Find World Changing Social Impact Jobs Here

Background

Jacaranda Health, a non-profit organization started in 2011 that works in collaboration with The Ministry of Health to help improve quality of care in public hospitals and reduce maternal and newborn deaths in Kenya. We do this by developing innovations that are high-impact, accessible, financially sustainable and can be implemented at national scale. Our goal is to have these solutions adopted as the national standard of care as we move towards achieving universal health coverage (UHC). In Kenya, we work with 20 counties, with solutions deployed across 800+ hospitals and health centers. At Jacaranda Health, we are committed to addressing systemic inequities in health care by centering our work within the public health system, and driving measurable and sustained impact on the way care is accessed and delivered for those who need it most.

Job Summary

Jacaranda Health is implementing a cross-sectoral strategy that seeks to improve maternal and newborn survival by strengthening the health system to effectively respond to maternal and newborn complications and emergencies across 5 counties in Kenya. 

Jacaranda is sourcing for a Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) Program Manager to oversee the strategic execution and implementation of HSS activities in the MSD/KQE project (Kisii, Kwale and Makueni) and the SDR project (Kakamega and Nakuru)

Location: Nairobi, Kenya, with requirement to travel across the 5 counties frequently

Reports to: Head of Health Systems Strengthening

Preferred start date: December 1, 2023.

Main Responsibilities 

1. Strategic Program Implementation and Execution: 

   • Evaluate the effectiveness of ongoing activities and make necessary realignments or redirections. 

   • Coordinate with partner organizations to ensure their efforts align with the program's objectives. 

   • Oversee reporting processes to capture and convey insights from the field. 

   • Ensure sustainability of HSS vision by integrating programmatic outputs in government structures and aligning with related legislation. 

2. Technical Expert: 

   •  Demonstrate a solid understanding of health system building blocks and their impact on health outcomes. 

   • Apply practical and innovative approaches to address challenges in health financing, supply chain management, and human resource allocation. 

   • Collaborate with government partners to implement interventions aimed at improving health system outcomes. 

   • Stay updated on emerging trends and best practices in the field of health systems strengthening. 

   • Provide technical guidance and support to the team in implementing effective strategies.

3. Inter and Intra Organizational Leadership: 

   • Coordinate and lead the HSS team to execute HSS projects 

   • Foster collaboration among internal teams and external partners 

   •  Manage reporting and communications with internal and external stakeholders on program delivery 

   •  Motivate and inspire independent groups to work together towards a common goal. 

   •  Demonstrate strong leadership skills and the ability to navigate and resolve conflicts. 

1. Data-Driven Decision Maker: 

   •  Utilize data and insights to inform decision-making processes within HSS projects

   • Collect and analyze data from various sources, including qualitative and quantitative data, to derive meaningful insights within HSS projects. 

   • Triangulate information from all project partners and draw meaningful insights. 

   • Communicate data-driven insights effectively to internal teams and external partners. 

   • Use data to evaluate program effectiveness and identify areas for improvement 

2. Any other duties assigned to you by your manager

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

1. Strategic implementation and execution 

   • Timely and effective alignment of organizational objectives, donor requirements, and government priorities. 

   • Demonstration of strategic thinking and ability to ask tough questions, realign activities, and redirect partner organizations when necessary. 

   • Accurate and insightful reporting that captures field insights. 

2. Project Management 

   •  Provision of technical guidance and support to the team. 

   • Adoption of ownership and collaboration in implementing interventions. 

   • Application of practical and innovative approaches to address challenges in project implementation. 

3. Stakeholder Management (Partner relations) 

   • Successful coordination and collaboration with partners and teams to execute complex projects and achieve results. 

   • Demonstrated leadership skills in motivating and inspiring independent groups to achieve a common goal. 

   • Proactive engagement with diverse project partners 

4. Data driven decision making 

   • Utilization of data and insights to inform critical decisions and strategies to enhance maternal and newborn healthcare services.

   • Collection, analysis, and triangulation of qualitative and quantitative data from various sources.

   • Effective communication of data-driven insights to internal teams and external partners. 

5. Team management 

   • Manage any direct reports, performance management including providing regular feedback to achieve project key results (KRs) 

   • Supervise and line manage direct reports providing technical support, and support the implementation of the organization’s HR policies

Requirements 

• Bachelor’s degree in Health Systems, Health Economics/Policy, Public Health, Nursing, Clinical Medicine, or any other health related fields. 

• Project Management Certificate Course in PMP/Prince II and a Master’s degree in a related field will be an added advantage.

• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in health with 3 years at managerial level 

• Demonstrable knowledge of national and county health systems and policy development 

• Knowledge of Maternal and Child Health issues 

• Excellent knowledge of the Kenyan Health System 

• Ability to cultivate, develop and maintain good relationships with county governments

• Possess project management and coordination skills 

• Strong analytical skills and the capacity to think strategically 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google Suite (Word, PowerPoint, excel) 

• Ability to write clear reports, facilitate meetings, trainings, present across different audiences and communicate clearly. 

• Excellent interpersonal and leadership skills 

• Ability to solve complex problems and make tough and strategic decisions. 

• Strategic and results oriented

• Uphold high levels of integrity 

Contract Period

This position is expected to be a contract of 12 months, renewable.

To Apply: Interested candidates should send their applications to jhslcareers@jacarandahealth.org .No hard copies required or accepted.  

Application Deadline

Interested and qualified applicants should submit their applications by 9th November, 2023.