Deputy Project Director

Overview

The Deputy Project Director serves as a key advisor to the Project Director, who is responsible for the overall strategic direction and technical oversight for the Jhpiego country office. He/she works closely with the Project Director, providing complementary experience and skills. The Deputy Project Director provides guidance and high quality technical expertise reflective of his/her knowledge of the global and local health sector in order to help in the development of inclusive and responsive budgeted operational plans aligned with the priorities of the US and national governments on matters related to the planning, implementation and evaluation of global health programming using both financial and programmatic data.  He/she is responsible for developing technical assistance plans and either providing or overseeing technical assistance provided to the Ministry of Public Health. In collaboration with project staff, he/she ensures that project resources are applied appropriately. Responsibilities include overseeing annual work planning based on project objectives, interpreting qualitative and quantitative data to communicate and disseminate achievements both internally, with headquarters, and to external stakeholders, supervising project staff, monitoring implementation, reporting on project activities and representing Jhpiego country office. The Deputy Project Director also assists the Project Director in communications and engagements with high level host governments officials, UN agencies, and Jhpiego headquarters, and is involved in all engagements with these entities. The Deputy Project Director also contributes to the overall strategy and management of the Jhpiego Country Office. In the absence of the Project Director, he/she is expected to temporarily assume the role of the Project Director with full authority to guide in the development, elaboration, and execution of strategic planning and other office deliverables. The job holder must be well versed in USG global health foreign assistance policies as well as Ministry of Public Health strategic plans and guidance and ensures US global health activities fit within the strategies and regulations of the Government of the Republic of Cameroon.

Responsibilities

Program Development and Project Design

• Support programmatic leadership in strategic planning, design, and implementation of complex health projects, in support of the Jhpiego goals, ensuring alignment with host country and DoS priorities.
• Represent Jhpiego interests in high-level discussions with host-country officials and in professional circles through meetings, conferences and presentations, providing expert guidance and informing strategic decisions.
• Develop and modify as necessary performance and reporting documents, including operational plans and budget; review workplans and performance reports with the Project Director.
• Serve as technical liaison between the Project Director and Jhpiego technical backstops and implementing teams, providing technical oversight and ensuring compliance with award terms and regulations.

Technical and Advisory Support

• Provide advanced technical advice on project implementation, strategic information, communication, and planning to government counterparts, implementing partners, and project teams.
• Ensure that Jhpiego’s project activities are technically sound, evidence-based, and responsive to the needs of the country, its people, and the donor.
• Provide technical oversight and assistance to technical and program teams and consultants that facilitate their ability to develop and implement technically-sound interventions while building their capacity to do the same.
• Coordinate with host government, civil society organizations, and partner agencies on global health planning and policy issues.
• Lead efforts to strengthen national data systems and health management information systems (HMIS), supporting sustainability and interoperability.
• Oversee capacity-building, mentor, support, supervise and manage a team of highly qualified staff and align their efforts in concert with program goals activities for partners and government entities, including training and technical assistance.

Performance Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting

• Develop and implement performance monitoring plans, conduct evaluations, and generate reports to inform program management and national policy.
• Monitor implementing partners’ performance, conduct site visits, and ensure data quality and compliance with technical standards.
• Coordinate the development and dissemination of materials that will further the achievement of all Jhpiego programs.
• Support operational research and evaluation activities, including protocol development and documentation.
• Coordinate human, material and financial resources to ensure successful implementation of all Jhpiego programs
• Guide the analysis, synthesis and reporting of project outputs and results in close collaboration with the Sr. Monitoring and Evaluation Advisor and ensure incorporation of lessons learned into ongoing activity tasks and report program data to support organizational objectives and donor reporting requirements.

Stakeholder Engagement and Strategic Communication

• Represent Jhpiego in stakeholder engagements, manage information flows, and provide strategic input to advance Jhpiego program goals and objectives.
• Build partnerships, facilitate communities of practice, and participate in working groups and technical panels.
• Develop and lead integrated health communication plans, including drafting success stories,and public outreach materials.
• Cultivate strategic relationships with the MOH, US Department of State (DOS), global and regional institutions, donors, private sector entities, government ministries and other stakeholders for the smooth implementation of project activities.

New Business Development

• Identify, and provide analyses of, in-country business development opportunities
• Promote Jhpiego business development through relationships developed with in-country and regional partners, donors and the business community;
• Provide technical and programmatic inputs to new proposals as needed
• Participate in final review of all technical and programmatic portions of proposals developed for Cameroon

Financial Management

• Manage project and program budgets, monitor financial status of awards, and ensure compliance with organizational and donor financial regulations.
• Track funding pipelines, quarterly accruals, and budget execution.

Information Management

• Establish and maintain program files and records in accordance with Jhpiego standards, ensuring proper documentation, retention, and disposition of all oversight activities.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Public Health, Social Sciences, Program Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Communication, Business Administration or local equivalent is required. Clinical degree preferred.
• A minimum of six (6) years of mid-to-senior level experience in designing, implementing or managing large, complex projects in developing countries and working with international public health or development programs is required. This must include at least one year experience implementing USG funded assistance program, projects, including strategic information and communication roles.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to interpret technical requirements, ability to recommend needed contract and project changes, ability to monitor and evaluate project execution and performance, ability to review invoices, ability to inspect and accept project deliverables are required.
• Ability to develop and maintain contacts at the senior, mid, and working levels with relevant host government institutions to successfully negotiate program and project goals and action plans.
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills, ability to develop disease projections, and conduct target setting with measurable outcomes.
• Ability to analyze, organize, and interpret data and present findings in both oral and written form.
• Basic skill in the operation of computers and software program applications authorized for use (including ACCESS, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word). Skill with data analysis software available and applicable in Cameroon.
• Proven leadership, management, facilitation, coordination, interpersonal, and teamwork skills
• Sound judgment, tact and diplomacy, and proven ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines or dates for special events and activities.
• Excellent communication skills in English, written and verbal, as well as the ability to communicate diplomatically a bilingual environment to communicate effectively and persuasively with U.S., and host government. Must be able to communicate technical information clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical colleagues.
• Experience with project management including coordinating multiple competing priorities to ensure deliverables are met on time.