Organization Background
JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) is a global nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health of individuals and communities throughout the world. Founded in 1978, JSI collaborates with government agencies, the private sector, and local nonprofit and civil society organizations to identify and implement solutions to the most pressing public health and education challenges. Over the last 30 years, JSI has partnered with the government of Ethiopia and the Ministry of Health to improve health systems and primary healthcare (PHC) service delivery, implementing more than 60 projects and working in every region. JSI has historically managed a large portfolio of projects focusing on the quality, and equity in excess of, reproductive, maternal, neonatal, child, and adolescent health and Nutrition (RMNCAH-N) services, primary health care (PHC) including community health program, digital health, health information systems (HIS), supply chain management, public health emergency responses, and social and behavior change.
JSI works at every level of Ethiopia’s health system to support national commitment to health equity. We partner with the Federal Ministry of Health (MOH); donors, including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Gavi, MasterCard; and work across public and private sectors to help strengthen and transform the health system.
Projects Overview
Funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF), JSI is implementing twin projects -improve PHC Service Delivery (IPHCSD) project and the Strengthening Service Delivery (SSD) project in nine regions of Ethiopia. JSI’s Improve Primary Health Care Service Delivery (IPHCSD) is a five-year project, launched in 2022, and co-implemented with Amref Health Africa, and operationalized with local partners and national organizations. IPHCSD aims to improve the efficacy of, and linkages between, PHC delivery platforms, including health posts, community health actors, health centers, primary hospitals and private facilities for improved reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent health, and nutrition (RMNCAH-N) outcomes across Ethiopia. SSD, on the other hand is designed to improve the quality of downstream, supply-side integrated RMNCAH-N services at PHC levels, and supply in three high-impact areas- provider competencies, service delivery structures and processes required for high-quality care; and last-mile delivery of the supplies & commodities. JSI’s International, regional and local partners-Amref Health Africa, Engender Health, Think place, in Supply Health, Women and Children First UK (WCF), International Institute for PHC Ethiopia (IPHCE), Ethiopian Midwives Association and local universities and development associations are essential to these efforts.
Currently, with funding from Child Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), we are also implementing the Electronics Community Health Information System (eCHIS) Scale-up for Health Extension Program Improvement is JSI’s another project. eCHIS is a five-year project that builds on the Government of Ethiopia’s efforts to leverage the power of digital technology to improve the coverage and quality of healthcare in Ethiopia. The eCHIS project digitizes existing community health manuals, tools, and service workflows, along with all reporting forms.
Position Summary
The DPD will support the project director (PD) in overall strategic focus and management effectiveness of the projects. The position will lead the development of the overall work plan and technical periodical reports. The DPD serves on the projects’ senior management team and will ensure the technical and methodological soundness of all technical areas of the projects. In collaboration with the IPHCSD/SSD team and partners, the position holder will support the design and implementation of interventions aimed at improving access to, quality and accountability of RMNCAH-N services with reliable last mile commodity supply at PHC levels. The DPD will supervise the field operation teams and technical team leads working on HRH/blended learning, digital health, supply chain and quality of RMNCAH-N services. S/he will also work closely with the eCHIS team and ensure synergies and maximize impacts among investments. The DPD is a full-time position based in Addis Ababa and it is a member of SMT.
Duties and Responsibilities
● Provider thoughtful oversight for the technical teams and field program implementation of both IPHCSD and SSD projects
● Leads the development of strategic guidance and annual and quarterly project-wide work plans and necessary adaptations informed by evidences and learnings
● Collaborates to develop project-wide and area office-level budgets.
● Works closely with PD, technical leads, M E & R team, finance and operation teams to achieve key deliverables as specified in the work plans and PMP and their timely submissions to BMGF (or other stakeholders);
● Contributes substantially to project monitoring, management, and control systems (E.g DHIS2 platforms, ASANA, and other common workstations), and to processes that ensure informed decision-making and timely implementation of activities.
● Work closely with electronic community health information system (eCHIS) project team, ensure complementarity and synergy among sister projects
● Provides sound leadership and high-level technical guidance to technical advisors, regional coordinators and specialists.
● Monitors, analyzes, and troubleshoots any challenges to implementation and works to resolve any project-related challenges that arise
● Builds and maintains excellent relationships with officials of the Government of Ethiopia, the Ministry of Health/Regional health bureaus, BMGF, and JSI’s sub-partners..
● Represents the organization in various technical meetings and conferences or delegates appropriate staff for the purpose.
● Participates in BMGF team meeting and provides updates and innovative strategic approaches.
● Travels to the project regions and sites about 30% of time to carry out firsthand assessment of project effectiveness and to learn from problems faced in the project.
● Leads the preparation of periodic reports, documentation of best practices, and policy frameworks to improve quality health programming.
● Collaborates to identify operations research agenda and leads the conduct of various relevant operations research by the relevant technical teams.
● Serves as a member of the Senior Management Team.
● Oversees/manages specific portfolios and staff—including HRH, supply chain, digital health, MNH, FP, and gender leads
● Act as a PD in his/her absence.
● Models’ effective communication, professional relationships, and coordination for timely reporting, both internally and externally.
● Adheres to and promotes JSI’s culture and values and uphold JSI’s standards related to fraud and ethics accountability and management; protection against sexual exploitation and abuse; and child safeguarding.
● Any additional responsibilities, as assigned.
Required Skills & Qualifications:
● Minimum of master’s degree in public health or other health-related fields, with substantial and progressively responsible experience in health systems strengthening, service delivery, or other related field.
● Minimum of eight years of management and supervision experience; significant experience working in RMNACH programming is preferred and highly desirable.
● Demonstrated leadership and experience to build and maintain productive working relationships with institutional partners and stakeholders, including high-level host country governments and international agencies.
● Experience managing similar projects in highly dynamic development environments.
● Proven leadership qualities and management skills that demonstrate a depth and breadth of technical expertise relative to the Activity.
● Strong English communication skills (both written and spoken);
● Strong analytical and clinical skills.
● Demonstrated experience developing institutional capacity in the health system in Ethiopia;
● Willingness and ability to travel both domestically and internationally, as needed.
● Excellent working skills with the use of MS Office and Google Suite of projects (Gmail, Drive, Sheets, etc.).
● Women are encouraged to apply
JSI is a child-safe organization, and the safety and well-being of children is a priority of our organization. We have robust recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff are suited to work with the children served by our programs.
JSI is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer committed to workplace diversity. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, sexual preference, genetic information, political affiliation, or protected veteran status in any employment decisions. M/F/V/D