Technical Advisor II - 4Children Technical Director, Lesotho

Dept/Location: SARO/Lesotho

Band: D

FLSA: Exempt

Reports To: Head of Programs

About CRS:

Catholic Relief Services (CRS) carries out the commitment of the Bishops of the United States to assist the poor and vulnerable overseas. Our Catholic identity is at the heart of our mission and operations. We welcome as a part of our staff and as partners people of all faiths and secular traditions who share our values and our commitment to serving those in need.

Summary/Background:

The Coordinating Comprehensive Care for Children (4Children) is a 5 year, CRS-led USAID initiative to improve the health and wellbeing of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) affected by HIV and AIDS and other adversities. Under this multi-country program, CRS and its consortium and resource partners provide technical and thought leadership to USAID on issues related to OVC, child protection, and systems strengthening. Capacity building and systems strengthening are at the core of 4Children.

In Lesotho, the 4Children program is an implementing partner for the DREAMS initiative. With over 80 percent of new HIV infections among adolescents in the hardest hit countries occurring in girls, the U.S. Department of State, through PEPFAR, is partnering with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the Nike Foundation on a $210 million partnership called DREAMS. The goal of the partnership is to help girls develop into Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe (DREAMS) women. Under DREAMS, CRS will focus on social asset building, parenting/caregiver programmes, combination socioeconomic approaches, and leveraging government educational subsidies and cash grants.

The 4Children Lesotho Technical Director, with extensive expertise in OVC programming, HIV and PEPFAR programs, will serve as the technical lead for the 4Children and DREAMS projects in Lesotho, ensuring implementation of the program in line with PEPFAR priorities and in coordination with technical advisors and partners. S/he will ensure the DREAMS project contributes strategically and sustainably to ongoing OVC and HIV programming interventions supported by PEPFAR, other donors, and the local government and identify new opportunities for the 4Children consortium to contribute expertise in Lesotho. The Technical Director will ensure representation of the project and close ongoing collaboration with PEPFAR implementing partners and other OVC and HIV partners nationally. The Technical Director will supervise the DREAMS project manager and three Technical Officers (Parenting/Caregiving; Social Asset Building; and Savings and Internal Lending Communities) providing oversight for DREAMS project execution.

Technical Representation

· Act as primary program contact to the donor and other local and international stakeholders regarding 4Children and DREAMS technical matters.

· Develop and maintain linkages with the government, organizations and projects that can support project activities, with a particular focus on other USAID and PEPFAR-funded projects

· Identify new opportunities for CRS to collaborate with other implementing partners and/or engage in HIV and OVC work in Lesotho to further the impact of DREAMS and 4Children

· Represent the project to local stakeholders and in technical forums

· Support implementing partners to coordinate with government officials

· Facilitate periodic partner, supervisors and other stakeholder meetings focusing on technical implementation, quality and learning

· Regularly update key stakeholders, including 4Children staff and CRS/Lesotho senior management, on progress and challenges.

Program Quality

• Works as part of the CRS Global Health and Social Services team to strengthen advancement of CRS’ health signature program area by contributing to technical capacity building and innovation in OVC and HIV programs targeting adolescent girls and young women.
• Keep abreast of key developments in HIV programming targeting adolescent girls and provide thought leadership in OVC and HIV programming for adolescent girls both within Lesotho and to other CRS country programs implementing 4Children activities.
• Ensure project objectives and results are accomplished and meet expected technical quality standards and that research and learning continues to inform project implementation.
• Conceptualize and communicate programmatic approaches to staff, implementing partners, and key stakeholders, setting forth a vision and plans for achieving project objectives.
• Ensure overall technical quality by promoting adherence to technical standards, best practices and donor guidelines. (e.g. participate in start-up assessments, partner hiring and curriculum adaptations).
• Assess the six implementing partner’s technical capacity; set appropriate performance targets ensuring adherence to technical standard and best practices; develop and implement capacity strengthening plans and establish systems and tools for continuous quality improvement in coordination with the Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) team
• Provide capacity strengthening to implementing partners through trainings, workshops, facilitated group interactions as well as regular communication via email, telephone and site visits.
• Ensure high quality facilitation of training and systematic post-training supportive supervision and mentoring to implementing partner staff.
• Identify external technical support needs; develop Scopes of Work/Terms of Reference and Coordinate with consultants, TDYers, 4Children and other H.Q./Regional support staff
• In coordination of Partner Project managers, support partner recruitment and training for programmatic positions

· Perform technical monitoring with partners, parenting agents and SILC supervisors/Field Agents

· Ensure an effective, coordinated and harmonized approach across implementing partners

· Analyze data; translate them into management decisions to improve the program

· Model and reinforce with others a commitment to quality programming.

Documentation, Learning and Reporting

• Ensure the project has a strong learning agenda, and champion learning with project staff and partner teams; promote a culture of learning within the technical team and the broader project.
• Identify project learning opportunities; work with the MEAL team to develop learning action plans, operations research and other learning opportunities.
• Document project results and impacts in various forms, including media stories, lessons learned, case studies, client satisfaction, etc.
• Ensure the project adapts based on learning and best practices
• Strategically disseminate project results to a range of audiences, including preparing abstracts and presentations to share in technical forums and international conferences.
• Ensure Field supervisors, partners and Technical Officers submit timely, complete and accurate reports
• Ensure a culture of accountability and learning through regular monitoring to project sites, providing oversight of studies and assessments and proper documentation of tools and promising practices to contribute to learning and building the evidence around household graduation, transition and economic strengthening.
• Use collaborative and structured evaluation processes to review data, reach agreement about findings, and apply learning and recommendations.
• Prepare short success stories and briefs on innovation/best practices and project learning (including failures).

Staff Management and Development:

• Supervise one Program Manager and the three Technical Officers, providing coaching, technical assistance and leadership
• Ensure development/performance plans and annual reviews are completed for staff
• Continuously support the professional development of the DREAMS team by providing clear orientation, feedback and learning opportunities
• Ensure Technical Officers and PM are adhering to their own workplans to ensure proper implementation
• Build technical officer capacity in technical assistance and quality monitoring

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff): These are rooted in the mission, values, and principles of CRS and used by each staff member to fulfill his or her responsibilities and to achieve the desired results.

• Serves with Integrity
• Models Stewardship
• Cultivates Constructive Relationships
• Promotes Learning

Supervisory Responsibilities: DREAM Project Manager, 3 technical project officers, TDYers and consultants.

Key Working Relationships: Internal: 4Children leadership and technical advisors; Lesotho Programming, Finance, Procurement, and HR/Admin teams.

External: USAID Lesotho HIV/AIDS Prevention Specialist; CDC M&E Specialist; other DREAMS implementing partners JHPIEGO and PSI; Other PEPFAR implementers including URC, MSH, Baylor; Ministries of Health and Education.

Personal/Professional Skills:

· Demonstrated experience in training design, delivery and mentoring in subject matter relevant to this position (parenting, social asset building, economic strengthening)

· Strong interpersonal, communication and organizational skills as well as good judgment and vision.

· Strong written and verbal communication skills.

· Sound coordination skills and a demonstrated ability to multi-task.

· Demonstrated proactive leadership ability, as well as supervisory and personnel management experience.

· Demonstrates diplomacy, flexibility, and resourcefulness.

· Strong critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills.

· Ability to work effectively in diverse environments and under pressure

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in a Healthcare field, Social Work, Public Health, International Development, or a related field.
• 10 years of experience in programs targeting orphans and vulnerable children and/or adolescent girls; experience with parenting/care giver programs, socioeconomic approaches and/or cash grants strongly preferred.
• Previous PEPFAR project experience highly valued.
• Experience with institutional strengthening and partnership building helpful.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook; experience with DATIM and/or a statistical software a plus.
• Familiarity with Lesotho is a plus.

Language: English fluency, proficiency in Sesotho a plus

Travel: Frequent travel (30-40%) in Maseru and Berea districts (including rural areas). Occasional international travel (approximately 10%).

Disclaimer: This job description is not an exhaustive list of the skill, effort, duties, and responsibilities associated with the position.

*CRS’ talent acquisition procedures reflect our commitment to protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation.
*EOE

HOW TO APPLY:

Apply online: https://www5.apply2jobs.com/CRS/ProfExt/index.cfm?fuseaction=mExternal.s...