Location: International, Work Remotely or Nairobi, Kenya
Position Category: Local hire, paid in country
Posting Date: 05/03/2021
Deadline Date: 06/01/2021
Description
The HCDExchange started in 2018 with an international convening funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, William & Flora Hewlett Foundation and Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, which brought together people and organizations working at the intersection of human-centered design(HCD) and adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH). This dynamic and emergent community of practice, now in its third year, catalyzes collaboration and generates learning and evidence related to the integration of human-centered design and ASRH, and promotes best practices in this area. JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) is the grant holder and partners with inSupply Health, an East African health advisory firm pioneering innovative approaches for improving health, to implement the HCDExchange and host the Secretariat. In collaboration with a Youth Leadership Hub, an Advisory Committee, and several Working Groups, the HCDExchange Secretariat advances an ambitious learning agenda, curates and promotes resources, and nurtures a community of practice. Engaging a range of stakeholders including designers, program implementers, advocates, researchers, evaluators, government officials, and funders.
We are seeking a Senior Program Manager (SPM) to join the HCDExchange team and work with a growing community of people and organizations who are dedicated to advancing the field of HCD+ASRH, with a specific focus on Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.
Learn more about the HCDExchange »
Summary:
Under the direction of the HCDExchange Project Director, the Senior Program Manager (SPM) is responsible for planning, team management, and performance oversight with a focus on creativity, collaboration and camaraderie as well as quality assurance and compliance. He/she/they will manage and execute HCDExchange’s work plan, supervise and support a cross-cultural and geographically distributed team, and develop or refine processes and practices that boost efficiency, facilitate collaboration, and honor differences. The SPM will also oversee and track operations and results-based management, coordinate work between implementing partners, harmonize priorities and resources, and ensure the delivery of timely and high-quality outputs and activities for the HCDExchange Secretariat’s three work streams:
- Driving Learning — Driving learning through a research and learning agenda for the HCD+ASRH field and a set of prioritized areas/questions which the HCDExchange will address through in-depth learning mechanisms and community engagement and collaboration.
- Building Community — Expanding our Community of Practice and ensuring that we have a robust communications strategy that links both learning and community building and honors commitments to building networks and collaboration.
- Program Management & MEL — Project operations and financial management, organizational and funder compliance, ensuring that we properly track and report on key metrics.
The SPM will dedicate 100% of their work program to the HCDExchange, reporting to the Project Director and working within the JSI Center for Health Information, Monitoring and Evaluation (CHIME), regardless of their geographic location.
The current base for HCDExchange is Nairobi, hosted within the offices of inSupply Health. However, the SPM can work remotely. The location of this position is flexible — with the caveat that working hours must privilege Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asian time zones. The SPM may travel internationally up to 30% of the time (post pandemic).
Responsibilities
Project management and quality assurance
- Lead implementation of the project work plan, ensuring that outputs meet funder and community quality standards, and are delivered within timeline and budget parameters. This will involve translating the HCDExchange strategy and results framework into Objectives and Key Results (OKRs) and developing and tracking coordinated, individual operational plans.
- Oversee project staff, contractors, volunteers, and sub-awardees. Provide day-to-day management, supervision, and support for Secretariat team members directly involved in the production of HCDExchange activities and outputs, including the HCDExchange Community Manager, Learning Lead, MEL Lead, and Youth Engagement Officer. Act as an interface with the Project Director and Finance & Operations Manager.
- Working with the HCDExchange MEL Lead, support monitoring, evaluation, and learning strategy and reporting, ensuring timely and high-quality reporting to the Secretariat, funders, and other community stakeholders. This will involve producing a monthly HCDExchange Dashboard, conducting MEL activities, and periodic reporting to translate the HCDExchange strategy and Results Framework into operational plans, employing metrics and targets linked with community and learning goals.
- Working with the Communications Specialist and others, ensure coordination and alignment of external communication through JSI and inSupply communication channels.
- Identify risks and critical issues that need leadership or team consideration and decision(s). Ensure that Secretariat team members get the support they need from JSI and inSupply home office technical, operational, and communication staff.
Team culture, communication, and collaboration
- Facilitate team communication, collaboration, and coordination, fostering an organized, inclusive, and positive work environment for team members located in Nairobi, Accra, Mumbai, New Delhi, and Washington DC.
- Create opportunities to provide feedback and coaching to ensure that the team maintains peak creativity and performance. This includes help determine priorities, setting boundaries, and identifying risks to work-life balance.
- Foster a cohesive, human-centered team culture. Help diverse team members and stakeholders listen, understand, respect, and empathize with each other.
Infrastructure, finance, and operations
- Based on a solid understanding of JSI and inSupply Health policies and procedures, monitor and oversee execution of HCDExchange infrastructure, processes, and practices, including quality assurance, recruiting, financial management, and compliance. Ensure compliance with funder requirements, especially with regards to safeguarding, child protection, copyright and licensing, and data privacy and security.
- Working with the management team and the Finance & Operations team, monitor the project’s financial health, reviewing budget reports and burn rate analyses, ; communicating implications with decision-makers, and providing recommendations to resolve any outstanding issues.
- Review and approve vendor invoices, coordinating with other managers, as needed. Ensure that invoices are documented and in compliance with JSI and inSupply Health standards
- Oversee the recruitment of staff and vendors. Facilitate the development of memoranda of understanding, awards, and contracts with partners and sub-grantees.
Support the management team to position HCDExchange for the future
- Support HCDExchange-funder relations. Help plan and produce regular communications, dashboards, and meetings. Ensure the timely submission of deliverables and reports.
- Support the preparation and delivery of a smooth and successful Annual Program Review (APR) process in August, 2021.
- Work with the management team and Advisory Committee to articulate and demonstrate HCDExchange key results and value propositions in order to secure additional partners and funds.
- If necessary, support any HCDExchange transitions.
Qualifications
Education: This position requires a Master’s degree. Training in administration, agile project management, communications, and knowledge management is a plus. A degree related to global health programming is a plus but not a requirement.
Experience: Ten to fifteen years of experience managing complex international projects and teams in/for low- and middle-income countries.
Required Skills/Attributes:
- Proven project management, teamwork, and collaboration expertise and experience. Able to apply practices that bolster team effectiveness and health such as establishing targets, maintaining focus and productivity, reflecting and making improvements, listening to stakeholders, building trust, and breaking silos. A successful candidate will be experienced in working collaboratively with colleagues, peers and supervisors, working effectively across a range of technical and operational areas.
- Demonstrated initiative and leadership skills, including the ability to energize, motivate, and support staff, consultants, advisors, and partners from different cultures and time zones. Team player with the ability to work well with people at all levels and across functional areas. Track record of developing processes, building consensus, clarifying expectations, and facilitating decision-making.
- Process expert with strong collaborative technology skills. The candidate must have the ability to use cloud-based productivity, project management, and database apps — such as Google Suite, Mural, and Slack. Familiarity with or willingness to use Airtable (for project management, CRM, and resource repository) and Discourse is critical. Able to articulate their approach and practices — how they use these tools help teams collaborate effectively and efficiently.
- Strong facilitation skills and the ability to apply a range of remote collaboration practices. Designs and leads meetings with a defined purpose, outcomes, and process. Able to keep meetings on track with respect to pacing, time, and equitable participation.
- Track record of delivering on work plans with multiple components and across geographic regions.
- Demonstrated project, budget, and resource management experience.
- Strong attention to detail and excellent written and oral communication skills. Must be able to synthesize information and package outputs for a range of stakeholders.
- Ability to undertake international travel, depending on the evolution of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Preferred Skills/Attributes:
- Interested in hiring a local citizen from sub-Saharan Africa, especially East Africa.
- Prior experience leading or managing project(s) of similar scope, scale, and complexity.
- Familiarity with public health, HCD, and ASRH — and especially nuances around rights, gender, safeguarding, and ethics.
- Strong visual communication and presentation skills.
- Prior experience working with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation, or the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation. Experience working for or with JSI is a plus as well.
Languages: Professional proficiency in English required. French strongly desired. Other language skills are a plus.
Salary commensurate with experience.
Interested candidates should submit their resumes and cover letters online by 06/01/2021.