Pathfinder Overview:

Pathfinder International is driven by the conviction that all people, regardless of where they live, have the right to decide whether and when to have children, to exist free from fear and stigma, and to lead the lives they choose. Since 1957, we have partnered with local governments, communities, and health systems in developing countries to remove barriers to critical sexual and reproductive health services. Together, we expand access to contraception, promote healthy pregnancies, save women’s lives, and stop the spread of new HIV infections, wherever the need is most urgent. Our work ensures millions of women, men, and young people are able to choose their own paths forward.

Position: Family Planning and Reproductive Health Senior Technical Advisor.

Reports: Deputy Technical Director, FP/RH Lead

Location: Preferably  Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cote D’Ivoire, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Niger, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, or the US.

Summary of Role:  

Pathfinder is currently seeking highly motivated applicant to serve as the Family Planning and Reproductive Health (FP/RH) Senior Technical Advisor for the USAID-funded MOMENTUM (Moving Integrated, Quality Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Family Planning and Reproductive Health) Integrated Health Resilience (MIHR) project. MIHR is led by IMA World Health, with Pathfinder International, African Christian Health Associations Platform (ACHAP), Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere (CARE), GOAL USA FUND, and JSI Research and Training Institute. The project seeks to reduce maternal, newborn, and child mortality and morbidity and increase the health resilience of families, communities, and nation states. It also advances global knowledge on strengthening MNCH/FP/RH service delivery and building resilience in fragile settings. MIHR currently works to implement FP/RH projects in Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Niger, South Sudan, and Tanzania

The FP/RH Senior Technical Advisor will have an appropriate balance of relevant technical, project management, capacity strengthening and research experience. The position’s primary focus will be to provide technical expertise in the design, implementation, and/or evaluation of intervention approaches, including adapting existing evidence-based practices, to increase equitable access, demand, quality, and uptake to high-quality FP/RH services for women and men of reproductive age—including adolescents, young parents, couples, and underserved or marginalized populations in fragile settings.

The Senior Technical Advisor (STA) will be a seasoned expert in FP/RH across different supply and demand functions, and across evidence-based practices at all levels of the facility, community, and individual level (self-care). The STA will provide technical direction and assistance on mainstreaming resilience strengthening into FP/RH programming. The STA will also serve as a co-investigator in MIHR FP/RH assessments and research studies and provide teams with information (from the FP/RH industry and beyond) from grey and peer-reviewed to advance project strategies. The STA will have strong USG experience, particularly in implementation of global FP/RH projects, with experience managing core and mission-funded activities.  The STA will also cultivate and manage partnerships with other partners and stakeholders to advance MIHR project objectives and meet results.

The STA will work closely with the MIHR FP/RH Lead to ensure: quality and timely implementation of deliverables within approved budgets; effective and context-sensitive programming through bi-directional technical exchanges between global and country teams, adaptation and continuous learning ; stimulation of new thinking and generation of new approaches and tools to achieve MIHR project objectives and contribute to advancing global knowledge, policy, and practices for programming FP/RH in fragile settings.  Works with the technical team to ensure that evidence-based practices for services and services integration are well documented, evaluated and poised for scale up. As a member of the MIHR technical team, the STA will collaborate with the rest of the project’s technical team (Health Resilience, Social and Behavior Change (SBC), Community Health, Maternal Neonatal and Child Health, Youth and Gender focal points) as well as the monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL) team, and MIHR country teams to ensure effective design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of FP/RH interventions in fragile settings.

Key Responsibilities:

Technical Strategy Leadership: 

• In collaboration with the MIHR FP/RH Lead, provides strategic technical leadership and expertise for the implementation of evidence-based and context-sensitive FP/RH approaches at facility and community levels as well as self-care in fragile settings.
• Contributes to the development of or provision of technical assistance in the global and country-specific approaches, tools and materials supporting tailored approaches for FP/RH programs that strengthen resilience at individual/couple, household, community, and service delivery points.
• Builds on existing tools, and develops or adapts intervention approaches, to ensure the effectiveness, relevance, and scalability on FP/RH interventions.

Program Design and Implementation:

• Alongside the FP/RH Lead, leads the successful programmatic and technical implementation of the FP/RH activities of the project including design, and implementation of activities.
• Supports the monitoring of project progress vis-à-vis expected objectives and ensuring effective usage of resources and compliance with donor requirements.
• Oversee sub grantees/subcontractors ensuring quality implementation of programming and achievement of agreed upon objectives and targets in accordance with established schedules and timelines.
•  Contribute to technical documentation to showcase project achievements for communications materials (e.g., technical briefs, presentations etc.).

Technical Assistance:

• Provides technical assistance to country teams, host-country governments, and local partners by assessing needs and developing FP/RH quality standards, guidance, and policies to ensure that services provided are client-centered and rights-based.

Workplans, Budgets, and Reporting:

• Responsible for developing annual workplan and budgets for activities managed by the STA.

• Reports bi-weekly, quarterly, and annually on activities and results.

Liaison with Key Stakeholders:

• Liaises and coordinates with key stakeholders, including USAID, missions, and international and local partners to play a highly proactive role in repositioning family planning as a preventive health and a socioeconomic development intervention and to share lessons and technical information.

MERL:

• In collaboration with MERL team, serve as a co-investigator in MIHR FP/RH assessments and research studies and provide teams with information (from the FP/RH industry and beyond) from grey and peer-reviewed to advance project strategies.

Required Education and Work Experience:

• Advanced degree in public health, international development, social science, or related discipline with extensive experience in FP/RH.
• Ten (10) years’ experience working in international development, preferably in implementing FP/RH programs in developing countries and experience in fragile settings.
• Fluency in English in oral/reading/writing is required.
• Country Specific Public Health System: Advanced knowledge of public health systems. Mastery of skills as a leader in health and health service delivery strengthening and community health systems in developing countries and proven ability in developing strategic plans.
• Technical Leadership: Proven ability to provide technical leadership and support to the project, government entities, and local partners in the areas of FP/RH. Ability to think creatively and broadly to envision, create and implement a program.
• Family Planning and Reproductive Health Evidence-based Practices: Deep knowledge of family planning and reproductive health evidence-based, practices, tools, indicators, and the latest professional developments in FP/RH. Proven skills in designing, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating development and intervention activities, preferably with USAID.
• Program Operations and Development: Mastery of skills in implementing and managing similar program operations in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and in fragile settings.
• Program and Project Planning and Management: Deep skills in program and project management and planning to fulfill performance objectives, including the timely implementation and reporting of donor-funded program activities. Experience in project and intervention design and FP/RH tool development.
• Leadership: Mastery of skills as a leader in health and health service delivery strengthening in developing countries and proven ability in developing strategic plans.
• Presentation Skills: Ability to make presentations on results and products to small and large groups.
• Community Relations: Advanced skills in facilitating work relationships between partners, government officials, and communities. Ability to provide technical support to country teams and to work effectively with government representatives, donors and other stakeholders.
• Change Leadership: Ability to demonstrate a high degree of flexibility in managing change across a broad group of stakeholders in an inclusive manner.

Preferred Competence and Work Experience:

• Experience with USAID-funded projects.
• Experience living or working in developing countries that aids in understanding of program context, field realities, and technical needs.
• Skills in at least two or more of the following technical areas: strengthening service delivery programs, capacity building, research, and quality improvement.
• Full professional proficiency in French highly preferred. Professional fluency includes the ability to lead and facilitate meetings with native speakers, conduct interviews, and prepare and interpret correspondence and documents.
• Software Applications: Advanced knowledge of MS Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook.
• Communication and Influencing Skills: Proven ability to influence others through diplomacy and proven oral and written communication skills.

Other Information: 

Technology to be Used:

• Uses cellular and office phone, laptop, or desktop computer.

Travel Requirements:

• Travel required (25 % or less)

Application procedure / How to apply:

• Interested applicants are requested to include the contact details for at least 3 references in their resume.
• Please submit your application via this website no later than April 30^th, 2023

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

Pathfinder International provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Safeguarding and Protection

Pathfinder is committed to the safeguarding and protection of the people we serve and our staff. We have zero tolerance for any type of behavior that inflicts harm on children, young people, adults, our staff, and partners including sexual abuse, harassment, bullying, and exploitation. We do everything possible to ensure that we recruit only those who are suitable to work with for us and expect that everyone we hire will abide by our safeguarding and related policies and will report any suspected or known violations. This job is subject to a range of vetting checks as legally permitted in the country where they are being hired. By applying, the job applicant acknowledges they understand our intent to verify suitability to work with us