Governance Advisor at Palladium International

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director Programmes at the Council of Governors (CoG) Secretariat, the HIS Governance Advisor will be responsible for the coordination of the project activities at the CoG Office towards strengthening of health information and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E). S/he will support the CoG to structure its coordination and capacity development assistance to the counties to build vibrant HIS/M&E mechanisms that will promote increased accountability for health investments and decisions.

In consultation with the COG Secretariat, s/he will coordinate national forums for County Executive Committee (CEC) for Health members and Chief Officers of Health, and work with HIS Projects to coordinate the participation of the national Ministry of Health (MoH) and relevant stakeholders, including key government departments and agencies such as the ICT Authority, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, and the Ministry of Devolution, amongst others.

S/he will implement a package of cutting edge leadership development programs through tailored technical assistance in order to elevate the profile and visibility of HIS/M&E units/functions at national and county level. To that extent, s/he will support the Ministry to implement a structured change management plan that will accelerate the implementation of already developed policies, strategic plans, guidelines, standards, and frameworks. S/he will work closely with the Senior HIS Leadership and Governance Advisor, seconded to the DMS?s office and other technical advisors in HIGDA in implementation of project activities.

Responsibilities for the Governance Advisor Job 

• In consultation with CoG secretariat and the Ministry of Health, coordinate invitations for the national forums for CECs for Health, Chief Officers of Health, and all the relevant stakeholders for participation in the organized forums, including HIS ICCs.
• Develop and coordinate a structured county HIS/M&E peer learning agenda anchored upon jointly agreed priorities and focused on sustainability.
• Take lead in the planning and management of national forums for CECs for Health and Chief Officers for Health to harmonize their activities with the priorities adopted at National and County level.
• Serve as primary focal point for tracking progress, receiving and collating feedback, and other HIS/M&E updates from the national forums for CECs for Health and Chief Officers for Health for action by CoGs.
• Work with DivMEHRDI and MOH leadership to develop and implement an annual HIS/M&E awards scheme to incentivize excellence.
• Support resource mobilization activities for HIS/M&E to enable sustainable implementation of resolutions and priorities agreed upon by the forum of CECs for Health and Chief Officers for Health.
• Facilitate the relevant committees of the CoG to lead stakeholder coordination and inter-governmental liaisons within the health sector, constitutional institutions with M&E and planning mandates, and other sectors and county representatives.
• Set up a repository of HIS studies, policies, guidelines, and reports at the CoG, in order to assist in capacity building and sharing knowledge within the membership and with other interested parties.
• Track progress on resolutions and agreed actions and deadlines so that work is completed in a timely manner, deliverables met, and interface created between County HIS/M&E developments and National priorities.
• Provide technical support and coordinate capacity building activities and processes for the relevant committees of the CoG in fostering its oversight role.
• Ensure appropriate representation of the national Ministry of Health, DivMEHRDI, and other USAID funded HIS projects in key health sector events, meetings, and conferences organized by CoG.Remain abreast of current publications, events, and developments in the area of HIS/M&E at county level and ensure that such information is shared with the project, CoG, and MoH.

Qualifications for the Governance Advisor Job

• Masters degree in related field, e.g. MBA, MPH or MSc (Informatics/Biostatistics/Biometry)
• 3+ years? experience in a leadership position for a PEPFAR project
• Experience working directly with MOH at the national and county level
• Post graduate professional qualification in project management and planning
• Demonstrated experience working with key Kenyan health information systems
• Strong written and oral communication skills for high-level policy audiences (writing examples may be required)
• Excellent coordination and information management skills
• Ability to work well under pressure and skilled in change management, crisis management, and problem solving
• Demonstrated ability to manage cohesive team and proven record in effectively managing multidisciplinary partnerships
• Demonstrated leadership, ethics, and sound judgement, both independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrated knowledge of strategic planning methodology and documentation processes
• Ability to develop and maintain relationships with users and various stakeholders (local and international); developed cultural awareness and innovation sense
• Fluency in written and spoken English and Kiswahili