Vacancy Announcement

Job title:   Director of Policy and Partnerships, PIH Sierra Leone – International only

Work Location: Freetown, Sierra Leone with significant in-country travel (up to 35%)

Department: Policy & Partnerships

Reports to: Executive Director-Sierra Leone

Line Management Yes – multiple direct reports

Application Status External

Organisation Profile 

Partners In Health (PIH) is an international health organization relentlessly committed to improving the health of the poor and marginalized. PIH partners with local governments to build local capacity and works closely with impoverished communities to deliver high-quality health care, address the root causes of illness, train providers, advance research, and advocate for global policy change. Our delivered services in the field are based in our partnership with the Governments and Ministries of Health and the support to education, training and mentorship to Health care workers and students is one of our pillars for the Health care system strengthening.




PIH currently has implementation programs in Haiti, Rwanda, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Peru, Mexico, Russia, Sierra Leone and Navajo Nation. Through our partnership with Harvard Medical School and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, we support a wide range of programs in dozens of other countries around the world.

Our Work In Sierra Leone:

Partners In Health (PIH) began supporting the government of Sierra Leone in response to the Ebola epidemic in October 2014. Recognizing the large need for continued investments in the health system after Ebola, PIH is committed to long-term health system strengthening in support of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS), guided by the same principles as our emergency response and our work around the world: public sector accompaniment, integrated and comprehensive services, social justice, nimbleness and flexibility, partnership, community ownership, and evidence-based interventions. In the aftermath of the epidemic, PIH is committed to supporting the delivery of comprehensive health services in Sierra Leone, from the community level to the health center and to referral hospitals.

Position OverviewPartners in Health-Sierra Leone (PIH-SL) seeks a dynamic professional to lead resource mobilization, grant management and compliance, program strategy, policy and advocacy for a growing organization with a budget in excess of $25M and over 600 staff. The Director of Policy and Partnership is a critical leadership role that will work to strengthen PIH’s relationships with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, key donors, implementing and technical partners in order to expand PIH’s impact in the near term and position the public health space for continued growth and impact in the medium to long-term. This person will work closely with the Executive Director to develop organizational strategy, ensure program and strategy alignment and identify and pursue new partnership opportunities as PIH-SL has become one of the leading health actors in the country. The person will oversee the successful completion of bids together with partner NGOs, start-up of new programs, and management of ongoing programs in partnership with the Chief Medical Officer. The person will manage the international Grants Manager, Partnerships Specialist and Health Policy Advisor, and supports the Chief Medical Officer and the clinical leadership team in the recruitment, oversight and management of staff for major PIH programs. S/he will also be the Sierra Leone focal point working closely with cross-site teams in Policy & Partnerships, Development and Grants Management & Compliance.Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

Business Development

• Under the leadership of the Executive Director & Director of Government Relations identify, evaluate, and steward partnership opportunities that will strengthen PIH’s capacity to achieve our mission in Sierra Leone and enable new funding opportunities
• Represent PIH in on-going large public sector consortium bid efforts and start up of new programs
• Manage and cultivate existing relationships with funders to secure and expand recurring revenue streams with the aim of maintaining a consistent, robust fundraising pipeline
• Ensure high quality proposals and communication with donors to speak credibly to the work of PIH and build momentum for partnerships and funding
• Manage in-country components of proposal development process, including liaising with program managers, finance and Boston development team on budget and narrative development in partnership with the Partnerships Specialist
• Draft concept notes, program briefs and other materials for potential funders and review concepts developed by the Partnerships Specialist
• Assess alignment, viability, and competitiveness of potential funding opportunities in partnership with program leads and Senior Management Team
• Serve as the primary focal person for development inquiries by Boston development teams and support/triage to other team members as required

Grant Management & Compliance 

• Oversee Grants Manager in pre-award and post-award processes, including;
  • Pre-award negotiations, preparation of grant agreements, and finalization of grant budgets in partnership with Finance and Legal teams
  • Monitoring grants reporting and ensure high quality reports to donors, grant compliance, and successful achievement of grant targets
• Ensure strong collaboration and communication between grants management team and program teams
• Lead communication and negotiations with donor focal persons, directly for in-country donors, and in partnership with Boston-based development colleagues
• Oversee production of all donor reporting (narrative, financial, MEQ) by Partnerships Specialist, program teams, Grants team and MEQ team, acting as final reviewer for all documents prior submission
• Understand donor compliance requirements and ensure requirements are being met
• Working closely with Operations, HR and Finance teams to put in place new policies, procedures and processes as needed, as well as trainings, to ensure compliance with donor requirements
• Manage partnerships with sub-grantees and ensure partners successfully enhance program impact

Policy & Advocacy 

• Oversee overall positioning and representation of PIH-Sierra Leone with our most important partner – the Ministry of Health and Sanitation of Sierra Leone – as part of our long-term mission to strengthen the health system in Sierra Leone
• Provide technical and coordination assistance in key policy areas as required– especially HIV/TB, CHWs, NCD’s/Mental Health, Clinical & Academic Training, HSS and RMNCH through direct work with MOHS, representing PIH in key fora, oversight of the Health Policy Advisor and cooperation with the Director of Government Relations (HIV/TB/Malaria) who is also CCM Chair
• Coordinate or lead policy analyses to assess the application of leading evidence as well as equity assessments to help advocate for improved pro-poor policies
• With Health Policy Advisor, Executive Director and Director of Government Relations for HIV/TB/Malaria, contribute to GoSL policy and program development through participation in working groups and technical advising, and coordinate with PIH technical experts in areas of key interest to MOHS to provide inputs to technical processes

NGO Partner Relations 

• Work with the Executive Director to maintain strong relationships with partner organizations for collaboration, information-sharing, and joint advocacy
• Support teams in formalizing and managing programmatic partnerships, including consortium building for funding resources
• Build strong relationships with all key partners through transparency, flexibility and mutual respect. Ensure PIH is entering into partnerships with humility and generosity of spirit.
• Maintain a consistent presence in all relevant partner forums to ensure maximum coordination with other NGOs, including Health NGOs and Health Development Partners group
• Conduct regular active outreach to key partners and build relationships with their leadership

Strategic Planning & Management

• Directly oversee multiple direct reports, conducting weekly-check ins, scoping work, provide support and coaching, and help to ensure alignment across the full team’s efforts.
• Build a cohesive and unified P&P team with room for growth and support in building the team vision, annual planning and priorities, and develop growth pathways for team members
• Identify opportunities for PIH to leverage cross-program strengths to take advantage of new opportunities and/or to address organizational challenges
• Provide budget oversight and management for organization-wide budget in partnership with Director of Finance and Executive Director, including monitoring fundraising pipeline and active award expenditures to optimize spending and enable flexibility
• Actively participate in setting the strategic direction of the organization as a member of the Senior Management Team.

Prevention of Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and HarassmentAt Partners In Health, we are committed to ensuring that those who benefit from our work- including our patients, families and community members – as well as our staff are treated with dignity and respect and protected from sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment. A range of pre-employment checks will be undertaken in conformity with Partners In Health’s PSEAH policy. Partner In Health will request information from applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.  By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment procedures.Education and Work Experience Requirements 

ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

• 7+ years relevant experience
• Prior experience working in Sub-Saharan Africa (or comparable setting), including in working with Ministries of Health and Sanitation and implementing programs by high-compliance public sector donors
• Highly comfortable interacting with senior stakeholders at all levels including government and donor partners, with strong track record representing organization externally
• Understanding of public and private sector funding landscape and experience securing funding through public/philanthropic sector solicited or unsolicited opportunities
• Excellent technical writing skills with track record in writing proposals, concept notes, technical documents and reports
• Strong program management and time management skills; highly organized and detail-oriented
• Basic Excel skills and ability to review budgets and understand financial processes

ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES AND BEHAVIOURS

• Articulate and diplomatic with ability to build credibility with external partners effectively
• Demonstrated strong analytical, leadership, and problem solving skills, including a strong action and solutions-oriented nature
• Proven ability to build relationships with a range of stakeholders and drive immediate results, and to manage staff from diverse backgrounds including across cultures
• Ability to work independently and effectively in high-pressure, fast-paced environment and handle multiple tasks simultaneously
• Ability to navigate ambiguity effectively and move from ad-hoc and reactive processes to forward-thinking organizational practices
• Ability to work with humility and achieve results
• Passion for PIH’s mission and demonstrated commitment to social justice and human rights
• Willingness to learn about PIH’s unique operating model and vision for global health and excited to bring the best established practices in grants management and compliance to PIH
• Willingness to embrace PIH’s comprehensive, facility-focused, long-term model for health systems strengthening and organization structure that differs from classic project-based organizational models

STRONGLY PREFERRED EXPERIENCE 

• Masters of Public Health or similar technical background
• Strong experience in developing strategy and designing programs in unstructured environments
• Prior experience with World Bank, FCDO, USAID, Global Affairs Canada or key philanthropic sector partners
• Prior experience in Sierra Leone
• Prior experience working in a fast-paced deliverable-focused environment (e.g., donor agency, private sector, fast-growing organization, business development roles)
• Strong experience in financial management and budgeting
• Strong experience in compliance and continuous improvement of processes and systems for better compliance

Social Justice

We are a global health and social justice organization that responds to the moral imperative to provide high-quality health care globally to those who need it most. We strive to ease suffering by placing patients at the center of all care, bringing the benefits of modern medicine to all.

Method of application

Interested candidates are required to apply through our website: www.pih.org/employment.

In your application, please ensure to include names, addresses, email addresses and telephone numbers of three (3) referees. This position will be open until a suitable candidate is recruited.