Health Manager

at  International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world’s worst humanitarian crises, helping to restore health, safety, education, economic wellbeing, and power to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Founded in 1933 at the call of Albert Einstein, the IRC is one of the world’s largest international humanitarian non-governmental organizations (INGO), at work in more than 40 countries and more than 25 U.S. cities helping people to survive, reclaim control of their future and strengthen their communities. A force for humanity, IRC employees delivers lasting impact by restoring safety, dignity and hope to millions. If you’re a solutions-driven, passionate change-maker, come join us in positively impacting the lives of millions of people world-wide for a better future.
The IRC has been present in Nigeria since 2012 when the organization responded to flooding in Kogi state. In February 2014 the IRC moved into Adamawa State in NE Nigeria to provide humanitarian interventions through a multi-sectoral, integrated approach for conflict affected populations. IRC Nigeria now operates a country office in Abuja and field offices in Mubi and Yola of Adamawa State, Maiduguri and Monguno of Borno state and Damaturu of Yobe State. In 2022, the IRC began operations in Northwest Nigeria and intend to open a new office in katsina city, Katsina state to oversee the Northwest program. Currently, IRC Nigeria implements programs primary health care, nutrition, environmental health, women’s protection and empowerment, protection, child protection, education, food security & livelihoods.

JOB OVERVIEW/SUMMARY:

Under the direct supervision of the Consortium Deputy Team leader the Health Manager is the focal point for IRC integrated primary health care services in Northwest based in Gusau Zamfara state. He/she will be responsible for supervising health staff in northwest, provide oversight to Health TWG and project implementation, monitoring, support with the overall capacity building of health program staff, and progress reporting of health projects. He/she also works closely with the Consortium partners and other sector Managers.

EDUCATION:

• Health professional (BSC Nursing, MD,) with strong public health background.
• A mature person of high professional discipline and moral integrity, able to work independently and under stress as the situation may dictate.

WORK EXPERIENCE:

• At least 7 years’ experience in implementing health projects.
• Feel free to adjust the wording to align with the tone and structure of your specific job description.
• Able to lead a team and have experience in staff management.
• Experience in outbreak response interventions
• Ability to work with displaced communities with diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds.
• Experience in donor report writing and proposal development.
• Have experience in general management including financial and budget management, HR and logistics management.

COMPUTER/OTHER TECH REQUIREMENTS:

• Competency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint. Add position-specific (e.g. accounting software, statistical software, Power Bi etc.).
  Ability to Travel: 5% of time if applicable.
  Standard of Professional Conduct: IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability and Equality. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.
  Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of IRC Persons in any work setting.
  Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowances.
  Employment Gaps: We welcome applicants with varied career paths and recognize that a gap in employment does not define a candidate’s potential. We value transferrable skills and are committed to investing in the growth and development of our team members. We encourage applicants to highlight any relevant skills or experiences they have acquired, even if they were not gained in a traditional work setting.
  Compensation and Benefits: IRC strives to provide externally competitive and internally equitable Compensation and Benefits programs that attracts, motivates, and retains employees that deliver strong performance while demonstrating the IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct.
  Equal Opportunity Employer: IRC is an equal opportunity employer and we value diversity and inclusion. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, nationality, ethnicity or tribe, gender, age, religion, caste, sexual orientation, differently abled, geographic origin, marital status, veteran status and cultural background (or any other characteristic protected by law). We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
  Standard of Professional Conduct:The IRC and the IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – our Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Accountability, and Equality.
  Commitment to Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion: The IRC is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and safe work environment where all persons are treated fairly, with dignity and respect. The IRC expressly prohibits and will not tolerate discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or bullying of the IRC persons in any work setting. We aim to increase the representation of women, people that are from country and communities we serve, and people who identify as races and ethnicities that are under-represented in global power structures

Program Management, Technical Quality, and Strategy

Health program management:

• Provide overall managerial oversight for implementation of the health program activities in Northwest.
• Ensure health projects implementation are of high quality and meets the IRC/MoH/International standards.
• Support health program officer and medical supervisor to prepare project work plans with clear targets/achievement benchmarks based on project indicators.
• Provide technical support to health staff and provide them with necessary mentoring and training as needed to build their capacity and enabling them to perform their tasks, including project management skills.
• Participate in emergency assessments when necessary and develop plans for rapid and appropriate responses in consultation with WASH, protection, nutrition, WPE and others.
• Supervise the emergency response teams, including community and outreach activities in the targeted LGAs in Northwest.
• Coordinate with consortium implementation partners and other actors in the response and maintain good relations with them and harmonization of health indicator reporting,
• Participate in emergency coordination such as the Meningitis, Cholera or other disease Outbreak Control Coordination Team and carry out community-based public health interventions during communicable disease outbreaks.
• Monitor quality performance indicators across all projects and consortium partners ensuring adherence to technical standards, best practices, and donor guidelines.
• Coordinate all referrals of patients as per IRC referral guidelines and establish MoUs with secondary and tertiary institutions.
• Seek out and nurture quality partnerships with community structures, Ministries, departments, and agencies.
• Foster inter-program linkages, exchange information and experiences and contribute actively to protection and disaster risk reduction mainstreaming in the health program.
• Collaborate with other relevant sectors especially Environmental Health, as well as Nutrition, Women Protection & Empowerment, and Child Protection to ensure holistic service package is available in response to the needs.

Program Development / Grant Management

• Contribute to design, planning, and drafting new proposals for northwest.
• Contribute to donors’ reporting whenever necessary.
• In collaboration with the Deputy team leader, develop and expenditure plan, review budget vs. actual expenditure for health grants monthly and take necessary actions.
• Ensuring budgets are used appropriately and efficiently and spending is in line with the IRC financial procedures and donor requirements.
• Ensure data collection, data compilation, timely preparation and submission of all internal reports including weekly and other associated monthly, quarterly, donor and special reports.

Staff Performance Management, Learning & Development:

Required for all positions with supervisory responsibility, if special considerations are needed (e.g. remote management), make this additive to the base language here.

• Hire, supervise, and build the capacity of team members in relevant technical and management competencies.
• Develop and implement remote management capacity building approaches to build the strengths of the team and consortium partners in Zamfara state and Northwest region Nigeria.
• Coach, train, supervise and mentor direct-report staff, including communicating clear expectations, setting annual performance objectives, providing regular and timely positive and constructive performance feedback, and providing documented semi-annual performance reviews.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Approve and manage all time, attendance and leave requests to ensure adequate departmental coverage; ensure monthly, accurate timesheet submission and carry out probationary reviews.
• Hold high-quality meetings with each direct report on a regular and predictable basis, at least monthly.
• Provide a measurable development plan including on-the-job learning with the aim of strengthening technical capacity, exchanging knowledge within the team, and providing guidance on career paths.
• As required identify staff performance issues and work with Human Resources to document and address these in accordance with the National Staff Employment Policies.
• Maintain open and professional relations with team members, promoting a strong team spirit and providing oversight and guidance to enable staff to successfully perform in their positions.
• Promote and monitor staff care and well-being. Model healthy work-life balance practices. Support appropriate interventions in response to identified staff care needs of both national and international staff.
• Look for opportunities to support staff in their career growth, where appropriate. As part of succession plan and nationalization goals, identify, train and develop capability and capacity of national staff to successfully transition role and responsibilities, by the end of assignment.
• Adhere to and act in accordance with the IRC Global HR Policies and Procedures and communicate through word and example a high standard of compliance with all applicable policies and regulations.