Helen Keller
JOB ANNOUNCEMENT
Senior Program Manager, NTDs
(Flexible location; NYC preferred. All staff currently working from home due to pandemic)
Helen Keller International is a global health organization dedicated to eliminating preventable vision loss, malnutrition and diseases of poverty. Cofounded by Helen Keller – and guided by her fierce optimism and belief in human potential – the organization delivers life-changing health solutions to vulnerable families where the need is great but access to care is limited. In the US, Africa, and Asia, Helen Keller’s proven, science-based programs empower people to create opportunities in their own lives and build lasting change.
Background
Helen Keller has established itself as a leader in integrated Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) control efforts at the national, regional and global levels. The overarching approach guiding Helen Keller’s NTD programs involves supporting the delivery of preventive chemotherapy at national scale, monitoring and evaluating program progress toward global control and elimination goals, supporting morbidity management to address trichiasis, hydrocele and lymphedema, and promotion of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) efforts through behavior change communication and school health programming.
Helen Keller is seeking a Senior Program Manager to join a dynamic global NTD Team to lead a multi-country program portfolio funded primarily by FHI 360 through USAID, and the Conrad N Hilton Foundation.
Please note that Helen Keller’s offices are closed due to the ongoing pandemic and that all NTD staff are working remotely until the office reopens. Helen Keller commits to accommodate our employees during this unprecedented time, via remote work and flexible scheduling, as needed, as well as to our duty of care and ensuring appropriate health and safety measures are followed as staff return to the workplace.
Functional Relationships
Reporting to the Associate Director, NTDs, the Senior Program Manager will work closely with all members of the global team overseeing and backstopping multi-country projects including program technical experts and program management, finance and compliance staff. The Senior Program Manager directly supervises a Program Associate and co-supervises senior country office project staff within the assigned portfolio.
The Senior Program Manager will be a key liaison with donors and partners and will be required to participate in senior level discussion and strategic meetings regarding the management of the assigned portfolio of Act | West and Hilton Foundation programs.
Helen Keller has a matrixed reporting structure that respects both the line management and authority within country office and global management hierarchies; and the accountability and oversight duties of the many subject matter experts, such as those on this project team, that support our country offices. Regular communication and a spirit of teamwork among colleagues, both hierarchically and laterally are essential to make this structure thrive.
Scope of the Position
The Senior Program Manager’s main responsibilities are to work closely with country office management staff to provide authoritative programmatic and operational guidance in the preparation of work plans, budgets, donor reports, success stories, and day-to-day monitoring and evaluation of program progress against set objectives, and supervision of US-based program staff for the assigned portfolio. S/he will provide technical guidance to programs and provide guidance for the preparation of scientific abstracts and peer-reviewed publications.
As a senior member of the NTD team, the position will also provide mentoring to members of the global NTD Program Team, which oversees programs across the Africa region and serves as a technical resource for the control and elimination of NTDs to the organization.
The position is based in the US and normally requires approximately 20% domestic and international travel for the purpose of monitoring & evaluation, quality assurance, planning meetings, and trainings; for meetings with donors and implementing partners; and to attend global scientific and technical meetings, as required. (Please note the Global NTD Program team is not currently traveling due to the COVID-19 pandemic).
Specific Responsibilities
• Provide high-quality technical assistance to country offices on the development of annual work plans, budgets, donor reports, and other key program deliverables.
• Provide expertise to co-lead and guide the planning, implementation and monitoring of activities by country offices implementing projects for assigned portfolio.
• Guide implementation teams to achieve high-quality program deliverables and ensure they meet donor requirements and are fully compliant with USAID rules and regulations.
• Manage the operational components of program delivery, coordinating with internal finance and operations teams and the country office teams to deliver high-quality subawards and milestones, providing remote and in-country technical guidance and management to ensure program activities, reporting, and budgets are technically and operationally sound.
• Pro-actively engage with internal and external NTD subject matter experts to solicit timely support to ensure quality implementation of programs.
• Develop and/or backstop country office-led research and evaluation activities, as well as the preparation of meeting abstracts and scientific journal articles.
• Work with Associate Director and M&E teams on strategic quality improvement initiatives within the portfolio and actively monitor progress.
• Meet with donor and implementing partners and represent Helen Keller in international meetings.
• Provide direct supervision to the Program Associate assigned to the portfolio and support and guidance to other staff serving the projects. Coordinate closely with the Program Finance manager, as needed, to ensure strong coordination in carrying out relevant activities related to high quality program implementation.
• Mentor, supervise and evaluate direct report(s) and contribute to an atmosphere conducive to professional growth and development.
• Consult with and guide staff to achieve goals and ensure accountability to beneficiaries, partners, colleagues and donors by providing ongoing feedback in a context of mutual respect.
• Advise and guide country offices on best practices for implementation of NTD program activities, including specialized evaluations to measure the impact of program activities on various indicators.
• Work with the External Relations department and/or the Business Development unit to assist country offices with the development of proposals, briefs, and success stories to be shared with internal and external audiences.
• Independently develop documents for review by team, and act as peer editor for colleagues.
• Train in-country staff and partners on programmatic and operational management of NTD programs and monitoring and evaluation practices. Participate in review of training materials and processes.
• Collaborate with local and global colleagues to suggest strategic topics for operational research and play an active role in the writing and editing of articles for submission to peer-reviewed publications.
Qualifications
• Master’s Degree in public health plus at least 8 years of relevant work experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience in quantitative/qualitative analysis, program monitoring and evaluation, creating and monitoring budgets and knowledge of financial processes.
• Experience working overseas and in NTD program implementation is required; knowledge of the Africa region and of USAID rules and regulations is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated understanding of the synergy between the programmatic, operational, and financial components of public health initiatives.
• Experience working with a range of in-country partners, including USAID missions, government, implementing partners and local organizations.
• Oral and written proficiency in English and French is required.
• Ability and willingness to work under pressure with a positive attitude, as a part of a dynamic global team.
• Demonstrated ability to build capacity of internal and external colleagues, including ability to communicate effectively across cultures including:
o asking for information in a way that is clear and specific
o conducting high-quality one-on-one and group trainings for field office staff and in-country partners
o interacting with internal and external colleagues that are located in various time zones
• Ability to prioritize workload, assume responsibility for work, and follow tasks through to completion.
• Ability to perform duties that require close attention to detail and synthesize large amounts of information simultaneously.
• Highly computer literate with knowledge of Microsoft software products, including strong Excel skills, required; use of data analysis software is preferred.
• Direct staff management experience preferred.
How to apply:
To Apply
Qualified candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to hki.recruitment@hki.org Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.
In the spirit of our founder and namesake, Helen Keller is dedicated to building an inclusive workforce where diversity is fully valued.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer where all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If you are a qualified individual with a disability and need to request an accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at the email above or call: +1 646-356-1789.