Malaria Technical Manager - Somalia/Kenya (Merlin)

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Closing date: 30 Oct 2009
Location: Kenya
Responsible To: Country Health Director and the Malaria Management Team
Location: Kenya, Nairobi with frequent travel to Somalia
Programme: Somalia
Contract Duration: 12 Months
Starting Date: ASAP
Salary: £24,854 - £27,078 per annum (dependant on relevant experience) inclusive of annual Cost of Living allowance.

Benefits: Insurance cover, accommodation, free return flights, annual loyalty bonus, R&R and 24 days annual leave.

Only short-listed applicants will be contacted.

Due to the urgency of this position, applications will be short listed on a regular basis and we may offer this post before the closing date.

Please note that this is an unaccompanied position.

Merlin International Profile

Merlin specialises in health, saving lives in times of crisis and helping to rebuild shattered health services. Each year, Merlin helps more than 15 million people in up to 20 countries.

Context and Background

Merlin has been working in Somalia since 2003, and works in partnership with other agencies and the Somalia Support Secretariat.

We are currently implementing a communicable disease control programme in Puntland, three programmes addressing HIV/AIDS and TB in Puntland, malaria throughout the country, and an emergency health and nutrition programme in central Somalia.

We are also partners of the Gedo Health Consortium, a support programme that seeks to address key primary health care needs in five districts of Gedo region, southern Somalia.

Main purpose of the role

The role of the Malaria Technical Coordinator is to provide technical support to the malaria program in Somalia at a country level.

This entails developing the malaria strategy for the whole country, liaise with other partners (WHO, UNICEF & NGOs) in the process.

The position supports all malaria global fund partners across Somalia and those based in Nairobi including the principal recipient.

In addition this entails support to build consensus and harmonize malaria control policies and strategies for Somalia, ensuring participation and collaboration of the local authorities and possibly the private sector.

Overall Objectives (scope)

Support the development of malaria strategic papers, including training guidelines, treatment protocols, ITN strategy, malaria communication strategy and the national strategic plan for malaria control and prevention.

Besides support all partners of the GFATM malaria programme in the design, implementation and monitoring stages of their respective activities ensuring effective implementation strategies and harmonization between partners.

Support capacity building among partners and key stakeholders for malaria diagnosis, drug sensitivity surveillance and epidemic surveillance.

To report on programmatic and financial progress of Merlin activities in conjunction with the Merlin Nairobi regional office. Contribute towards the development of malaria control strategies for Merlin East Africa programmes in collaboration with key staff in the region.

Responsibilities

Leadership

Act as the line manager of the three malaria zonal coordinators (MZC)
Establish quarterly work plans together with the MZC;
Visit each zone to assist and supervise the MZCs at a minimum once every quarter;
Evaluate and discuss the MZCs performances (3600 appraisals).
Finance Management

Responsible for the programmatic and financial follow-up of the project;
Review and approve all purchase orders from the field;
Follow up the overall budget and report on the programmatic and financial progress of activities to Merlin’s management team and the PR;
Participate in management team meetings for the Merlin Somalia programme.
Programme Development

Contribute towards development of malaria control strategies for Merlin Somalia programmes in collaboration with key staff in the region
Provide technical advice on malaria control to Merlin East Africa country programmes;
Participate in malaria control programme development in collaboration with the respective Health Directors and Medical Coordinators;
Develop relationships on behalf of implementing partners with other relevant networks in the African Sub-region;
Participate in the East Africa Roll Back Malaria Regional Network quarterly and annual meetings;
Participate in the EMRO annual malaria meeting on behalf of the (Somalia support secretariat, Health sector committee) SSS HSC;
Develop relationships with relevant research institutes (KEMRI/WT, AMREF).
Establish an emergency preparedness and response plan for malaria;
Guidelines for e-prep;
Action plan for emergency response (responsibilities, activities, monitoring).
Programme Support

Support partners in building consensus and harmonizing malaria control policies and strategies for Somalia, ensuring participation and collaboration of the local authorities;
Participate in consultative and consensus building forums in order to ensure local political commitment to the project;
Assist the malaria zonal coordinators in discussions with the local authorities (MOH malaria focal points (MZFP) on malaria technical issues.
Support strategic and technical planning at national and sub-national levels;
Participate in the malaria management team meetings;
Participate in and facilitate the quarterly review meetings;
Assist the MZC and the MOH focal points in planning of M&E activities.
Support the development/review of malaria strategic papers including treatment protocols, ITN strategy, malaria communication strategy and the national strategic plan for malaria control and prevention
Programme Technical Support

The design, implementation and analysis of malaria related surveys (KAP, MICS, drug sensitivity);
The evidence-based review of the malaria national strategy;
Malaria related operational research;
Provide technical support to the design, implementation and sustainability of strategies for malaria laboratory diagnosis in Somalia among GFATM partners;
Review of RDT statistics from the consumption follow up forms;
Assist in the quality assurance of laboratories doing malaria microscopy (lab evaluation with standard forms and quality control of slides);
Compile and analyze the information of all evaluations done and provide feedback to the malaria management team and working group.
Support all partners of the GFATM Malaria Program in the design, implementation and monitoring stages of their respective activities ensuring effective implementation of strategies
Provide technical support for (joint) technical supervision of malaria activities;
Establish a supervision plan for each zone in collaboration with the MOH for the supervision of health facilities;
Establish standard supervision forms;
Supervision the health facilities in all 3 zones in collaboration with the MOH, the SR for referral labs and WHO;
Provide technical support for data collection and analysis;
Review routine data collection through HIS in collaboration with UNICEF and partners for HIS pilot projects;
Surveillance data in collaboration with WHO;
Consumption follow-up data in collaboration with implementing partners.
Report to the SSS HSC on monthly activities and major relevant issues for discussion/follow up related to the technical coordination of the program and submit quarterly work plan;
Interact on a regular basis with the other management teams of the SSS/GFATM projects so as to identify and build areas of synergy and collaboration;
Provide technical support for joint feed back to technical/operational queries from the GFATM Secretariat
Staff Management / HR

Support capacity building among partners and key stakeholders for malaria diagnosis, case management and epidemics surveillance;
Provide technical support to the development of standard training guidelines and training materials, ensuring that outputs are in line with WHO/RBM guidelines;
Organize, facilitate and evaluate trainings of trainers on malaria diagnosis, case management and epidemic preparedness and response (if Merlin is selected as a SR for MTC and E-Prep);
Identify and/or organize international trainings for zonal focal points and malaria program managers of key stakeholders.
Line manage the three malaria zonal coordinators and provide the necessary technical support.
Person Specification

Essential

Qualifications, experience and competences

Medical Doctor/Nurse with postgraduate qualification in public health or related field
Previous experience in managing malaria programs at country level.
Sufficient experience in management of relief and development programs
Strong international health project management skills and experience
High professional commitment to provision of high quality health programs
Able to live, work and travel in an insecure environment, following strict security guidelines at all times.
Strong communication skills, with excellent written and spoken English
Confident and proficient in the use of MS Office
Experience of establishing strong working relationships with colleagues from different functions and cultures
Experience of a flexible approach to managing and prioritising a high workload and multiple tasks in a fast paced environment with tight deadlines
Experience of proactively identifying and addressing issues
An understanding of and commitment to Merlin’s mission and values
Desirable

Qualifications, experience and competences

Experience in training needs assessments and needs-based participatory training
Experience in monitoring and evaluation of projects/activities and in implementing quality control/assurance mechanisms
Previous experience working on malaria control programmes and the implementation of ACT
Data Protection

Please note, on submitting your application, you are agreeing to Merlin holding and using the information that you have given for the purposes of recruitment and employment – should an offer be made.

In order to process your job application, it may be necessary for your application to be sent to the Country Director (in the country you are applying for) for consideration.

If you do not agree with this, please state so when applying.

How to apply

Please download an application form from our website www.merlin.org.uk

Completed form should be emailed to applications @ merlin-uk.org stating in the subject field the job title, country and reference number (if any).