Deputy Chief of Party - DRC Resilient Health Systems

Research Triangle Institute (RTI) has over 30 years’ experience assisting governments, communities, and the private sector. As a not-for-profit, independent research institute based in North Carolina, USA, RTI has roughly 6,000 employees with global experience implementing international development projects.

IDG’s Global Health Division works in Neglected Tropical Diseases, infectious disease, including TB, HIV/AIDS, and Malaria; global health security, Heath Systems Strengthening - including Health Governance, Health Finance, Human Resources for Health, Capacity Building, and Health Policy and Advocacy; Public-Private Partnerships; and Maternal-Neonatal-Child Heath and Reproductive Health and Family Planning. We address a range of public health problems to reduce disparities, lower disease burdens, and build locally owned sustainable health programs in lower- and middle-income countries.

Program Description:

The anticipated USAID Resilient Health Systems for Healthy, Resilient Communities activity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) seeks to support stronger, more resilient health systems at all levels; save lives; decrease morbidity and disability; and increase the potential of women, newborns, children, families, and communities to thrive. The activity will advance universal health care coverage while scaling up and sustaining equitable coverage of high-quality, high-impact primary health care, and building on evidence-based practices to achieve and sustain health outcomes in select geographic areas.

Position Description:

RTI is seeking a Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP)/Technical Director for an anticipated USAID/DRC Resilient Health Systems for Healthy, Resilient Communities activity. The DCOP/Technical Director will be responsible for overseeing, supporting, and mentoring technical teams to advance primary health care quality and resiliency and improve health outcomes. The DCOP/Technical Director will ensure that the activity meets health service delivery and health system targets, quality standards, and reporting standards across objectives and locations. The DCOP/Technical Director will serve as the lead technical point of contact to relevant technical fora/technical working groups and foster coordination with government and civil society health implementers. This position will report to the COP and be based in Kinshasa with travel to activity implementation areas.

Please note that this position is contingent upon funding availability/award from USAID.

Responsibilities

Roles and Responsibilities:

In close collaboration with the COP, provides technical direction and leadership of the project.

Develops and adapts technical strategies, approaches, and activities to achieve objectives, and applies and contextualizes global best practices and learning to the DRC setting.

Oversees and coordinates activities of sub-national teams. Directly supervises technical leads.

Takes a leadership role in work planning and implementation of program activities by working in close collaboration with the COP and ensures that the project activities are meeting client and stakeholder expectations. Represent the activity with USAID and liaise with donor technical teams. Serves as a member of the leadership team, setting a positive and professional tone for the team, collaborating closely with the other team leaders.

Leads the development and delivery of the activity’s technical components, providing programmatic leadership and overseeing technical assistance, working in close collaboration with leadership at the national and state-level.

Provide technical guidance on integrated health policy, strategy, and programming within the activity to staff and sub-contractors and externally.

Review data and reporting to analyze progress toward targets and determine corrective action needed to improve goal achievement.

Develop and implement the activity’s local capacity strengthening initiatives, building on the existing rich technical expertise readily available in DRC.

Working with teams, Government of DRC, and local partners, identify local innovations for scale-up within and across geographies.

Support development and monitoring of technical work plans and budget, working with project staff, consortium members, and government stakeholders.

Ensures the production of high-quality technical deliverables and reporting.

Document lessons learned and technical innovations of the

Develops and maintains effective partnerships with relevant health donors, implementers, and consortium members, to foster collaboration. Serves as the activity’s main point of contact for technical collaboration fora.

Represent the project in public and professional circles through meetings, conferences, and presentations.

Qualifications

Qualifications:

Master's degree and 10 years of experience, or other advanced degree (PhD, MD) in a relevant field, such as medicine, public health, health system management, social administration, or social sciences and 8 years of experience. Clinical qualification a plus.

At least 6 years of experience in donor-funded project management in post-conflict or fragile states of which at least 7 years’ overseas experience with technical and/or operational issues related to a mix of public health and development work, policy development, and community engagement.

At least 5 years’ experience in program management, either as COP, D/COP, or comparable role.

Expertise in one or more of the following evidence-based facility- or community-based interventions/strategies: MNCH, FP/RH, nutrition, malaria, and/or HSS.

Experience in strengthening quality of care a plus.

Experience designing, implementing, or overseeing gender- or youth-sensitive health programming.

Experience supervising technical staff in the implementation of integrated health programming across different offices and operating contexts.

Proven ability to work independently and multi-task in high-pressure settings.

Ability to travel and work in any of the anticipated priority states.

Excellent interpersonal communication, negotiation, and writing skills

Excellent knowledge of MS Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Excel.

Verbal and written English and French proficiency is required.

Experience in the African region, West/Central Africa and DRC or other fragile and conflict affected country is preferred.

Regular Full-Time