This position is based in the Sedibeng District, Gauteng Province, South Africa. To be considered for this position candidates must have legal authority to live and work in South Africa.
PATH is an international, nonprofit organization that creates sustainable, culturally relevant solutions, enabling communities worldwide to break longstanding cycles of poor health. PATH's mission is to improve the health of people around the world by advancing technologies, strengthening systems, and encouraging healthy behaviors. PATH’s Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition Program (MCHN) works to apply effective, innovative approaches to broadening access to and use of key maternal and child health and nutrition interventions that address the most pressing causes of maternal and child deaths, poor health, and poor nutritional status.
PATH seeks a District Project Manager for a 5-year maternal child health and development project. This project will focus on improving the health and development of children less than two years old in the Sedibeng district, Gauteng Province in South Africa. Using a participatory approach aimed at building community ownership and capacity, the project will work in partnership with local health and social services department cadres providing child health and development services, as well as with nongovernmental and community-based organizations.
The District Project Manager (DPM) will have responsibility for the successful management and implementation of the project in the District. S/he will guide a team of technical and administrative staff and ensure that district-level project deliverables are met in a manner that is consistent with the project’s vision and strategy. The DPM will, under the guidance of the PATH South Africa Project Manager, represent the project in partner relationships with local government, contractors and civil society within the district and will provide technical oversight. The DPM will work, and lead his/her technical and administrative team, in collaboration with the South Africa project team, district and provincial officials, and partner NGOs. The DPM will report to the South Africa Project Manager. Duties and responsibilities include:
Leadership and Management
- Act as the district representative of the project’s work with provincial and district leaders, and other stakeholders..
- Supervise teams of district based technical and administrative staff, assuring that systems and policies are observed, PATH financial accountability is maintained, and PATH and donor requirements are adhered to.
- Work closely with the project leadership team in the selection and contracting of NGO partners within the district.
- Monitor and coordinate the work of subcontractors and partners within the district.
- With support and direction from the project leadership team in Johannesburg, recruit and maintain a high functioning, motivated district project team.
- Manage the activities, prioritization and assignment of work to the district project staff and work with these staff in identifying opportunities and avenues for advancing their professional performance.
- Ensure clear and timely reporting to, and communication with, the South Africa Project Manager, Project Director, and core project management team regarding issues, opportunities, or concerns arising from the project.
- Model clear, open, and collaborative communication approaches with staff and partners in the context of the project.
- Ensure that plans and reports are developed and submitted to the Project Manager and the Senior PADM in the Johannesburg office in a timely manner.
- Provide additional MCHN technical and management assistance as requested in the district with the support from her team leader
Achieving Results
- Ensure annual work plans and budgets are developed, implemented, and monitored in accordance with PATH requirements and the project terms of reference.
- Ensure that district technical activities are undertaken in a manner consistent with the annual work plans and budgets. Track and monitor activities, identify problems early and initiate timely resolution.
- Oversee the development and implementation of partner capacity building activities in the district, in conjunction with relevant technical staff and capacity building partners.
- Under the guidance of the Project M&E Officer, oversee the development and implementation of the project monitoring and evaluation systems within the district, including project indicators and outputs.
- Together with the project management team, identify and nurture strategic linkages between the project and other PATH staff, projects, or programs in the district.
- Identify opportunities for strategic engagement with other organizations to promote the sustainability, scaling up and leveraging of project activities.
- Advocate for inclusion of PATH agenda on Maternal and Child Health in existing district forums
The District Project Manager must be a results-oriented health and management professional with an enthusiastic commitment to PATH’s mission and demonstrated management experience in implementing multi-level interventions for health. The DPM will have proven ability to represent the project to district stakeholders and partners and the public. Candidates must have legal authorization to work in South Africa to be considered for this position. International relocation and work permits will not be provided.
Skills should include:
- Ability to organize and prioritize work and to meet deadlines within a flexible, fast-paced environment with multiple and competing demands.
- Demonstrated ability to manage milestone-based projects within budget and timeline constraints.
- Enthusiasm for building the capacity of local groups and communities to respond to public health challenges.
- Excellent interpersonal, leadership, and negotiation skills with a demonstrated capacity to solve problems with energy, flexibility, attention to detail and a positive attitude.
- Strong English oral and written communication skills. Ability to communicate in the most common language of Sedibeng District, Gauteng required.
- Willingness to travel regularly to other district project sites and to Johannesburg as needed.
Masters degree (or equivalent experience) in relevant discipline (e.g., public health, health administration, international development, health systems management, health policy). Minimum 5 years managing health and development projects in resource poor settings. Demonstrated district based program implementation experience. Experience working with district and provincial health officials. Progressively responsible managerial roles required with multi-disciplinary (e.g., program and financial management, monitoring and evaluation) teams.
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