Palladium International – Program Director

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Project Overview and Role:

Funded under the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) through a cooperative agreement with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Palladium Development and Consultancy Kenya Ltd (Palladium Kenya) is implementing a 5-year project to support the Kenya Ministry of Health, county governments, and healthcare service delivery partners to implement technological innovations in health information systems. Palladium Kenya is a subsidiary of the Palladium Group of companies.

Position Summary:  Program Director

 The Program Director will be the point of contact for the project with all external stakeholders. The role holder will develop and continuously improve the project’s delivery strategies, ensure the project delivers on its technical mandate and oversee the operational aspects of the program such as governance, internal controls, and risk management. He will also be responsible for business development, and sustainability.

Location: 

The position is based in Palladium Kenya office, Nairobi. 

Reporting: 

The Program Director will report to the Kenya Country Representative, with accountability and dotted line to the Palladium Kenya Board of Directors.

 Primary Duties and Responsibilities: 

• Maintain regular communication with CDC, NASCOP, MOH and other external stakeholders such as implementing partners.
  
• Articulate and communicate the project’s vision to the KeHMIS project team, Kenya counterparts, other US Government Cooperating Agencies, and other relevant project organizations.
  
• Prepare and deliver formal and informal project-related presentations upon request by CDC, or as needed for other parties.
  
• Promote the project among GOK/Ministry and country department heads, professional groups, and other relevant parties.
  
• Represent the project in best-practice knowledge-sharing forums and through special studies that document lessons learned.
  
• In collaboration with the MOH, donors, and other stakeholders develop the informatics strategy and guiding principles for health systems strengthening efforts under the project.
  
• Provide oversight, regulation, and high-level coordination across multiple projects including setting appropriate policies, procedures, and standards for effective HIS development and deployment.
  
• Ensure the effective execution and management of a portfolio of projects in alignment with industry standards and practices including risk management and mitigation.
  
• Ensure that the organizational structure, staffing skill sets, and culture are aligned to achieve the objectives of the project.
  
• Lead the team towards the development of appropriate and innovative health sector technologies, institute effective capacity strengthening approaches, develop an effective data analytics and data use strategy, and annual project work plans, and monitor implementation of project activities as planned.
  
• Provide intellectual leadership, technical input, and management support to all project technical assignments.
  
• Oversee the preparation of regular periodic reports to CDC on progress towards project objectives.
  
• Oversee the preparation of documents related to the cooperative agreement in line with the CDC guidelines.
  
• Ensure that Palladium hiring policies and procedures are adhered to during the recruitment and hiring of staff and consultants.
  
• Oversee project staff performance, including conducting annual performance reviews.
  
• Directly manage and mentor the Deputy Program Director, the Finance and Admin Manager, and KeHMIS III Sub-Awardees.
  
• Oversee management of onboarding and termination of staff, ensuring that all CDC and Palladium policies and regulations are adhered to.
  
• Ensure that all project-related contracts are developed and executed in compliance with CDC and Palladium policies and procedures.
  
• Oversee management of all project contract finances (budget and funds) and has overall responsibility for donor reporting on both technical deliverable and financials.
  
• Oversee management of commodity procurements, inventory, and general logistics.
  
• Conduct regular meetings with the project team as a vehicle for monitoring progress and providing leadership to project staff.
  
• Lead bidding for new projects, annual continuation applications, and other business development efforts.
  
• Lead the sustainable business agenda for the program.
  
• Any other duties attributable to the office of the program director.

Required Qualifications:

Mandatory:

• Degree in a relevant discipline or equivalent (e.g. Medicine, Management Information Systems, Health Informatics).
  
• Public health academic or fellowship training (e.g., MPH, FELTP, epidemiology, health informatics, behavioral science, etc.) is strongly preferred.
  
• 10+ years of experience in public health program management, health governance, health information systems strengthening, monitoring and evaluation, health informatics or other field related to international health programs are required.
  
• Strong reputation and relationships with MoH and/or PEPFAR stakeholders/beneficiaries required.
  
• An in-depth understanding of, and ability to effectively function in the Kenya political, cultural, and social landscape.
  
• Previous experience as a Chief of Party/Deputy Chief of Party/ Program Director/ Deputy Program Director /Team Leader of a comparable multi-dimensional, HIS donor project.
  
• Professional and diplomatic demeanor and conduct, especially during interactions with the client and its constituents.
  
• Experience working with CDC and/or USAID, and their implementing partners is required.
  
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
  
• Fluent written and spoken English and Swahili required.
  

Preferred:

• Health informatics experience: Demonstrated experience managing HIS projects or programs of similar scope and magnitude.
  
• Experience/Familiarity with HIV, TB, and disease surveillance programs in Kenya.
  
• Familiarity with Kenya’s digital health policy environment, digital health landscape, data management policies and guidelines.
  
• A capacity builder: Experience in building institutional, local technical, management, and leadership capacity.
  
• Be results oriented: Knows how to design and successfully implement, monitor, and disseminate results, adapting as needed to achieve the greatest impact.
  
• A responsive manager: Able to motivate staff to perform effectively toward project objectives.
  
• A strategist and an innovator: Demonstrated creative and innovative problem solver with a strong interest in private-sector approaches to development and a proven ability to produce results.
  
• A motivator: Have the ability to re-energize a team and steer them towards high productivity..
  
• A collaborator: Demonstrated success in collaboration and coordination across sister projects, partners, and sectors.
  
• Analytical: Demonstrated problem-solving, analytic, financial, and evaluative skills.
  
• Agility: Ability to anticipate, respond, and adapt quickly to changing requirements and competing demands.
  
• Autonomy: Ability to take initiative and/or respond independently to situations.
  
• Diligence: Attention to detail and ability to effectively and efficiently perform multiple tasks and balance competing priorities often within a required timeframe.

 Company Overview:

About Palladium – Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact – the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value.  We work with governments, businesses, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing challenges. With a team of more than 3,000 employees operating in 90 plus countries and a global network of over 35,000 experts, we help improve economies, societies and, most importantly, people’s lives.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion – Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.

Should you require any adjustments or accommodations to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.

Safeguarding – We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse.  All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.

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