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Job Title:  Program Officer – Health Systems Strengthening

Organisation: Makerere University Walter Reed Project (MUWRP)

Duty Station: Luweero, Uganda

About Organisation:

Makerere University Walter Reed Project (MUWRP) is a non-profit biomedical research Organization, whose mission is to mitigate disease threats through quality research, healthcare and disease surveillance. MUWRP was established in 2002 by a Memorandum of Agreement between The Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Inc. (HJF) and Makerere University (Mak) to undertake medical research to test HIV vaccines. Over the years, MUWRP’s portfolio has progressively expanded to include vaccine research for Ebola and Marburg viruses, surveillance of influenza and influenza- like viruses and other emerging infections in humans and animals; also epidemiological, basic and implementation research in HIV treatment, care and prevention programs in the Districts of Kayunga, Mukono, Buvuma and Buikwe.

Job Summary:  The Program Officer – Health Systems Strengthening will support the implementation of HSS activities in the MUWRP PEPFAR program. The Program Officer Health Systems Strengthening, will work closely with other program staff, advisors, Local Government systems, and other partners to embed sustainability mechanisms for HIV service delivery while maintaining linkages with the relevant Government of Uganda ministries, departments and support structures. He/she will be responsible for implementation of Health Systems Strengthening component in close liaison with the Project Management team. The Program Officer Health Systems Strengthening, will support the PEPFAR aided sub-grantees adhere to contract terms and agreements and to closely work with Local Government structures responsible for HSS to increase their engagement in program supervision.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Planning

• Participate in the COP planning process, program workplan and budget development.
• Lead the process of providing technical guidance to sub grantees in the workplan and budgeting process and support all PEPFAR supported sub grantees come up with proper budgets and workplans.
• Work with Finance and logistics departments to ensure all sub grantees receive their contracts before each start of the financial year.

Capacity Building and Technical assistance

• Provide technical leadership and advisory services on Health Systems Strengthening.
• Strengthen capacity and systems for efficient delivery of essential health services, including planning and budgeting and implementation of the PEPFAR targets.
• Promote the development of sub-grantee health systems through a broad range of approaches such as training, mentorship and coaching, supportive supervision, cross leaning etc.

Program implementation

• Support sub grantees to place accurate and timely program requisitions to facilitate timely program implementation.
• Closely work with Local Government (LG) structures responsible for HSS to increase their engagement in program supervision.
• Continuously assess sub grantee needs and recommend additional HSS support that would achieve the project’s objectives, and provide technical support to implement the same
• Ensure sub grantees are familiar with contractual policies and quality delivery of project activities
• Ensure implementation of HSS work plans and achievement of results among all the sub grantees
• Provide regular narrative and milestone reports internal monitoring and donor reporting as required.
• Manage sub grantee, performance management including providing regular feedback

Program monitoring and reporting

• Conduct abrupt and scheduled biannual performance audits for all sub grantees to inform the program on efficiencies, check adherence to contract provisions and provide guidance for contract renewals
• Establish a system that provides for quarterly updates to the PEPFAR program on: PEPFAR HRH deployment, attendance, timely renumeration and absorption to facilitate effective use of personnel.
• Ensure timely reporting of PEPFAR HRH as required by the program
• Conduct routine audits and verification for PEPFAR supported HRH
• Co-ordinate organizational capacity assessment activities with sub-grantees and develop targeted capacity development plans.
• Work closely with other project staff to ensure that project strategies and approaches are delivered in a coherent and coordinated way, work with the district mechanisms in line with project targets.

Resource Mobilization

• Actively identify and follow up on opportunities to leverage support and resources for the project that will contribute to, or further the objectives of the project.
• Participate in grants writing and resource mobilization where necessary

Knowledge sharing and learning

• Identify, document, disseminate, adapt and scale up best practices and innovations in supply chain management for HIV programs.
• Promote a culture of learning within the project and more broadly, proactively documenting and disseminating technical results and lessons amongst all sub-grantees.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Degree in Social Sciences, Public Health or Development Studies from a recognized University
• Experience implementation of an effective sub-recipient monitoring function under the PEPFAR program and provision of technical assistance to sub sub-recipients including local governments.
• Additional training in Project Planning and Management will be an added advantage.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.
• Proficient in interpreting and analyzing diverse data, understand HIV/TB epidemiology
• Ability to work collaboratively and independently to achieve set goals.
• Ability to meet very tight deadlines.
• Excellent knowledge of Uganda’s Health System
• Good understanding of health systems strengthening
• Extensive knowledge on Health Care Financing of the health sector in Uganda
• Knowledge of the Government planning and budgeting cycle
• Ability to engage and build relationships at multiple levels with other partners
• Strong analytical skills and the capacity to think strategically
• Demonstrated ability to develop individual and institutional capacity.
• Ability to permanently reside in Luwero/Nakasongola
• Ability to frequently travel to the MUWRP PEPFAR supported sites in Kayunga, Mukono, Buikwe, Luwero, Nakasongola and Buvuma Islands

How to Apply:

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply online at the link below.

Click Here

Note:

• All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply online by submitting an application letter, resume, copies of academic certificates in a 1 PDF or word document, including three referees (who are not relatives) and one of which should be your current supervisor. Indicate their daytime telephone contacts and email addresses.
• Please specify location preference location
• Any form of canvassing will lead to disqualification
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Deadline: 9th July 2024

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