CARE India - Program Manager - Public Health

Position : PROGRAM MANAGER

Grade/Level D (Middle Management)

Project/Unit : Bihar TSU

Reports to : Deputy Director, (Outreach/Facility) PPS with matrix reporting to Deputy Director, VL for VL Intervention

Location : Defined Program Area across the state of Bihar

Project Duration : 4 Years

Project Background : The confluence of four key factors creates a pivotal opportunity to accelerate progress toward achieving the government of Bihar's (GoB) 2017 targets for reductions in rates of mortality, fertility and malnutrition, and increases in immunization coverage.

These factors include :

- Consistent political support from GoB to improve the health of women and children, exemplified most recently by the launch of the Human Development Mission (Manav Vikas Mission) under the chairmanship of Chief Minister in the state;

- Recent launch of the government of India's (GoI) RMNCH+A strategy;

- Success of the Ananya program in identifying strategies and developing solutions that support these goals; and

- Recognition by the Health Department and Social Welfare (ICDS) Department of the value of the work of Ananya and other development partners in Bihar.

- To capitalize on this opportunity, CARE will lead the establishment of a Technical Support Unit (TSU) constituted with major development partners (DFID/BTAST, UNICEF, UNFPA, NIPI and WHO/NPSP), that will closely work with and support the Health and Social Welfare (ICDS) Departments of the GoB in their endeavour to achieve rapid and sustainable change in health and nutrition.

- The proposed TSU will provide catalytic support to the two departments to refine policies, systems and processes, transform capabilities and behaviours, and build ownership to unlock the potential of both public and private sector providers to effectively implement solutions.

The work of the TSU will focus on effective technical interventions in maternal and child health, family planning and nutrition. Key drivers of change will include the transfer of skills and building ownership of approaches and solutions by Health and Social Welfare (ICDS) Departments.

- The Program Performance Support (PPS) Unit of the TSU will consist mainly of public health managers and technical resources to facilitate implementation of effective strategies at the block level through existing GoB programs and resources at district and block levels.

Job Summary :

- The Program Manager, under the supervision of the Deputy Director, PPS (with a matrix structured reporting to the Deputy Director, VL for SKAEP), will be the key person at the Program Area level and will ensure quality delivery of program interventions in the Program Area comprising of 3-5 districts across the state of Bihar.

- S/he will be responsible for providing exemplary leadership to her/his team at the Program Area level and will work in close coordination with the STRT team, CML team and the SKAEP Team under the guidance of Director, PPS and Deputy Director (Outreach/Facility) to ensure the technical integrity of interventions and promote data driven management within the program and in government systems.

- S/he will liaise with Government functionaries, Ananya partners and development agencies other key players at the Program Area level towards ensuring synergy between TSU and all the other National Health (RMNCH+A) and Nutrition Programs implemented at the Program Area level.

The Program Manager's key/major responsibilities will be:

- Helping facilities improve overall quality of RMNCH care and particularly to help facilities reach and sustain BEmONC and CEmONC functionality.

- Supporting health and ICDS programs improve coverage of RMNCH interventions at community level through well-managed good quality client- provider (frontline workers) interactions.

- Ensuring quality VL services are available at the Health facilities.

- Supporting the VL Control activities - especially effective IRS.

- Supporting the strategic visioning, on-going mentoring and techno-managerial support in the areas of planning, budgeting and fund flow, logistics and supplies, human resources and information systems for GoB from block till divisional level .

- Ensuring that all resources are used effectively and transparently in meeting project objectives.

- Ensuring Sound control, Full compliance, best practice and effective and efficient management of all financial resources.

- Contract/Key Relationships Will be closely working with other cells of TSU and key counterparts in GoB and development partners

- Authority 3-5 District Program Managers, 1 District Program Officer VL, 1 Program Assistant

Key Responsibilities Core Leadership Responsibilities :

- Provide leadership to the program implementation team at the Program Area level; lead the program implementation team in developing detailed implementation plans and support them in accomplishing planned activities in the Program Areas.

- Work closely with the Technical Team, CML team and the VL Team in strengthening and enhancing the technical quality of all program components of RMNCH+A and SKAEP and promoting data driven management within project and in government systems.

- Provide support to the District Managers in implementation of the Program in the respective districts and monitor program impact at the Program Area level; guide program implementation teams in the Program Area in developing detailed implementation plans and support them in achieving the set objectives.

- Provide Supervision and Leadership operational planning, implementation of core KA activities and execution of innovations to the District Program Officers, VL.

- Network and Liaise with Government functionaries, other key players at the various levels in the Program Area such as DFID, UNICEF, Who, NIPI, NGOs, Civil Societies, local bodies, and influential personalities towards ensuring synergy between RMNCHA+A, SKAEP and all national health and nutrition programs implemented at the Program Area level.

- Share information, data and issues that need advocacy efforts at Divisional and District Levels.

- Represent the program at all relevant forums for ensuring visibility, sharing of ideas and best practices.

- Strengthen and enhance the technical quality of all program components through continuous and close coordination with the Technical team, and also provide the latter feedback on the operational challenges of technical interventions and packages faced by the teams.

- Development of KA work plans at district and Program Area level, monitor and support roll out of KA activities and timely submission of progress reports/MIS

- Provide operational oversight to pilots in the Program Area.

People Leadership Responsibilities :

- Provide supportive supervision to reporting line managers, ensure timely submissions of deliverables to the TSU and support implementation of the annual action plans.

- Hiring, Orientation and effective deployment of quality manpower resources (including outsourced manpower) at the District and Block Level with the help of the HR Team.

- Identify capacity building opportunities among district teams for quality implementation of interventions at the Program Area level through mentorship and conducting regular training programs.

- To effectively motivate team members for promoting their urge to constantly innovate new strategies and approaches for implementation.

- To mentor and coach direct reports and help develop their career paths with suitable organizational succession plans.

- Ability to effectively work in a matrix reporting environment

Strategic Leadership Responsibilities :

- Champion and Lead at least one strategic responsibility at a State/National/Program level to develop/drive Organizational/Program initiatives /innovations.

- Stay abreast of changes on National Programs, best practices and innovations taking place in the sector.

- Periodically reviews program progress and interim results to ensure alignment with organizational GED framework.

Qualification & Experience Essential :

- Masters in Social Work / Social Science / Public Health with over 7 years of Public Health experience in the area of Maternal and Child Health

- Minimum 3 years of progressively responsible professional experience in implementing maternal or child health or nutrition programs at the District level

- Demonstrated experience of working with NGOs

- Demonstrated experience of efficiently managing a large and diverse team

- Excellent knowledge of local language (Hindi)

Preferred :

- Demonstrated experience in leading Public Health program at the District level

- Experience of working in close collaboration with Government functionaries in Rural and Urban Districts of Northern States in India

Skills & Competencies :

Functional Skills and Competencies :

- Demonstrated ability to manage a large scale public health program

- Proven ability to identify problem areas, analyze, plan, innovate and execute ideas, as well as impart knowledge and skills

- Demonstrated ability to mobilize Government systems to strengthen national programs

- Ability to train/mentor program managers in technical and operational aspects of outreach RMNCH interventions, and to mentor subordinates to be good mentors in turn Excellent negotiation skills

- Demonstrated ability to establish collaborative relationship with formal and informal stakeholder groups to achieve program impact

- Demonstrated ability to identify programmatic issues that require immediate attention, prioritize and take appropriate and timely action

- Demonstrates efficient decision making and problem solving skills

- Ability to represent program as a brand at the various levels

- Ability to travel extensively to blocks and villages

Managerial and Leadership Skills & Competencies :

- Demonstrated ability to lead, manage and mentor a large and diverse team

- Demonstrated ability to plan, implement and monitor Program Operations across large geographies

- Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills

- Demonstrated learning agility, pro-activeness and openness to embrace new technologies at work

- Ability to function effectively as a team member and respect diversity in a team

- Accountability and Managing Performance

- Effective Multi-tasking capabilities

- Fluency in Hindi and English is essential