Position Description:

The position will be based in Maseru, Lesotho. Selection of final applicant is subject to MCC approval. The Project Director will provide overall leadership, management oversight, and technical direction for the project, ensuring that project deliverables are met on time and deliver desired impact. The Project Director will manage the full-time team dedicated to this project, and the draw down of additional short term technical assistance and other external expertise as needed. The Project Director will report to the FHI 360 East and Southern Africa Portfolio Director, Program Management Unit.

This project is implemented as joint venture with another international organization. As such, the Project Director will be responsible for managing and collaborating with the joint venture partner in Lesotho to ensure that the project meets required deliverables in a timely fashion. This will be done through ensuring successful implementation of a one-team approach. The Project Director will be the primary liaison with the funder, the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Gender, Youth, Sports, and Recreation, and other key stakeholders and implementing partners. They will achieve synergy with relevant other national and sub-national level programs and donor funded projects operating within Lesotho. S/He will be expected to identify issues and risks related to program implementation in a timely manner and suggest appropriate program adjustments.

The Project Director will have demonstrated ability to work in complex environments, across different cultures, and manage diverse teams to deliver impact within agreed timelines. The candidate should have experience of working in Lesotho, with technical, supervisory, and management experience in health service delivery of similar scope and scale to this Project. Key to managing MCC awards is the ability to use planning and process-oriented tools and strategies to keep teams focused on tasks and results. The ideal candidate should be able to demonstrate this ability.

Responsibilities include:

• Technical direction
  • Identify gaps and opportunities to achieve improved service delivery, stronger health systems, and more effective approaches to addressing GBV
  • Work closely with the funder, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Gender, Youth, Sports, and Recreation, and other institutional counterparts, to plan project activities in a well-articulated manner
  • Provide technical direction and oversight to the project team, ensuring an integrated vision across components and actors, with a focus on achieving results and client satisfaction
  • Ensure sufficient quality assurance and backstopping is mobilized
  • Oversee technical implementation and ensure project activities are of high technical quality and delivered on time and on budget.
• Management
  • Develop and utilize coordination and planning mechanisms and tools to ensure effective partner collaboration and delivery on the project
  • Provide daily leadership and overall direction of the Project.
  • Lead development of, and manage the annual work plan and budgeting process
  • Provide leadership and management for project subcontractors and consultants
  • Directly manage technical leads overseeing workstreams, including a PHC Lead, a PFM Lead, and a GBV Lead
  • Manage a Director of Operations to oversee project operations, administration, logistics, procurement, budgeting, and financial accounting
  • Oversee technical quality, monitoring, evaluation, reporting, of project implementation
  • Create and maintain an effective project management team; supervise the recruitment, hiring, and supervision of all local staff and consultants.
  • Establish procedures to ensure compliance with MCC requirements, USG rules and regulations, and local government expectations, as well as FHI 360’s policies.
  • Create a positive, enabling, and gender-sensitive working environment
• Relationship management
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• • Serve as the primary liaison with MCC and Government of Lesotho counterparts, and communicate regularly to provide updates and progress reports
  • Build trust and maintain positive relations with Ministry of Health, MGYSR, and other officials to ensure local ownership, buy-in and sustainability of the Project
  • Manage partnerships and relationships and ensure a collaborative and integrated approach across consortium partners
  • Facilitate and foster close collaboration between headquarters-based technical staff, regional management staff, and the project team
  • Represent the project to national and international stakeholders

Required Qualifications:

• A clinical degree and/or a minimum of a Master’s in public health or health management, health policy, or related field from an accredited university;
• Minimum of 12 years of experience in international health programming.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in senior level management and managing large projects, with management, supervisory, and technical responsibility of a similar scope and scale to this project.
• Experience as a Project Director or Chief of Party on comparable donor-funded projects, especially contracts.

• Demonstrated expertise to work collaboratively and positively influence governments, donors, and other implementers.
• Proven experience leading teams and strong communication and capacity building skills
• Strong verbal and written skills in the English language.
• Proven understanding and experience of MCC-funded projects; demonstrated knowledge of MCC rules, regulations, policies, and procedures as they relate to project and program compliance and reporting.

• Familiarity with the health system in Lesotho; strong working relationships at senior levels with the Ministry of Health.
• Experience using human-centered practices and an agile mindset.
• Experience working in sub-Saharan Africa.
• Experience in mentoring technical and non-technical staff.
• Understanding of international public health; background and demonstrated experience in primary health care and health systems.
• Knowledge of current health system strengthening and service delivery reform best practices, and trends relevant to this Activity.
• Demonstrated success in system strengthening efforts that have led to significant, sustained changes at scale. Strong knowledge of, and commitment to, gender and social equity issues in health.
• Demonstrated leadership, effective organizational development, partnership-building, managerial, teambuilding and communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work in complex environments, across different cultures, and manage diverse teams to deliver impact within agreed timelines across a broad geographic area.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills, creative problem solving, and ability to mentor staff required.