Job Opportunity: Senior Malaria Specialist

Why Choose IntraHealth

At IntraHealth, we are a global team of creative, committed humanitarians on a mission. We are advocates, technologists, health workers, and communicators. Program officers, finance experts, and technical leaders. We are passionate and diverse. And we’re united in our belief that everyone everywhere should have the health care they need to thrive. That’s why we work every day to improve the performance of health workers around the world and strengthen the systems in which they work.

For almost 40 years in over 100 countries, IntraHealth has partnered with local communities to make sure health workers are present where they’re needed most, ready to do the job, connected to the technology they need, and safe to do their very best work. Our programs are designed with a deep understanding of and appreciation for the context of human rights, gender equality and discrimination, economic empowerment, and changing populations. And the longstanding relationships we have built with government agencies, private-sector partners, and members of civil society make our efforts stronger and more effective.  Join us and together we can make lasting changes in global health—for all of us.

The USAID Ingobyi Activity is a five-year cooperative agreement to improve the quality of reproductive, Maternal, newborn and child health (RMNCH) and malaria services, in a sustainable manner with the goal of reducing neonatal, child and maternal mortality in Rwanda. The Ingobyi Activity builds upon the tremendous gains Rwanda has made in the health sector as well as previous USAID investments in the health sector to provide a healthier, more productive future for all Rwandans. Ingobyi works to improve the availability, quality and utilization of RMNCH and malaria services with resilience and sustainability.

SUMMARY OF ROLE

The Senior Malaria Specialist will support the implementation of malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment interventions by providing capacity building and supportive supervision to health facility personnel within the targeted zones of the Activity. S/he will plan and coordinate project activities in close collaboration with MOH central level and district management teams, partners, and health facilities. S/he will work in concert with the DCOP and zonal technical teams to ensure optimal integration of malaria services, into MNCH and family planning interventions, with a focus on improved community case management and referrals, as needed. In collaboration with the technical team, s/he will liaise with zonal coordinators, districts, and health facilities to improve the accessibility and quality of services offered by providers and community health workers to ensure a client-centered approach along the continuum of care.

Essential functions

The Senior Malaria Technical Specialist will perform the following key functions:

Technical leadership and capacity strengthening/training

• provides technical leadership to ensure integration of malaria interventions in both the demand and supply side activities of the project;
• provides technical leadership in design, development, planning, implementation, and capacity-building of specific malaria technical components of programs.
• provides timely and adequate technical support to the districts to strengthen service delivery and improve malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment interventions, including tools to guide service quality and integration with other service delivery components of the project;
• contributes to the design and implementation of innovative capacity building approaches, including on the job training and mentorship to build the competencies, attitudes and motivation to optimize the performance of front-line health workers (nurses, clinicians and community health workers) for quality malaria service delivery and data use to improve service access and quality;
• maintains a constructive dialogue and technical exchange with other technical counterparts to effectively support health workers for appropriate integration of malaria prevention, diagnosis, and treatment with other services at all levels of care;
• ensures that project implementation of the malaria strategy adheres to the appropriate national, global strategy and remains technically sound;
• participates in the development of national malaria guidelines, training manuals, policies and other relevant strategic documents; and
• provides technical assistance to the development or adaptation of evidence-based tools to support integration of quality malaria services.

Planning, representation, and coordination

• responsible for planning and scheduling own workflow and timetables, within malaria technical area;
• coordinates malaria technical specialists in the zones
• develops and maintains collaborative relationships with donors, district level officials/DHMTs, implementing partners, relevant ministries and agencies, public and private sector entities and is consistently maintained and viewed as a knowledgeable resource in the malaria area;
• represents the Ingobyi Activity to external entities at related professional and technical meetings and conferences; and
• Participates in malaria and community health technical working group meetings.

Supporting malaria health programs in facilities and community

• leads the implementation of integrated Community Case Management (iCCM) and Home-based care for malaria in adults (HBM) and ensures all activities are implemented according to the plan and in an integrated manner;
• ensures that malaria guidelines are applied in facilities;
• ensures that implementation of SBC interventions for malaria prevention and control are strengthened;
• maintains good relations with MOH staff, other stakeholders implementing community-level activities, and relevant TWGs to ensure good coordination and efficient management of community health interventions;
• Represents Ingobyi Activity in meetings with external stakeholders where community malaria programs are being discussed;
• Supports/supervises the work of zonal malaria and community health specialists.

Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting

• in collaboration with the M&E team, reviews, analyzes, and evaluates the effectiveness of malaria interventions and uses data to lead the design of improvements that will ensure the quality of implemented technical activities and systems at all levels;
• participates and provides logistical support in the planning and implementation of assessments, operations research, and knowledge management activities; and
• documents lessons learned, case studies, and successes, and disseminates within the project and to key malaria stakeholders.

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate should possess the below qualifications and experience:

Education

• Degree in medicine; or master’s degree in nursing; or master’s degree in public health, epidemiology, and entomology; or relevant master’s degree in social sciences with nursing or medical background.
• Candidates must have a valid license issued by the National Council of Nurses and Midwives,  Rwanda Medical and Dental Council or by Rwanda Allied Health Professions Council.

Experience

• minimum 8 years of experience implementing maternal and child health programs, including malaria;
• minimum 8 years of experience in supporting MOH (central and decentralized levels) in malaria programs in the country;
• experience working with USAID-funded projects is preferred;
• proficiency in Kinyarwanda and English, French will be an advantage;
• strong organizational and writing skills, for writing case studies, documenting lessons learned and reporting on program results; and
• previous experience in organizing and providing training and capacity building to staff and partners.

COMPETENCIES:

Managing Performance: Ability to plan and design practices, processes and procedures that allow for effective management of people, resources, and processes to optimize overall organizational performance. Managing for performance includes the ability to delegate and encourage growth and leadership across the team(s) as part of maximizing performance and productivity.

Strategic Thinking: Applies organizational knowledge to identify and maintain focus on key success factors for IntraHealth while recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational challenges. Ability to develop organization- and industry-specific expertise and apply sound decision-making processes to reach productive resolutions that translates strategy into actionable business plans.

Effective Communication (Oral & Written): Understands effective communication concepts, tools, and techniques; ability to effectively transmit, and explain complex technical concepts in simple, clear language appropriate to the audience; and receive, and accurately interpret ideas, information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication behaviors

Risk Management: Knowledge of processes, tools, and techniques for assessing and controlling the organization’s exposure to risks of various kinds; ability to apply this knowledge appropriately to diverse situations.

Innovation: Develops new, better, or significantly different ideas, methods, solutions, or initiatives within the assigned role that result in improvement of IntraHealth’s s performance and meeting objectives, results, and global commitments.

Accountability: Holds self and others accountable for all work activities, research, and personal actions and decisions; follows through on commitments and focuses on those activities that have the greatest impact on meeting measurable high-quality results for IntraHealth’s s success. Exercises ethical practices, respectful words and behaviors, and equitable treatment of others in all activities.

SUMMARY OF BENEFITS

IntraHealth International, Inc. is a great place to work and prides itself on its comprehensive benefits package.  We offer competitive salaries and a dynamic inclusive work environment which supports health workers so they can improve the lives of people throughout the world.

IntraHealth International is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law, and requires affirmative action to ensure equality of opportunity in all aspects of employment.  This is also to include inquiry about, disclosing, or discussing their compensation or the compensation of other applicants or employees.