Back Health Program Manager

Job Title: Health Program Manager

Location: Sittwe, with at least 25% travel to field sites (subject to field access and COVID-19)

Reports to: Head of Rakhine Programs

Duration: 2 months (with possible extension dependent on performance and funding)

About RI:

Relief International is a leading nonprofit organization working in 20 countries to relieve poverty, ensure well-being and advance dignity. We specialize in fragile settings, responding to natural disasters, humanitarian crises and chronic poverty.

Relief International began work in Myanmar in 2008 and is now supporting conflict-affected communities in Rakhine and Shan States. We combine humanitarian and development approaches to provide immediate services while laying the groundwork for long-term impact. Our signature approach — which we call the RI Way—emphasizes local participation, integration of services, strategic partnerships with a focus on civic skills. We empower communities to find, design and implement solutions that work best for them.

Relief International Myanmar currently employs over 240 national, 7 international staff and operates out of nine offices across the country, with its main office in Yangon. At present, key RI donors include EC, ECHO, USAID, DFID, UNICEF, UNFPA, MHF and LIFT.

Position Summary:

Relief International Myanmar is delivering a suite of humanitarian and health systems strengthening programs across our operational areas, the largest being in Rakhine and Shan States to respond to the humanitarian crisis and to sow the seeds of early recovery. Projects include working in IDP camps and host communities in WASH, Health, and Protection (Child Protection, GBV, and MHPSS); as well as NFI distributions to newly displaced IDPs, early livelihoods recovery and emergency preparedness planning with conflict-affected communities.

The Health Program Manager will provide technical and management oversight for the implementation of all Rakhine health programming across the field offices, acting as the central point for coordination, planning, delivery and monitoring. This role requires excellent liaison and coordination with sectoral Program managers (WASH, Protection, Early Recovery, and Emergency Preparedness) field, regional, HQ technical staff and partners. The Health Program Manager will represent, share information and advocate for Relief International at donor and inter-agency meetings in Rakhine and also at national level, when required.

Position Responsibilities and Duties:

Overview and Management of Rakhine Health Programs

1. Manage quality projects implementation, including allocation of resources and ensuring appropriate controls are maintained at all levels.
2. Ensure quality project implementation through coordination and direct monitoring of project activities to ensure all projects are completed on time, within budget, and achieve their objectives.
3. Ensure that donor rules and regulations and humanitarian standards including cluster guidelines are known and followed by RI teams.
4. Ensure project follows RI Myanmar policy and best practices, especially for community participation, conflict sensitivity and Do NO Harm.
5. Ensure lessons learnt and best practices are documented and disseminated across RI Myanmar and where relevant RI Global.
6. Provide technical support to projects where relevant.
7. Ensure proper budget follow up, projections and budget re-alignments where needed.
8. Ensure quality and timely reports to the donors are prepared and submitted in coordination with the Head of Rakhine Programs and Yangon office.
9. Line management of Health Coordinator who will be responsible for direct management and oversight of their respective activities and teams.

Personnel Management and Capacity Building

1. Oversee the recruitment, management and training of the national health program staff in each field site.
2. Lead capacity building Programs for Rakhine health team through on-the-job training, particularly in areas related to program planning, financial planning and monitoring, procurement planning, record keeping, data analysis and reporting.
3. Support staff management and capacity building as outlined above, with an emphasis on remote management approaches.

External Representation, Coordination, Policy and Advocacy

1. Establish and consolidate relationships with partners, including national and international NGOs, UN/cluster partners, donors and relevant government representatives for improved project implementation and to position Relief International as a credible, effective humanitarian organisation in Myanmar.
2. In close coordination with RI country management members, effectively liaise with donors and other agency representatives related to emergency response and recovery programming.
3. Represent RI at field-level (or Yangon level as needed) humanitarian and development meetings, including donor and inter-agency coordination meetings.
4. Lead on health related policy and advocacy issues, in coordination with the Head of Rakhine Programs and the Head of Health Programs; maintaining timely and accurate information on humanitarian issues such as access, inclusion etc.

Program Planning and Development

1. In close coordination with the Head of Rakhine Programs and Deputy Country Director, maintain effective communications with donors by tracking trends and anticipating the likelihood of funding opportunities.
2. Support Head of Health Technical & Coordination Unit and Deputy Country Director – Program Development in securing new funding opportunities for health Programs, including technical input and proposal and budget development.

Other

1. Provide technical input to RI emergency and disaster preparedness planning.
2. Undertake additional activities as required by RI country team.

Position Requirements:

• Master’s degree in Public Health or health related field;
• Minimum of five years’ field health program experience including at least 3 years of management;
• Experience living overseas and ability to adapt and work comfortably in culturally unfamiliar environments;
• Strong verbal and written skills as well as ability to multi-task effectively;
• Experience working in a complex humanitarian context; preferably in an ethnic conflict environment
• Outstanding interpersonal skills, particularly when dealing with national staff and multi-cultural teams;
• Solid programmatic, financial, and organizational planning skills;
• Excellent oral communication skills and writing ability in English;
• Familiarity with key international standards for humanitarian work (e.g. CP Minimum Standards, SPHERE, HAP Principles);
• Experience managing humanitarian and health systems strengthening programs
• Experience managing multi donor funded programs, i.e. USAID, ECHO, DFID, UN.
• Previous experience in the East or South Asia, preferably Myanmar is an advantage
• Burmese language ability is a plus.

Living Conditions:

Shared housing or hotels in field office sites. Five days of R&R is provided every two months. This post is unaccompanied.

RI Values:

We uphold the Humanitarian Principles: humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and operational independence. We affirmatively engage the most vulnerable communities.

We value:

• Inclusiveness
• Transparency and Accountability
• Agility and Innovation
• Collaboration
• Sustainability