Programme Manager at Genesis Analytics

ROLE DESCRIPTION:

• Genesis Health is recruiting a Program Manager for a Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (B&MGF) funded initiative known as Sycona. Sycona is the research-to-action arm of the South-to-South HIV Prevention Learning Network (SSLN). The initiative aims to facilitate learning and application of best practice for HIV prevention programmes in 15 African countries and to support research utilisation in two of these. 
• This program will work with key country stakeholders, including national level implementing partners – who can be empowered to apply best practice and research to implementation design and implementation; government and donor organisations in the countries – who can enable the environment for adaptation; and local research institutions - to conceptualise research and evaluate programs and country progress. 

The program objectives are to: 

• Support countries to accurately identify their specific capacity development needs and technical assistance requirements for an effective HIV prevention response.
• Synthesise and disseminate HIV prevention research and best practice to inform key HIV prevention stakeholders in-country, in a way which supports uptake and use.
• Mentor country stakeholders to become champions for HIV facilitated learning, and hence address key gaps and practically apply best practice for optimised program implementation.
• Inform more targeted country strategies and funding proposals for HIV prevention with HIV.
• Identify further critical questions for optimising HIV prevention programming that can be supported by research utilisation in two countries.
• Support cross-country sharing of best practice and joint problem solving for key barriers and bottlenecks experienced by country HIV program implementers. 
• The Program Manager will play a critical role in overseeing and coordinating the successful planning, execution, and delivery of the program. They will lead cross-functional teams, collaborate with stakeholders, and drive continuous improvement to ensure the achievement of program objectives while adhering to the budget and timelines. The ideal candidate possesses strong leadership, communication, and organizational skills and has excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities.

Requirements

KEY REQUIREMENTS & ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support the Program Director with the day-day operations of the grant, including program planning and strategy, resource management, risk and issue management and stakeholder management through facilitation of the country engagements and the dissemination of activities.
• Work closely with the SSLN Program Manager and team to support seamless integration of both programs.
• Lead, manage, motivate and develop program operations and finance staff, encouraging their commitment to program objectives, and meeting their personal development needs.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with key stakeholders, including those at global, regional and country level.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate program risks to minimize potential impact on project timelines and deliverables. Implement contingency plans as needed to ensure successful program outcomes.
• Implement quality control measures to ensure that deliverables meet the required standards and adhere to the project's scope.
• Ensure sound financial management, working with the program’s finance and compliance leads to manage programmatic budgeting, spending, forecasting and reporting.
• Continuously identify process inefficiencies and opportunities for improvement within the program, working with the Knowledge Manager and SSLN Program Manager to implement best practices and foster a culture of continuous learning across the two programs.

EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, EXPERIENCE AND PERSONAL COMPETENCIES: 

• Minimum 5+ years of professional experience; 2-3 years’ experience in a similar role within grant and programme management.
• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.
• Experience working with and implementing donor-funded programmes preferably in the health sector; familiarity with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation would be an advantage.
• Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire and lead cross-functional teams.
• Experience working across sub-Saharan Africa.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making abilities, coupled with a results-oriented mindset.
• Financial and operational management experience for successful programme delivery.
• Excellent writing, presentation and interpersonal communication skills.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is required, business proficiency in French/Portuguese is an asset.