STA Health - Specialist Areas at International Rescue Committee

Job Overview / Summary:

The Senior Technical Adviser (STA) –Health Specialist Areas is responsible for ensuring high quality health technical support for thematic areas to country programs. She/he will manage a team of country support technical specialists including pharmacy, infectious diseases, Immunization/child health, mental health, NCDs and community health/systems strengthening. The STA-Health will work in close collaboration with the Deputy Director for Country Support, STA- Health responsible for country support, STA-Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), STA-Nutrition, STA-Environmental Health, STA-Emergency Health and the M&E Advisor to develop technical norms and standards for country support as well as implement a plan for team capacity development. Working relations with STAs in other technical units will support cross-sector collaboration while maintaining a close working relationship with regional and country program leaders will be important. The STA –Health will ensure close collaboration in cross-sector/cross-department work streams such as the pharma transformation plan, the MHPSS working group, and business development. The STA –Health will also play an important role in donor engagement, advocacy, and IRC representation related to Health programming. 

Major Responsibilities:

• Provide overall leadership for the delivery of specialist technical support to IRC country program staff so that they can design, implement and improve health programs in different areas of work. The STA should ensure that technical assistance aligns to the TA model’s core and important functions and that technical assistance is continuously improving and well-received by regional and country program colleagues, as evidenced in field feedback in biannual surveys. The STA is expected to proactively reach out to country program colleagues to establish strong working relationships and trouble-shoot challenges as needed. With the support of the Health Director-Country Support, the STA will also lead the development of standards, tools and procedures for specialized program support to country health programs.
• Provide necessary management and technical support to the team of specialist TAs, supporting their continuing professional growth and improving their performance.  This involves: clarifying job expectations, setting performance objectives and measurable targets, providing appropriate and timely feedback on performance, including full implementation of the staff performance management process; supporting training/continuing technical education; and leading by example.
• Work towards ensuring IRC’s areas of expertise and thought-leadership such as MHPSS, NCDs, Immunization and child health are supported to improve program quality through continuous improvement of implementation practice and use of data for decision-making at country program level.
• Work with the STA-Health responsible for country support to develop mechanisms and processes for Health TAs from Country Support and Specialist teams to come together for mutually thematic areas. This may involve designating lead TAs for each thematic area and implementing processes that enhance cross-team collaboration, sharing and learning.
• If needed, support specialist TAs during provision of technical support to specific countries including guidance on project/program design, fund-raising, and monitoring and evaluation. Working with each TA, support development of in-country health teams in various specialized areas through training, coaching, mentoring, and other guidance; Work closely with the STA Health responsible for country support to liaise with Deputy Director of Programs on country specific issues.
• Collaborate with STAs from Environmental Health, Emergency Health, SRH, Health (Country Support) and Nutrition Teams as well as the STA-MEAL to ensure technical assistance is seamless and coordinated to each country and region needs. 
• Work with the Health Director –Country Support and other STAs to define and prioritize high-impact interventions and the approach to achieve them, including the tools, partnerships, donor engagement and capacity-building required 
• Work with the STA-MEAL to support the Measurement Unit’s strategy as it applies to health programming and country support. Support development and maintenance of systems for capture of IRC’s work in specialist areas as relevant. 
• Technical leadership and contribution to the development of health unit led project proposals as needed.
• Stand in for Health Director or other colleagues during absences.
• Represent IRC in global partnerships and relevant conferences.

Key Working Relationships: 

• Position Reports to: Health Director-Country Support, Health Unit 
• Directly supervises: Eight specialists Technical Advisors including 2 Pharma Advisors, 3 MHPSS Advisors, one advisor each for Immunization/child health, NCDs, infectious diseases 
• Other Internal contacts: This position requires a collaborative working relationship with other health unit teams, other technical units, Awards Management Unit, Private Fundraising, country programs and regional offices and departments – particularly with other STAs in the health unit and other technical units, Deputy Directors for Programs in country offices and Deputy Regional Directors. 

Job Requirements: 

• Health or other related degree plus MPH or equivalent; 
• At least 8 years public health experience in senior technical and management positions, including provision of remote technical support, with evidence of progressively increasing responsibilities.  Experience should include: at least three years of residence in developing countries; some work in a humanitarian setting (with refugees and/or internally displaced population); 
• Demonstrated expertise in multiple specialized technical areas (e.g., child health, community health, MHPSS, NCDs, epidemics management, etc), strategic areas (e.g., governance, health systems strengthening and research), and program management and fund-raising (e.g., program development, proposal writing, monitoring & evaluation, and management of donor relations).
• Excellent leadership and team management skills - the ability to lead a team, motivate staff and promote productivity, resolve conflict, and contributes to a pleasant work environment.
• Excellent communication skills - the ability to write professional documents, and create and deliver presentations to different audiences: project/program staff, management staff, mature professionals, policy makers, donors etc.
• Solid organizational skills - the ability to be flexible and work well under pressure, dealing with competing priorities, in a fast-paced team environment.
• Professional-level fluency in English; French or Arabic proficiency will be a huge plus.
• Ability to travel approximately 20% of the time.