skilled and competent health security workforce.

Founded in 1960, IMA World Health (IMA) operates in some of the world's most fragile settings, centering its work on global health security, health systems strengthening, social and behavior change, and integrated primary health care support and delivery. IMA leads the global health portfolio at Corus International, an international development and humanitarian assistance organization that includes global non-governmental organization (NGO) Lutheran World Relief (LWR), technology for development company CGA Technologies, and impact investing group Ground Up Investing.

Summary of the Position

Based in Lima or another mutually agreed upon location in Peru, the Technical Director will lead and oversee all technical components for the project. This includes ensuring the technical and methodological soundness of all project activities and alignment with project objectives and benchmarks. In collaboration with the project team and consortium partners, the Technical Director will support the design and implementation of all project efforts to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious diseases as well as ensure health systems strengthening in these areas. The Technical Director will use the evidence base to carry out these activities. They will support the project's technical specialists and ensure they are working in a coordinated, efficient, and integrated way in pursuit of project deliverables.

They will work closely with the Peruvian government, other implementing partners, and national and local counterparts to set priorities. They will also provide technical support to design and facilitate learning strategies (including training). This entails design, content development/adaptation, and delivery of effective learning strategies to positively impact performance. Finally, they will also lead the team in synthesizing learning from the project for dissemination of results.

Actual hiring is contingent upon successful activity award and USAID approval.

Responsibilities :

MANAGEMENT

• Provide program oversight and supervision in the design and day-to-day management of activities. Coordinate implementation of activities. With the COP, ensure that project planning, development, resource availability, procurement, and management activities function smoothly and efficiently.
• Advise the COP on human resources allocation, training, and deployment.
• Follow proper protocol for the spending of project resources and for project compliance.
• Ensure the development and implementation of key project deliverables, including workplans, quarterly and annual plans, and the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) plan.

TECHNICAL

• Provide overall strategic and technical leadership and supervision for program activities, including with partners and project personnel, to ensure program activities help achieve project objectives.
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with USAID and Government of Peru national government agencies, and their counterparts (at the regional and local government levels) and related departments (including those in the One Health space e.g. animal health/veterinary sciences, agriculture, environment, and biodiversity management); public health partners, member organizations and professional associations (public and private health care providers), and local civil society organizations, and local research institutions to maximize resources, identify and discuss best practices and opportunities for collaboration, ensure cross-learning, share results from M&E.
• Participate in national infectious disease-linked technical working groups and relevant coordination meetings.
• Working with technical staff, help the government develop/refine policies and accountability tools for the prevention, detection, and response to infectious diseases. Serve as a technical resource to the government of Peru on infectious disease prevention, detection, and response, especially, concerning the influence of government strategies and plans.
• Work collaboratively with the project team and headquarters staff to ensure the effective design of programs.
• Work with the COP and technical counterparts at headquarters to create action plans for the implementation of project activities.
• Collaborate with project staff to develop and finalize deliverables such as work plans, M&E plans, quarterly and annual reports, etc.
• With Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) staff, develop/use tools for monitoring project performance.
• Provide mentoring and capacity building at the individual and organizational level, including with local partners in one of the following areas: laboratory systems strengthening, surveillance systems, and/or emergency response in Peru.
• Improve the capacity of local government health authorities to conduct evidence-based and epidemiological analysis of local health systems for decision-making to inform strategic and programmatic direction.
• Collaborate closely with project partners and USAID to refine and adjust technical approaches and annual work plans. Oversee the quality and timeliness of technical contributions from partners, including defining scopes of work and reviewing and collating partner data and achievements.
• Provide inputs on systems indicators relevant to project performance and work closely with the M&E Director to track project indicators, and performance outputs and outcomes. Ensure results from monitoring and evaluation are shared with and used by local, regional, and national counterparts.
• With the COP and other project staff, including those from monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL), ensure visibility of project results, achievements, and lessons learned through presentations at conferences and workshops and by publishing articles through professional journals. Collaborate closely with the Chief of Party to ensure strategic program direction and the provision of high-quality technical assistance.
• Represent the project at external technical events, including conferences, webinars, etc. Present at these events, when appropriate.
• Coordinate with project communication staff to document successes, lessons learned, challenges in implementation, best practices and milestones.

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in a relevant field such as infectious disease or tropical medicine; public health; applied or field epidemiology; animal health or veterinary sciences; environmental science; one health; or health systems strengthening.
• Strong background in the prevention, detection, and response to infectious diseases. Solid understanding of the epidemiology of infectious diseases.
• Minimum 8 years of experience in a senior role designing, implementing, evaluating, and managing large, complex, and integrated programs of similar scope, preferably in global health security in public and private facilities.
• Previous experience in health systems strengthening at various levels (local to national), preferably in Peru.
• Working knowledge of and prior experience with USAID awards.
• Familiarity with USAID's administrative, management, and reporting procedures and systems.
• Proven track record managing a project team composed of numerous technical experts. Experience using innovative ways to foster teamwork. Preferably, previous experience in mentoring and training.
• Strong presentation, reporting, and communication skills (both oral and written). Previous research experience desirable.
• Leadership capacity and experience supervising teams of diverse staff, with the ability to promote an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect.
• Excellent diplomacy skills and a proven ability to establish and maintain interpersonal and professional relationships with USAID, host-country counterparts, and representatives from other key stakeholders such as NGOs, CSOs, and the private sector.
• Excellent English and Spanish oral and written communication skills required.