Project Director at Maryland Global Initiatives Corporation

The University of Maryland Baltimore with funding from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) will conduct the Zambia National Population HIV Impact Assessment (ZAMPHIA 2020).

ZAMPHIA 2020 will assess progress towards achievement of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets on national and subnational levels.    The data will be used to focus HIV services and resources to the areas of greatest need and help move Zambia closer to HIV epidemic control.

The University of Maryland Baltimore affiliate, Maryland Global Initiatives Corporation Zambia (MGIC Zambia) is currently inviting applications from interested persons, who meet the minimum requirements to apply to the key positions advertised. Project Duration is scheduled for eighteen (18) months and successful candidates will be offered employment for that period.

Project Director

The Project Director (PD) will provide overall programmatic, technical leadership, and managerial oversight for ZAMPHIA2020.  The PD will lead the team and be in charge of the technical aspects of the survey to ensure that the project achieves its objectives and targets through effective management and collaboration with Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health (MOH), and other key stakeholders and partners and provide on ground leadership for the project. This position is based in Lusaka. The PD will report to the Principal investigator and the University of Maryland Zambia country director.

Primary responsibilities:

• Providing leadership to implement strategic plan for optimal use of human, financial and physical resources for day-to-day operations of the project to achieve project milestones.
• Coordinate and supervise project implementation and ensure that the project meets stated goals and reporting requirements within acceptable stipulated timelines
• Direct and monitor implementation of activities within the work plan, ensuring that activities are effectively implemented, performed to a high professional standard, and fulfill donor and the organization’s requirements.
• Supervise senior management team; technical, laboratory, and administrative staff and subcontracting organizations
• Manages, develops and  monitors, work plans and budgets; ensures appropriate levels of technical assistance in program operations;
• Engage and coordinates with all key national  and sub-national stakeholders and partners to ensure smooth running and implementation of the survey
• Oversees administration of the project including management of the ZAMPHIA secretariat/office.
• Serve as primary liaison/focal point of contact with CDC, the Zambian government, project stakeholders, and counterparts in the public and private sectors
• He/She will be responsible for providing timely updates to the funder on key progress made during implementation of the survey.
• He/She will be responsible for submission of routine monitoring survey reports.

Qualifications:

• Doctoral degree or a Master’s degree with 10 years of experience in public health, medicine or related discipline
• Minimum of 8 years of recent, relevant development experience in designing, implementing, and managing CDC-funded or other donor-funded health programs of similar size, scope, and complexity
• Working knowledge of other technical areas such as TB, HIV, Preventions and Community Health
• Demonstrated expertise working in a leadership capacity in a similar role  with international donors, senior government officials and policymakers on a donor-funded project in Zambia
• Proven success in implementing a population based HIV impact Assessment programs, and strong technical knowledge of HIV/AIDS, health, health systems strengthening and quality improvement/quality assurance
• Proven ability to collaborate with National and sub national  government stakeholders, international donors, and local partners;
• Track record of building local partners’ capacity
• Proven experience managing large and complex surveys with  capacity using data to inform decision making on multi-complex prevention public health programs
• Experience working with multidisciplinary teams in developing countries, with emphasis on HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment programs.
• Ability to incorporate quality improvement strategies into all facets of the project especially around data management and field implementation
• Strong experience in survey implementation, data management, data use and knowledge sharing
• Conversant with CDC reporting cycles and formats
• Demonstrated skills in the technical side of program implementation
• Management experience in organizational capacity development, knowledge management, and management of group dynamics and high-performing teams
• Excellent oral and written organizational skills
• Knowledge of the Zambian health system