Angola: Project Manager, E8 Angola Malaria Initiative

Background

The Elimination 8 is a SADC ministerial initiative, designed as a platform for regional collaboration towards malaria elimination within the SADC region. The eight countries which make up the E8 are Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. These countries are highly interconnected by population movement as well as shared malaria ecologies, making it impossible for one country to eliminate malaria without collaboration with its neighbours. The Ministers of Health of these eight countries have therefore committed to develop this platform for joint planning and accountability. Achieving elimination involves the design and meticulous execution of advanced disease and entomological surveillance systems, establishment of capacity for quality diagnosis, and control of parasite movement through the region’s porous borders. The E8 Ministerial and Technical Committees have developed a 5-year strategic plan to develop innovative, game-changing programs that will steer the region closer to its goal of zero transmission of malaria by 2030.

The Ministerial and Technical Committees of the E8 are supported by an E8 Secretariat, which coordinates diplomatic and programmatic collaboration between the eight countries. The Secretariat is also responsible for coordinating the execution of the Strategic Plan, in partnership with the funding and technical partners of the E8. The Secretariat is based in Windhoek, Namibia.

E8 Secretariat is expecting to sign a project, supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to target sources of malaria infection in southern Angola, to accelerate reduction in morbidity and mortality at the cross-border interface between Angola, Namibia, and Zambia. This is part of a coordinated multi-country effort to gradually eliminate malaria from the SADC region, through multilateral and cross-border collaboration. The project involves the rapid rollout of a series of interventions designed to drain sources of infection and to generate evidence for the gradual rollout of a larger control effort in southern Angola; interventions include integrated community case management, indoor residual spraying, epidemiological and entomological surveys, transmission risk analysis and modeling, operational research, and strategic planning.

The Position

The role calls for an energetic, dynamic individual, with a keen appetite to learn, demonstrated ability to thrive under pressure, and an appetite to take on a bold, high-stakes, ambitious project. The Manager will combine excellent leadership, management, and technical skills to successfully steer an ambitious, high-profile project working under aggressive timelines. He/she will be accountable for the completion and quality of deliverables, managing the project within the set budget and timelines. He/she will take a leadership role in establishing a foundation project, with potential for growth, attracting additional investment and support as a model for cross-border collaboration across the E8 region. The Manager will maintain excellent relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, including government, contractors, technical advisors, and donors. He/she will be an innovative problem solver, with a strong work ethic, enthusiasm to learn new skills and take on a wide range of tasks, and a commitment to serving the SADC region. Flexibility and ability to operate in a complex and dynamic context are important attributes for success in this role.

Key Performance Areas

• Manage establishment of a new project designed to target sources of malaria infection that contribute to cross-border transmission of malaria, ensuring attainment of ambitious targets, and distilling key learnings to inform scale up of malaria elimination effort
• Engage stakeholders in and outside Angola, including government and technical agencies; ensure continuous close collaboration with national and provincial government to ensure buy in
• Provide rigorous analytical input into all aspects of implementation and performance, learning quickly to master the technical objectives, and to supervise implementers leading the respective streams of implementation
• Oversee delivery of malaria interventions in southern Angola by approximately four contractors, ensuring coordination, quality, and adherence to government policy
• Supervise a small team, including 1-2 Analysts/Associates and operations staff, providing managerial and technical support as well as quality assurance.
• Conduct capacity building and supervise technical needs assessments at national, provincial, and municipal levels at the Ministry of Health of Angola
• Conduct supervisory and technical assessment field visits, closely monitoring results

· Develop operational plans and associated training materials to build government capacity and support effective execution of the national malaria program

• Convene and coordinate technical steering committee that will provide technical input and guidance; present updates and challenges to the committee, and implement guidance and feedback from the committee

· Identify key impediments to the successful execution of the malaria strategy and other national guidelines and work with the National Malaria Control Program and partners to develop solutions and leverage partnerships and other resources to address them

• Continuously analyse project performance and impact, and develop clear, compelling analysis to inform Ministry of Health, and project steering committee
• Lead strategic planning and resource mobilization support for malaria control and elimination in Angola
• Coordinate the development of a Malaria Elimination Transition Plan for southern Angola
• Coordinate project financial and programmatic reporting to the donor, and timely updates to other stakeholders as necessary
• Other responsibilities as assigned

Qualifications and Requirements

• Masters in Public Health or related field, with an excellent academic record
• 7-10 years of professional experience in demanding, results-oriented environments in the public sector and/or private sector (e.g., management consulting), including at least four years managing high-performing teams in a problem-solving, analytical environment
• Ability to learn on the job quickly and to absorb and synthesize a broad range of information Experience working in the NGO/development sector in Angola will be a significant advantage
• Demonstrated initiative and capacity to perform well in an entrepreneurial atmosphere
• Prior experience in managing remotely, and collaborating with teams in different countries
• Strong analytical abilities, both quantitative and qualitative; experience framing and analyzing evidence-based solutions to strategic challenges. Experience with public health research and/or empirical analysis is a significant advantage
• Ability to present information (both written and oral) in a concise, insightful and structured manner
• Experiencing in managing budgets and workplans in a resource-constrained environment
• Sensitivity to the political and cultural environments of different government, technical, and donor agencies, or similar complex environments
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to achieve consensus amongst stakeholders

· Ability to perform under extreme pressure and take initiative in resolving problems

· Ability to work independently in a high profile, fast-paced and multi tasked environment

· Ability to navigate ambiguous and complex processes and be flexible

• Demonstrated fluency (speaking and writing skills) in both English and Portuguese
• Willingness and flexibility to travel and spend significant amounts of time in the field in southern Angola are essential
• Open to all nationalities, although citizens of SADC will be preferred, as per E8 recruitment policy

Applicants are requested to send their CV to vacancies@elimination8.org not later than July 10, 2017, clearly indicating the job for which are applying in the email subject line.*