Technical Program Officer at miraclefeet

Technical Program Officer

MiracleFeet is a global nonprofit working to eliminate a leading cause of physical disability worldwide. Over two million children live with the severe consequences of a treatable birth defect known as clubfoot, and 175,000 more babies are born with it every year. Thanks to a non-surgical solution called the Ponseti Method, 95% of cases can be fully treated for less than USD$500. Since 2010, MiracleFeet has scaled this proven, low-cost treatment to 29 countries (and growing) where children previously had limited or no access to care.

The MiracleFeet model emphasizes integration of clubfoot services in the primary health care system with a focus on workforce development, service delivery and implementation of best practices for quality clubfoot treatment and programming, including the use of digital tools and other innovative solutions. As MiracleFeet continues to grow and attract more high-level institutional funding, including US government funds, the technical expertise needed to push interventions and best practices in service delivery and workforce development continue to grow.

Summary

The technical team was recently created at MiracleFeet to ensure the technical and methodological soundness of organizational strategic plans and country activity plans and to champion the adoption of more effective and efficient practices to achieve service delivery outcomes with respect to intensified early detection and referral, treatment quality, and treatment adherence. The team will focus on three core areas of programs: 1) clinical training; 2) treatment excellence; and 3) applied research & learning. The Technical Program Officer (TPO) will support and coordinate initiatives related to improving clinical quality and promote the adoption of clinical best practices across MiracleFeet’s programs through a range of project management, technical, and administrative tasks. Specifically, the TPO will support the Technical Director in implementing strategic initiatives in workforce development, including pre-service, in-service training and mentoring; the sharing and implementation of best practices in clubfoot treatment to improve service delivery for all MiracleFeet programs; and the prioritization and oversight of any medical or clinical research projects or case studies.

This position reports to the Technical Director and works closely with all members of the programs team (both at headquarters and in the field). This is a full-time, exempt position based out of MiracleFeet’s Chapel Hill, NC office. Remote-based applicants will be considered. Applicants outside of the United States will also be considered under consultancy conditions which differ from the terms of employment outlined in this job description.

Essential Functions

Technical support and quality assurance

• Maintain strong relationships with Programs Staff and global program partners, to collaboratively identify needs for technical assistance and develop plans for culturally and clinically sound interventions.
• Provide technical assistance to MiracleFeet’s reporting and planning cycles, including:
  • Participate in program quarterly reviews and assist the Program Management team in the development and implementation of initiatives to improve clinical outcomes.
  • Collaborate with the Program Management team to ensure that annual program planning aligns with the goal of achieving clinical Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
  • Participate in the development of work plans for technical initiatives, including accompanying budgets and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) plans.
• Support new business development by contributing to the development of technical strategies and writing technical and management inputs for proposals.
• Represent MiracleFeet at internal and external meetings, giving technical presentations and status updates on project activities.
• Nurture relationships with key technical partnerships and alliances and support the growth the organization’s network of strategic partners.
• Liaise with MiracleFeet’s Medical Advisory Board to consider clinical changes, decisions or strategies that affect treatment

Administration & Project Management

• Facilitate technical working group meetings and activities with consultants and/or partners, and support the groups in achieving its deliverables.
• Ensure that implementation of technical assistance functions smoothly and efficiently, and that appropriate coordination occurs with HQ and relevant partners (including financial management, developing contracts and arranging payment of consultants, procurement of training supplies, liaising with vendors, etc.),
• Support the preparation, review, editing, and dissemination of project-related reports and documents, including subcontract scopes of work, country strategies, progress updates, curricula, and other documents and reports.
• Assist in developing and reviewing technical documents and reports through writing, editing, proofreading, and data analysis.
• Provide project management and technical inputs for research projects or case studies that MiracleFeet might undertake alone or as part of other networks/consortiums

Research, Learning and Knowledge Management

• Share insights and promote continuous learning within the organization through sharing of project learning and results with appropriate teams or our in-country partners.
• Document successes, lessons learned and challenges in implementation of workforce development and service delivery and provide inputs in these areas for program for both internal and external audiences, including donors, and implementing partners
• Develop and maintain an inventory of evidence-based training materials, standards, and curricula needed to meet the technical/clinical needs of programs
• Identify opportunities to share MiracleFeet’s programmatic activities at conferences and support the preparation and submission of abstracts and presentations
• Ensure that necessary staff, partners, and stakeholders (both at HQ and in-country) are included in sharing of information and knowledge and that the flow of information is multi-directional. Ensure that project technical products are shared through platforms including SharePoint, Slack, and Dropbox.

Note: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed by the individual in this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of the position. Employees may have other duties assigned at any time.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in managing and implementing public health or international development projects. Advanced degree preferred.
• Clinical degree in a rehabilitation profession (physical or occupational therapy), nursing, or equivalent technical experience in clubfoot, physical rehabilitation, disability or condition-specific interventions (preferred)
• Must be able to read, write and speak fluent English
• Ability to travel internationally as needed, including to low- and middle-income countries approximately four times per year

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent project management skills
• Experience with US Government, specifically USAID, contracts or grants a plus
• Previous living, working, or long-term volunteer experience in a low-resource setting outside the United States
• Experience conducting qualitative and quantitative research
• Excellent verbal, written interpersonal and presentation skills in English and working knowledge of at least one language spoken in MiracleFeet programs
• Excels at operating in a fast paced, collaborative environment
• Politically-savvy and culturally competent: skilled in diplomacy and relationship-building, sensitive to cultural norms and expectations
• Flexible to the needs of the organization and the challenges often faced when working in low- and middle-income countries
• Able to organize one’s time and work autonomously
• Proactive, creative, and takes initiative
• Attention to detail

Salary/Benefits

• Salary commensurate with experience
• Health insurance provided
• Three weeks of vacation per year
• Optional dental and vision insurance
• 401K plan available; employer match offered
• Life insurance and disability insurance provided