Technical Manager, Immunization Management Systems and Capacity and Gavi Transition at Clinton Health Access Initiative: (Deadline 14 June 2022)

Technical Manager, Immunization Management Systems and Capacity and Gavi Transition at Clinton Health Access Initiative: (Deadline 14 June 2022)

Overview

The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries, while strengthening the capabilities of governments and the private sector in those countries to create and sustain high-quality health systems that can succeed without our assistance. For more information, please visit: http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org

CHAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to providing an environment of fairness, and mutual respect where all applicants have access to equal employment opportunities. CHAI values diversity and inclusion, and recognizes that our mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people with diverse experience, backgrounds, and culture.

Immunization is one of the most successful public health interventions in history. National immunization programs reach >100 million infants every year and have averted globally two to three million deaths every year since the launch of the Expanded Program for Immunization (EPI). However, despite these successes, 1.5 million children still die each year of vaccine-preventable diseases. Many of these deaths occur in low-income countries, where immunization programs face unprecedented challenges (e.g., access to vaccines and ensuring vaccines reach all targeted people). On the bright side, advances in the development and financing of new vaccines provide great opportunities to tackle diseases and mortality through vaccine prevention.

Since 2010, CHAI has worked to save lives and reduce the burden of vaccine preventable diseases by improving coverage of immunization services in resource-limited settings. CHAI not only strengthens immunization systems but does so with an eye to make them a stronger backbone for primary health care. CHAI achieves this by working to strengthen national immunization programs in >12 countries, by shaping relevant global markets, and by improving the global immunization ecosystem. CHAI’s portfolio includes six complementary strategic goals:

• Improving affordability and supply security of immunization products;
• Accelerating the uptake of new or under-utilized vaccines;
• Enhancing the performance of vaccine cold chain and logistics systems to increase effective immunization coverage;
• Improving the design and implementation of service delivery to reach the unreached;
• Supporting successful transition from Gavi support; and
• Strengthening the management system and capacity of immunization programs

Position Overview

CHAI’s Global Vaccines Delivery team is seeking a dynamic leader to manage two interrelated portfolios: strengthening the management systems and capacity of national immunization programs to increase coverage and equity of vaccination in focus countries, and supporting governments to plan for and manage transition from Gavi funding towards sustainable immunization financing. The Technical Manager, Immunization Management Systems and Capacity & Gavi Transition (MSC & GTR) will lead a small team to provide strategic and implementation support to focus countries, and influence global practices on immunization financing and MSC. This is an opportunity to join a fast paced, energized, matrixed team focused on implementing lasting, transformational impact in the global vaccines delivery space.

Responsibilities

As part of the Global Vaccines Delivery team, and in collaboration with a small team of direct reports, and country and program leadership, the position will: (i) drive program and grant management, (ii) lead CHAI’s vaccines program in the area of MSC and sustainable financing for immunization, (iii) provide strategic and programmatic support for the design and implementation of work in focus countries, and (iv) improve national and global immunization practices and policies. The Manager’s work will help to achieve and sustain immunization program outcomes, and will also serve as a blueprint to identify powerful interventions to improve health systems which could be adapted for other primary health care programs.

1) Drive MSC & GTR program and grant management, in collaboration with program and country leadership

• Develop, support and manage a team of ~3 Associates on the MSC & GTR sub-team, to drive team effectiveness and engagement across the portfolio
• Support development of program-wide and country-specific objectives, strategies and milestones to implement the MSC & GTR portfolio
• In collaboration with country teams and Regional Managers, regularly assess progress against program objectives in areas of focus
• Help prepare high-quality briefings for donors and CHAI management, including achievements to date, key risks and opportunities, and action plans going forward; effectively manage donor relationships

2) Lead CHAI’s vaccines strategy in the area of MSC and sustainable immunization financing, in collaboration with program and country leadership

• Lead CHAI’s forward looking strategy and provide strategic direction and thought leadership related to MSC & GTR both at global and country level, to increase CHAI’s effectiveness and impact
• Support fundraising and grant development in line with CHAI’s strategy, both at country and global level
• Foster horizontal collaboration between Global Vaccine Delivery sub-teams to ensure MSC & GTR interventions are leveraged to support other CHAI’s vaccine delivery objectives (e.g. improving vaccine cold chain and supply chain, supporting service delivery at the last mile, leveraging immunization to support primary health care strengthening etc.); put in place appropriate mechanisms to ensure cross-fertilization across these objectives

3) Provide strategic and programmatic leadership for the design and implementation of work in focus countries to dramatically and sustainably improve immunization management performance and financing, in collaboration with direct reports and Regional Managers

• Support ramp up of new workstreams and new focus countries, and strengthen capabilities of existing programs, leveraging institutional knowledge from CHAI
• Contribute to the design, planning and implementation of high-impact work with country teams to transform management and financing systems in CHAI focus countries, including through
• Supporting governments to address and resource equity priorities
• Strengthening national and subnational data driven performance management systems
• Strengthening national and subnational planning and coordination processes to expand the reach and quality of immunization and other primary health care services
• Improving immunization financing, resource mobilization and sustainability, in particular for countries in Gavi transition
• Demonstrate impact and support countries to plan for scale and sustainability of high-impact work, including transition of successful practices to national government leadership

4) Improve national and global practices and policies related to MSC & GTR, in collaboration with direct reports and program leadership

• Develop productive relationships with key stakeholders (e.g., WHO, Gavi, BMGF, UNICEF, PATH, JSI, Sabin) and foster effective exchange of know-how with partners
• Become a respected and trusted thought leader in this area of focus within CHAI and within the global immunization community
• Disseminate CHAI’s programmatic insights into the global immunization community and inform global policies and country practices beyond CHAI focus countries, including through global working groups

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (Masters-level or above preferred) in a relevant field
• Minimum 7 years of work experience in a fast-paced, demanding environment
• Exceptional Technical, Program and People Management, including:
  • Proven team management skills with demonstrated ability to develop, coach, and mentor people as well as to drive motivation and achievement of ambitious goals and targets
  • Demonstrated project management skills, including end-to-end strategic design and implementation
  • Ability to manage multiple complex workstreams/tasks/priorities in a high-pressure, ambiguous, and often changing environment
• Excellent Strategic Thinking and Problem Solving:
  • Outstanding problem-solving, strategic thinking and analytical skills
  • Ability to design, drive and adapt long term strategies across various complex and ambiguous (country) settings
  • Developed strategic perspective with a simultaneous ability to focus on the details
• Excellent Communication and Relationship Management:
  • Excellent communicator: both written and verbal
  • Ability to deliver clear, compelling syntheses, actionable recommendations, and decisions to a broad range of audiences
  • Excellent inter-personal skills, with ability to work effectively in a multi-cultural and often remote environment
  • Proven track record of developing, maintaining and strengthening effective working relationships remotely
• Team Culture + Leadership:
  • Entrepreneurial and result-oriented mindset, including ability to work independently, self-motivate
  • Ability to propose, implement and achieve new initiatives and ambitious targets
  • Strong commitment to CHAI’s and the team’s mission; dedicated team player
  • Ability to travel extensively (at least 35% of time) to focus countries and other locations as needed for work.

Advantages:

• Knowledge of vaccines, health systems strengthening, and/or health financing
• Experience in a top tier management or consulting firm
• Experience working with government and in developing countries
• Professional proficiency in a second language of a vaccine program country