Program Directors at Options Consultancy Services Limited

Options is seeking a Deputy Program Director to provide leadership for the anticipated UK aid-funded programme focused on strengthening global health security in Africa. This is an expected project role contingent upon contract award.

Responsibilities: 

• Programme delivery, and oversight – support the development of programme strategy and promote a coordinated and cohesive approach to its implementation.  
• Support the Program Director in key stakeholder relationships, ensuring optimal partnerships with other implementing partners and government and non-government institutions.  
• Provide guidance to teams to facilitate planning and budgeting exercises and oversee systems for the implementation of work plans and monitoring and evaluation.  
• Provide support to quality assurance for internal and external technical and financing reporting and support effective communications and dissemination strategies.  

Person specification: 

• Extensive experience (10yrs +) in successfully delivering health security programming across Africa.
• Knowledge and experience in international health regulations, disease preparedness, anti-microbial resistance, one health and whole of government approaches.
• Experience providing technical, strategic and management oversight to large donor funded health programmes and/or organizations. Specifically, expertise and experience of working in Africa, with strong partnerships with key health security organisations and agencies including WHO Afro, African Union, Africa CDC and relevant government ministries and implementing partners.
• Experience and a track record of successful leadership and management of teams based in multiple locations. Previous experience working in a large team of highly skilled, multidisciplinary staff to leverage joint management support, and empowering team members to deliver high-quality work.
• Strong external liaison and negotiation skills with experience in fostering partnerships between government and other stakeholders, including at global, regional, national and sub-national level, to improve health security.
• Experience engaging closely with and/or managing partner organizations, including large consortium management.
• Experience in contracts (including payment by results) and contracting; supports compliance requirements and excellent financial management skills.
• A postgraduate qualification in public health, or related discipline.
• Excellent written and spoken English is essential

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Options is seeking a Program Director to provide leadership for the anticipated UK aid funded programme focused on strengthening global health security in Africa. This is an expected project role contingent upon contract award.

Responsibilities: 

• Programme delivery, and oversight - oversee programme strategies, technical approaches, workplans, risk management, and budgets. Ensure the programme delivers against its theory of change, is informed by the latest evidence and technical thinking and achieves its intended results.
• Technical leadership in health security – provide technical and strategic leadership, drawing on relevant global health security approaches and frameworks, to ensure that technical advice and interventions are delivered to the highest standards. The Program Director will need to draw on effective approaches to prevention, detection and response to public health threats and develop a coherent approach to health system strengthening in multiple geographies and levels. The Program Director is expected to directly provide technical advice on various aspects of delivery and ensure quality assurance of work delivered across the programme team.
• Client, government and partner relations - be the primary liaison with the donor, represent the programme on behalf of Options and ensure close collaboration with relevant local, national and international stakeholders including WHO Afro, African Union etc. 
• Effective learning and evidence to improve ongoing implementation - take a leading role in disseminating lessons, successes, tools and approaches with internal and external stakeholders, particularly government ministries, WHO Afro, African Union, Regional Economic Committees, the Africa CDC and other agencies active in global health security. 

Person specification: 

• Post-graduate qualification or degree in public health or related discipline
• Extensive and proven experience providing technical, strategic and programme management oversight to similar donor funded health programmes and/or organizations.
• Extensive experience and record of delivering health security programming in Africa.
• In-depth knowledge of IHR, disease preparedness, anti-microbial resistance, one health and whole of government approaches.
• Experience in fostering relationships with key health security partners at global, regional and country level, including WHO Afro, Africa CDC, relevant government ministries and implementing partners.
• Significant experience and a track record of successful leadership and management of teams based in multiple locations. Previous experience leading a large team of highly skilled, multidisciplinary staff to leverage joint management support, and empowering team members to deliver high quality work.
• Experience managing teams in high risk environments (desirable)
• Experience engaging closely with and/or managing partner organizations, including large consortium management
• Experience in risk management and mitigation and safeguarding in a programme context.
• Experience in leading the delivery of 1) complex, multi-country programmes; 2) high-value programmes >£50m; 3) FCDO programmes
• Experience in managing contracts (including payment by results) and contracting; supporting compliance requirements and excellent financial management skills.
• Ability to travel to sub–Saharan Africa extensively.