Announcements

JOB ADVERTISEMENT
Health System Strengthening (HSS) Officer (Neglected Tropical Diseases)
Job Type: Full time
Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone
Start Date: 1st October, 2023
End Date: 30th September, 2024; Annual contract (renewable)
Reports to: Neglected Tropical Diseases Manager, dotted line to HSS Advisor
Open to Expatriates: No
Grade: I

Introduction
Helen Keller International is a global health organization dedicated to eliminating preventable vision loss, malnutrition, and diseases of poverty. Helen Keller Intl partners with communities that are striving to overcome longstanding cycles of poverty and is devoted to scaling up evidence-based, cost-effective solutions to improve care practices and ensure that basic health interventions reach vulnerable people, with a focus on women, youth, and children.
Helen Keller Intl has been operating in Sierra Leone for nearly 20 years in support of the Nutrition and Neglected Tropical Disease (NTDs) components of the National Health Development Plan of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, as well as food security component of the ministry of Agriculture.
NTDs are a core focus for Helen Keller not just in Sierra Leone but globally. Sierra Leone has made significant gains in the control and elimination of four of the five preventive chemotherapy NTDs- lymphatic filariasis, onchocerciasis, schistosomiasis and soil transmitted helminths.
Scope of Work
The HSS Officer will provide technical leadership to the NTD country team to design and implement NTD sustainability technical framework and strategies. S/he will establish and maintain relationship with high-level government and other key stakeholders to influence and build consensus toward collaboration across sectors. S/He will be required to work closely with the NTD Coordinator to provide direction for all program activities and support to the national NTD Program at Ministry to achieve sustainability objectives.
Key Responsibilities
Technical Advice
- Provide technical assistance to specific HSS challenges
- Provide technical support towards implementation of HSS components of the NTD portfolio in country
- Conduct/contribute to quantitative and/or qualitative analysis on technical and policy issues related to HSS especially health financing and NNTDP diseases-specific transition
- Advocate for the national NTD program is adequately funded/co-funded and included in annual budgets of the MoHS
- Monitor commitments made by the MoHS for NTDs and follow-up as needed
- Advocate for the full integration of NTD program into the national health system and other cross-sector platforms for sustainability
- Advocate that NTDs are integrated in the national policies, strategies, plans and structures at national and sub-national levels
- Leverage cross-sector interventions and non-traditional public health platforms for implementation of NTD interventions
- Lead the inclusion and monitoring of NTD indicators among national health indicators in national HMIS
- Lead the development of position statements for cross-sector sustainability advocacy/domestic resource mobilization activities with NNTDP.
Project management
- Support the cascade of NNTDP inventory management control training
- Coordinate implementation and supervision efforts at district, and health facility levels
- Plan and implement budgets and work plans for coordination, mainstreaming and sustainability activities
- Contribute to quality assurance of program activities
- Carry out additional tasks, as delegated by the NTD Manager
- Contribute to proposals, as needed.
Research, M&E and reporting
- Support the NNTDP with monitoring of progress of the Sierra Leone sustainability plan and quickly identifying implementation issues, backstopping the TWGs to resolve issues
- Support bi-annual Partners Network Forum meetings to implement and monitor the NTD sustainability plan
- Contribute to all donor reports
- Contribute to any global reports, as needed
- Contribute to the CO matrix and strategic plan, as needed
- Participate in all monitoring activities and or assessments
- Work closely with the NNTDP M&E staff and other program staff to collect and analyse cross-sector sustainability program data
- Review, analyze and evaluate the effectiveness of programs and make recommendations for enhancements.
Representation
- Establish and develop good working relationships with national and district stakeholders to ensure effective collaboration to deliver project objectives
- Liaise with Consortium and donor colleagues on HSS, as needed, in line with internally agreed pathways
- Liaise with the national NTDP and Partners’ Network Forum (PNF) to ensure cross-sector sustainability activities are effectively implemented
- Ensure that HSS program implementation activities adhere to the appropriate global strategy and remains technically sound and in accordance with donor expectations
- Represent Helen Keller in external and internal meetings as designated by NTD Manager and Country Director.
Qualification and Experience
- A bachelors’ degree in a relevant field – health systems, public health, biological sciences, etc. Masters’ degree will be an added advantage
- At least 3 years of proven experience in a similar role
- Experience working with national government stakeholders to enact policy change and/or domestic resource mobilization for health
- Previous experience in implementing robust and successful NTD and/or HSS programs in a developing country context, with
- Technical expertise in one or more of the following areas: health financing, policy reform, service coverage, workforce alignment and/or related areas of health system strengthening; and
- Experience providing facilitation support on issues related to HSS for example supporting a country-led process that has broad stakeholder buy-in and develops the capacity of country partners
- Ability to effectively facilitate and present at high level meetings
- Ability to work with minimal guidance
- Must be able to work in a dynamic and complex environment
- Excellent written and verbal English language skills
To apply, please send your CV and cover letter to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; or hand-deliver to: Helen Keller Int Office at 16H James Macarthy Drive, off Spur Road, Wilberforce, Freetown.
- Please mark your application as per the references stated in the position above (referencing the SUBJECT heading)
- Closing date for the receipt of applications for the above vacancies is 17:00hrs on Thursday 28th September. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
This is ‘’CONTINGENT ON DONOR APPROVAL!’’
“Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.