Deputy Chief of Party, MNCH Zimbabwe

Summary Of Role

IntraHealth seeks a qualified candidate for the position of Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) for an anticipated five-year Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health (MNCH) Activity in Zimbabwe. The goal of the project will be to improve demand for and the availability of MNCH services to improve health outcomes in the country, by increasing the use of MNCH services, targeting hard-to-reach populations; strengthening community systems and linkages for integrated MNCH services; and improving Ministry of Health and Child Care (MOHCC) capacity for MNCH policy implementation.

The DCOP will provide strategic and technical leadership, guidance, and direction for all technical components of the Activity to ensure that MNCH service integration and person-centered care is embedded within all strategic approaches and interventions in targeted regions and at national level. They will provide programmatic-oriented best practices on MNCH, including facility-level clinical mentorship; health systems strengthening; social behavior change and demand creation; integration of services; community health, including referrals; attention to gender based violence and gender exclusion issues, advocacy and accountability; policy development and implementation and capacity building.

This position will be based in Harare and is contingent upon funding availability and USAID approval. Zimbabwean nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.

Essential Functions

• Provide technical leadership and oversight for project activities that improve access and quality of a high-quality package of integrated MNCH services for women, children and marginalized groups at facility and community level.
• Supervise and support technical experts in service delivery, MNCH, and treatment health systems strengthening, and social and behavioral change.
• Serve as resident technical expert; provide thought leadership and participate in all relevant MOHCC meetings at national, regional and district levels and TWGs.
• Develop recommendations and strategies for establishing and reinforcing referral mechanisms to help achieve and sustain project goals.
• Reinforce technical excellence and share global best practices in MNCH content, quality, and technical capacity to deliver basic integrated health services.
• Adapt and apply tools, national standards and guidelines, and best practices for use at the community levels to improve service delivery.
• Design or strengthen mechanisms for health care providers, local authorities, and community members to identify clinical and behavioral service delivery issues that impede access to care and uptake of services, specific to: 1) Person-centered care, 2) Quality obstetric care, and 3) MCH service integration.
• Contribute to reinforcing national MNCH data for decision making.
• Provide coaching and supportive supervision to MOHCC and grantees.
• Ensure the implementation of QI approaches to address project gaps
• Work with technical team to ensure efficient use of donor resources

Requirements

• Master’s degree in a health-related field and/or equivalent clinical experience.
• Clinical qualifications (medical, nursing or midwifery degree) are strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant work experience managing MNCH and related issues in Zimbabwe or other regional countries for donor-funded health programming and the use of proven MNCH approaches in the public and private sector.
• Experience working on donor funded projects, including monitoring, evaluating and report writing
• Understanding of, and sensitivity to, the major issues affecting MNCH in all geographical regions of Zimbabwe, with in-depth knowledge of the implementation of MNCH programs in Zimbabwe.
• Experience with the constructive engagement of community leaders and local public health facility staff to promote and adopt best MNCH practices.
• Experience in planning and implementing programming that integrates gender equality and social inclusion.
• Experience facilitating trainings and workshops focusing on improving service delivery.
• Experience supervising health care providers and health community workers.
• Experience in senior technical or leadership positions and in team building, including fostering collaborative partnerships and linkages with host government service agencies and local stakeholder groups.
• Excellent interpersonal, writing and English language oral presentation skills.
• Zimbabwean nationals strongly encouraged to apply.