Malaria Technical Advisor – Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) At Catholic Relief Services

*This position is contingent upon funding

The location of this position is yet to be determined and may be one of the following scenarios: based in the US (DC/MD/VA area) for those who already have ability to legally work in the US; global telecommuting; or based out of a yet to be determined country in Sub-Saharan Africa. Qualified African candidates are encouraged to apply.

*CRS will only consider candidates who are based in countries where we have existing offices. CRS does not sponsor visas for telecommuting employees.

About CRS

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of health, emergency, education, agriculture, and capacity strengthening of partners. In 2022, CRS implemented a portfolio of 21 malaria programs globally, in 14 countries (Africa and the Greater Mekong Region).

Job Summary:

CRS seeks a Technical Advisor for Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) & other drug-based chemoprevention for an anticipated USAID-funded Reaching every at-risk community and household with malaria services (REACH Malaria) global program. The purpose of the anticipated contract is to provide implementation support services and technical assistance to countries to accelerate progress in comprehensive delivery of facility and community-based malaria services, including malaria case management, prevention of malaria in pregnancy, seasonal malaria chemoprevention, health systems strengthening, data collection and use for service delivery, and other malaria prevention interventions. CRS will be a sub to a prime organization and this position will be part of the REACH Malaria’s core team.

You will contribute to strategy development in the field of seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC), and other drug-based chemoprevention interventions as applicable, on REACH Malaria program at a regional or global level and provide technical leadership and advice in line with CRS program quality principles and standards, donor guidelines, and industry best practices to PMI countries to advance the delivery of high-quality programming to the poor and vulnerable. Your expertise, advice, and influence will significantly contribute to determining how effective, adaptive and innovative SMC and other drug-based chemoprevention interventions programming are across in PMI countries.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Roles and Key Responsibilities:

• Contribute to the design, advocate for, and ensure implementation of global strategies, standards, tools, and best practices in SMC & new drug-based chemoprevention that effectively engage partners, donors, and governments. Ensure a cross-sectoral approach that integrates gender, protection mainstreaming, and disaster risk reduction.
• Provide technical solutions globally, for regional and PMI countries for strategic planning and how to best apply and adapt program design and implementation standards, best practices, partnership principles, tools, and Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) in SMC & new drug-based chemoprevention. Create quality assurance feedback systems to ensure continual improvement of uptake of chemoprevention activities in designated REACH Malaria activities.
• Oversee and lead the delivery of capacity strengthening initiatives in SMC & new drug-based chemoprevention programming for staff and partners through helping develop learning and training strategies and agendas/curriculums; organizing and/or facilitating trainings, workshops and conferences; and mentoring and coaching staff in innovative CRS approaches and tools. Provide mentoring and coaching to national counterparts, as well as country program and regional staff.
• Provide coaching, strategically tailor individual development plans, and complete performance assessment for country program and partner staff.
• Lead the REACH Malaria consortia knowledge management and learning agenda in SMC & new drug-based chemoprevention through helping implement conditions for collective learning that ensure the capturing, documenting, and sharing of key successes, promising practices, lessons learned, and evidence-based implementation research, internally and externally, including publications in peer reviewed journals.
• Represent REACH Malaria at global forums, RBM Partnership to End Malaria technical working groups and annual meetings, Congress, and other forums to present REACH Malaria work and research in SMC & new drug-based chemoprevention to influence technical partner approaches, future funding opportunities, and policies. Network with relevant organizations to increase REACH Malaria profile in SMC & new drug-based chemoprevention, and influence in the regional or global SMC & new drug-based chemoprevention community.
• Support the development of localization strategies to help build the capacity of local stakeholders to take an increasing role in the delivery, monitoring, and quality assurance of chemoprevention activities.

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in Public Health, or other similar program areas required. PhD or equivalent degree (e.g., MD, DrPH, EdD) a plus.
• Minimum of seven years of work experience in public health (preferably in malaria) with progressive responsibilities, ideally with an international NGO, with three years overseas in multiple regions as a technical advisor and/or program manager of a malaria and/or multi-sectoral project with a malaria component.
• Strong understanding and application of technical principles and concepts in SMC & new drug-based chemoprevention. Good knowledge of related disciplines to ensure proper cross-sectoral approach.
• Expertise in the development and production of curricula, tools, and other products to support SMC & new drug-based chemoprevention interventions and programming. Demonstrated experience to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences through training, mentoring, and other formal and informal methods.
• Experience with program monitoring and evaluation including development of indicators, data collection tools and methodologies, data analysis, and data presentation.
• Experience and skills to represent the REACH Malaria consortia at meetings with donors, government, international NGOs, local partners – faith-based and civil society.
• Understanding of partnership principles.
• Proficient in MS Office packages (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Web Conferencing Applications and strong understanding of information and budget management systems and knowledge-sharing networks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Technical and/or academic publications a plus.
• Experience working on a PMI contract a plus.

Required Languages – English required, and French strongly preferred.

Travel – Must be willing and able to travel up to 30%.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent relationship management skills with ability to influence and get buy-in from people not under direct supervision and to work with individuals in diverse geographical and cultural settings.
• Very strong strategic, analytical, problem-solving and systems thinking skills with capacity to see the big picture and ability to make sound judgment and decisions
• Very strong written and oral communication skills
• Very strong presentation, facilitation, training, mentoring, and coaching skills
• Proactive, resourceful and results-oriented

Agency REDI Competencies (for all CRS Staff):

Agency competencies clarify expected behaviors and attitudes for all staff. When demonstrated, they create an engaging workplace, help staff achieve their best, and help CRS achieve agency goals. These are rooted in the mission, values, and guiding principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and achieve the desired results.

• Personal Accountability – Consistently takes responsibility for one’s own actions.
• Acts with Integrity – Consistently models values aligned with CRS Guiding Principles and mission. Is considered honest.
• Builds and Maintains Trust – Shows consistency between words and actions.
• Collaborates with Others – Works effectively in intercultural and diverse teams.
• Open to Learn – Seeks out experiences that may change perspective or provide an opportunity to learn new things.

Agency Leadership Competencies:

• Lead Change – Continually looks for ways to improve the agency through a culture of agility, openness, and innovation.
• Develops and Recognizes Others – Builds the capacity of staff to reach their full potential and enhance team and agency performance.
• Strategic Mindset – Understands role in translating, communicating, and implementing agency strategy and team priorities.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None

Key Working Relationships:

Internal: REACH Malaria Senior Coordinator and other REACH Malaria staff, Senior Technical Advisor – Malaria Lead, other HQ technical staff, regional offices, country programs

External: REACH Malaria Consortia Partners, USAID and PMI, National Malaria Programs, local organizations, WHO and other UN agencies, constituent of technical working groups

ABOUT US

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding.