Team Leader, GAVI DSI At International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee’s mission is to help people whose lives and livelihoods are shattered by conflict and disaster to survive, recover, and gain control of their future. Founded over 80 years ago, the IRC is a leading humanitarian and development organization with presence in more than 40 countries. Across contexts, the IRC is committed to delivering innovative, high-impact programs tailored to the needs of communities affected by crisis.

Position Summary:

IRC is seeking a Team Leader for an anticipated GAVI-funded 3-year global project to find low-cost Demand -Side Incentives (DSI) approaches that: Increase vaccination coverage and reduce the number of zero-dose children; Reach poor children and those living in isolated areas or facing other challenges accessing services; Improve timeliness of immunization; Improve the knowledge and attitudes of caregivers towards immunization.

The Team Leader will be responsible for ensuring that the proposed project is implemented in accordance with the terms of the GAVI award (awarding mechanism to be determined), GAVI regulations, and internationally recognized quality of assistance standards. The Team Leader will work closely with IRC country program, regional, and HQ leadership to ensure that the project is implemented in accordance with IRC policies and principles.

In addition, the Team Leader will be the primary representational link with GAVI staff for the Activity and will liaise with the Mission to provide project updates, discuss strategies, obstacles, performance plans, and progress against targets. The Team Leader will liaise with GAVI agreement/contracting officers, technical support staff, partner organizations, outside contractors, and implementers of other GAVI-funded initiatives as required. The Team Leader will represent the project to all key stakeholders, government officials, and donors at coordination fora and other related meetings and will ensure that project initiatives achieve the expected results.

The position will be global, location TBC. Recruitment is contingent upon successful award of the project, and selection of final applicant is subject to GAVI approval. The project is anticipated to begin in April 2023.

Job Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic and administrative leadership and direction, define and implement activities to achieve the greatest impact toward project goals and objectives.

• Oversee technical direction and project delivery to ensure activities are in line with the performance framework and meet all standard operational policies and procedures.

• Oversee development, review, and monitoring of yearly work plans, project strategy documents, implementation measures, knowledge management, and sustainability efforts to ensure long- and short-term impact goals are achieved.

• Manage consortium partnerships and maintain collaborative partner relations, ensuring that all partners are aware of the project’s expectations and are actively involved in achieving the objectives while using the project management tools developed or adapted for the consortium.

• Support the Deputy Team Leader in managing partners and providing financial and operations support that optimizes resources through sound budgets, consistent financial tracking, and timely submission of reports to the donor.

• Report to GAVI through both formal and informal debriefings, annual and semi-annual reports, ensuring timely submission of high-quality content.

• Maintain active and cooperative relationships with all key stakeholders, including government officials, project partners, other implementing agencies, and related institutions.

• Represent the project and the organization in national, regional, and international fora, including technical conferences and policy briefings, and share information about project achievements and lessons learned within the organization and wider development community.

• Support project staff by creating and maintaining a work environment that promotes teamwork, trust, mutual respect, and empowers staff to take responsibility.

Requirements:

• Advanced degree (MA) from an accredited university in public health, global health, international development, or related field; equivalent experience may be substituted for graduate degree.

• Minimum of 12 years of experience in similar public health intervention activities, and experience managing complex international donor-funded development activities in challenging environments

• Minimum of 10 years of project management with previous experience as Team Leader, Chief of Party, Project Director, Deputy Team Leader, Deputy Chief of Party, of institutional donor funded programs.

• Experience working in fragile contexts on health programming, including immunizations, health financing, improving quality of and access to care, and Demand Side Incentives (DSI), including conditional and/or unconditional cash transfers.

• Proven experience in administrative and financial management for large projects and significant knowledge of GAVI compliance, rules and regulations

• Proven experience in developing and maintaining strong and effective partnerships.

• Strong negotiation skills and the ability to develop relations with local counterparts, donors, and other stakeholders.

• Substantial experience managing diverse sub-grantees/sub-contractors, including INGO, NGO, local FBO and private sector actors.

• Demonstrated innovation and success in staff capacity-building and in participatory, flexible, and gender-sensitive programming and implementation.

• Strong communication skills, both oral and written.

• Fluency in English required.

Standards of professional conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, Equality and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others