Background:

Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control (EpiC) is an eight-year (2019–2027) global health initiative project funded by President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). EpiC has presence in more than 60 countries and extensive breadth and depth of technical experience.

In Ghana, EpiC has been supporting HIV programming since 2019 and recently expanded to Global Health Security activities since 2023.

Under GHS, EpiC is strengthening global, regional, and local public health systems to effectively prevent, detect, and respond to infectious diseases, building on broad experience and existing capabilities that align with GHS priorities, National Action Plans for Health Security (NAPHS), and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) goals. In Ghana, EpiC will engage, support and provide technical assistance to One Health key stakeholders (animal, human, and environment) and private sector entities and associations to implement a comprehensive suite of strategies at national and prioritized regions/districts in the country in GHS focused areas to build the IHR core capacity required to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases that cause significant mortality, morbidity, and economic loss. This will involve collaboration with appropriate national stakeholders and partners.

Under our HIV funding in Ghana, EpiC provides support to NACP on mental health services in Greater Accra. Furthermore, EpiC has expanded technical assistance (TA) on security to organizations serving men who have sex with men (MSM) and promoting LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion to the PEPFAR care and treatment IP in the Western, Western North and Ahafo regions.

We are seeking to employ a Project Director to lead our EpiC GHS and HIV/AIDS work in our office in Accra, Ghana.

Job Summary:

The Project Director leads the project and is responsible for achieving the project’s vision and strategy, directing the project technical team, and managing critical relationships with national and international partners and other key stakeholders. The Project Director has overall programmatic and fiscal responsibility for the project, including achieving project results, effectively communicating accomplishments, making financial reports, and ensuring compliance with all US government and the organization’s regulations. Plans and directs project schedules and monitors budget/spending. Monitors the project from initiation through delivery. Organizes project(s) activities ensuring completion of the project on schedule and within budget constraints. Selects, develops, and evaluates personnel to ensure the efficient operation of the function. The Project Director will be a strong manager with expertise in public health with an emphasis on GHS or HIV/AIDS, with operational and implementation expertise and deep experience leading USAID programs.

Accountabilities:

• Responsible for creating, promoting, and maintaining safe and equitable work environments for all personnel, including a harassment- and violence-free work culture, and systems for safeguarding project participants.
• Plans, directs, and coordinates activities for designated projects to ensure that goals and objectives are accomplished within prescribed time frame and funding parameters.
• Reviews project proposals and plans to determine scheduling, budget, procedures, staffing, and allotment of resources needed for projects.
• Establishes work plans, project teams, and SOPs to meet project goals and ensure compliance with policies.
• Develops proposals and research sources for funding projects.
• Provides guidance and training to managers and staff to achieve project goals.
• Participates in the strategic development of methods and techniques with executive management.
• Establishes, serves, and maintains partnerships with internal and external stakeholders on project matters.
• Provide leadership to the project team, ensuring clarity over plans and priorities, encouraging effective teamwork.
• Responsible for induction of project staff, ensuring their familiarity with mandate values, quality standards, policies and project objectives and their individual responsibilities in upholding these standards and policies.
• Liaises with donor personnel, including the USAID Mission and ensure the timely and complete submission of all performance reports and responses to donor requests for performance, success stories, and financial information for the program.
• Ensures that all program deliverables are met in a high quality and timely fashion.
• Ensures and oversees a clear technical strategy for the project and guarantees that technical excellence permeates all project activities.
• Provides managerial oversight to ensure compliance with all donor-related organization and program-specific policies and regulations.
• Ensures effective communication across the entire Ghana project with team and relevant stakeholders.
• Participates in international GHS networks, meetings, and select technical working groups as appropriate to represent the project and ensure collaboration with relevant technical work.
• Maintains up to date on GHS and HIV/AIDS best practices and shares them with team members for learning and project enhancements.
• Supports enabling environments for HIV/AIDS programming. Determination of job level is based on combination of primary and secondary criteria (i.e. Revenue, Headcount, and number of Contracts/Sub- Awards and other factors).
• Supports performance management and professional development of direct reports, including ongoing feedback, coaching, and career support.

  Applied Knowledge & Skills:

  • Strong expertise in GHS and HIV/AIDS technical and programmatic areas.
  • Excellent understanding of the process and goals of the International Health Regulations and Joint External Evaluation tool process.
  • Strong skills in GHS and HIV/AIDS program evaluation, improvement, and monitoring.
  • Recent experience disseminating evidence and collaborating with implementation partners to inform evidence-based programming and policies.
  • Demonstrated understanding of evidence-based program scale-up.
  • Comprehensive knowledge of theories, concepts and practices with project management, process development and execution.
  • Excellent and demonstrated project management skills.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills.
  • Strong influencing and negotiation skills.
  • Strong consultative skills.
  • Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills to plan, organize, and manage resources for successful completion of projects.
  • Ability to motivate, influences, and collaborates with others.
  • Ability to build positive local working relationships with local communities, district government officials, UN and where appropriate, donor representatives.

    Problem Solving & Impact:

    • Decisions and actions have a significant impact on management and division operations.
    • Problems encountered are complex and highly varied.
    • Exercises judgment to meet business strategies and develops objectives that align with organizational goals.
    • Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.

      Supervision Given/Received:

      • Sets goals and budgets for projects and leads department in achieving strategic goals.
      • Leads coordination of resources for ongoing projects across business units and addresses/resolves project issues.
      • Reports to Director, Program Management.

        Education:

        • Bachelor's Degree or its International Equivalent • Civil Society, Communication and Social Marketing, Economic Development, Education, the Environment, Gender, Health, Nutrition, Research, Technology and Youth or a Related Fields. Master’s degree preferred.
        • Project Management (PM) Certification preferred.

          Experience:

          • Minimum of 10+ years of relevant experience with projects management principles and practices (including 5+ years of line management experience).
          • Proficient with applicable rules, regulations, and policies associated with international development and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).
          • Demonstrated experience in multi-sector project management and implementation.
          • Demonstrated strategic planning, staff development and capacity building experience.
          • Demonstrated experience in leading and managing complex projects that are strategic in nature and national/international in scope.
          • Must be able to read, write, and speak fluent English. Ability to speak in one or more local languages preferred.
          • Experience working in a non-governmental organization (NGO).

            Physical Demands:

            • Typical office environment.
            • Ability to spend long hours looking at computer screen and doing repetitive work on a keyboard.
            • Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time.
            • Ability to lift/move up to 5 lbs.

              Technology to be Used:

              • Personal Computer/Laptop, Microsoft applications (i.e., Office 365, SharePoint, Skype/Zoom/Teams), cell phone/mobile technology, and standard office equipment.

                Travel Requirements:

                • 10% - 25%

                  This job posting summarizes the main duties of the job. It neither prescribes nor restricts the exact tasks that may be assigned to carry out these duties. This document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment. Management reserves the right to review and revise this document at any time.

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