Technical Advisor I

Job Code: TECH31014

Job Family: Technical

Compensation Band: M

FLSA: Exempt

Job Summary:

FHI 360 is a nonprofit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in Health, Education, Nutrition, Environment, Economic Development, Civil Society, Gender, Youth, Research and Technology; creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today’s interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 60 countries, all 50 U.S. states and all U.S. territories.

EpiC is an eight-year global project funded by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). In addition, the project receives Global Health Security (GHS) funding to strengthen global, regional, and local public health systems to effectively prevent, detect, and respond to infectious diseases, building on broad experience and existing capabilities that align with GHS priorities, National Action Plans for Health Security (NAPHS), and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) goals. In Liberia, EpiC will engage, support, and provide technical assistance to Human Health stakeholders to implement a comprehensive suite of strategies at national and USAID prioritized counties/sub national levels in the country in GHS focused areas to build the IHR core capacity required to prevent, detect, and respond to emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases that cause significant mortality, morbidity, and economic loss.

Reporting to the Project Director, the Technical Advisor provides technical leadership on EpiC Liberia project activities. Establishes and continually refines technical frameworks, approaches, tools, and activities for EpiC Liberia project. Identifies specialized partnership needs, engages qualified partners to ensure technical performance. Monitors all technical aspects of the EpiC project from initiation through delivery. Ensures completion of project technical deliverables are on schedule and within budget constraints. Selects, develops and evaluates personnel to ensure technical objectives are met. Contributes project experience and learning to global thought leadership initiatives in specific area of technical specialization. The Technical Advisor will be a recognized technical leader in GHS with operational and implementation expertise and deep experience working on USAID programs.

Accountabilities:

Technical Requirements:

• Provide technical leadership in Global Health Security activities.
• Works on problems of moderate to complex scope that require evaluation of variable factors. Demonstrates good judgment in selecting methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for

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obtaining solutions, with some supervision.

• Networks with key internal personnel
• Performs other duties as assigned

Project Design Implementation:

• With technical oversight, provide technical leadership in design, development, planning, implementation; and capacity- building of specific technical components of projects Creates technical portion of the project plan, within the given resource and financial constraints.
• Leads the day to day technical and operational activities of assigned projects Track delivery of project outputs.
• Monitors staff members’ LOE (Level of Effort) needs to ensure adequate coverage of resources.
• Coordinates requests from CO (Country Office) for technical assistance
• Leads the design, development, planning, and implementation of global level innovative technical strategies.
• Maintains a constructive dialogue and technical exchange with field counterparts and technical staff members of implementing partners.
• Develops tools for the design and implementation of specific technical components Ensures technical implementation is consistent with best practices in the industry / subject and meet client / funder contractual obligations for of one or more large functional areas May supervise junior technical staff members, sub-contractors, and others implementing technical project work.
• Functions at the advisor capacity with oversight of technical project administrative and finance compliance, technical deliverables, and team management. (Includes projects and consultants)
• Develops tools for the design and implementation of specific technical components Leads the day-to-day technical activities of assigned projects.
• Track delivery of project outputs
• Monitors staff members’ LOE needs to ensure adequate coverage of resources Coordinates requests from CO for technical assistance.

Client/Funder Support:

• Participate in client / funder meetings and provide technical input.

Draft sponsor reports and presentations.

• Represents the organization and / or Institute to external entities at professional meetings and conferences.
• Maintains collaborative relationships with donor/client organizations, relevant government agencies, bilateral and other NGOs (non governmental organizations) and consistently maintained and viewed as a knowledgeable resource in their technical area.
• Continually maintains a dialogue and technical exchange with field counterparts and technical staff members of implementing partners.
• Participate in client / funder meetings and draft reports/presentations.

Partner/Sub-Award Management:

• May be daily POC (Point of Contact) with clients for some projects on technical matters. Capacity Building, Training and Supervision:
• Develops and implements technical training and capacity building interventions. Identifies strategies to address training gaps.
• May supervise or provide technical guidance to staff members locally and in the region.

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Operations Management (Finance, HR, etc.):

• Manages the processes, services, planning, organizing, coordinating, and controlling of all technical resources for a project.

Project/Program Reporting:

• Drafts sponsor financial and technical reports.
• Collates and uploads output and deliverables data to sponsor data systems. Prepares and delivers presentations to sponsors on progress.
• Helps in the development and review of work plans.
• Creates technical content, owning the content, true experts at an advanced level (maybe the most senior technical person).
• Serves as the primary author for technical deliverables (e.g., reports, presentations, manuscripts).
• Gathers and aggregates data to provide a summary / high level overview. Quality Assurance:
• Ensures technical deliverables are consistent with best practices in the industry / subject and meet client / funder contractual obligations
• Identifies areas for improved efficiency or effectiveness within prescribed parameters, and institutes enhancements to procedures.

Applied Knowledge & Skills:

• Ensures appropriate and timely technical support for field projects.
• Ensures the quality of implemented technical activities and systems at all levels. Conducts routine coordination with employees and consultants, on-site and in the field. • Strong knowledge and skills in a specific technical area/function and general understanding of concepts and principles of related technical areas/functions.
• Solid knowledge of standards for the technical area/field, operational processes and procedures, work, and task flow.
• Has the ability to manage projects, set realistic priorities, and plan for the successful implementation of activities.
• Proficient writing and verbal communication skills.
• Relevant computer software skills (including, at a minimum, the standard applications in MS Office).
• Ability to manage their own work to job and performance standards.
• Must be able to read, write and speak fluent English.

Competencies:

• There are 31 FHI 360 development competencies, of greatest focus for this particular job will be: Project Management (Planning and Time Management) – Accurately scopes out length and difficulty of tasks (sets objectives/goals/measures). Breaks down work into steps, schedules, task/people assignments. Marshals people, time, and resources efficiently. Arranges information in a useful manner and orchestrates multiple activities at once.
• People Management (Making Others Great) – Facilitate professional development of staff by providing challenging, learning assignments and opportunities. Shares and solicits feedback monthly at the very least. Helps establish compelling development plans. Assigns responsibility and accountability for tasks/decisions. Monitors process, progress, and results.

Creates a climate in which people want to do their best.

• Creating and Managing Systems and Processes – Recognizes the need for standardization and balances client and organization need in systems design. Anticipates the effects of process change on people while optimizing task efficiency and simplicity.
• Employees are expected to possess or have high potential for the development of these three fundamental competencies.

Problem Solving & Impact:

• Demonstrates the ability to assess needs within agreed upon duties and considers course of action best to meet those needs.
• Effectively applies knowledge of technical area to solve a range of problems. Demonstrates the ability to develop solutions to problems that cannot be solved using existing methods or approaches.
• Faulty decisions/ recommendations /failures to complete assignments will normally result in serious delays to assigned projects resulting in considerable expenditure of additional time, resources, and funds.
• Decisions and actions impact primarily workflow, project processes and timeframes. Problems encountered are varied, requiring review of practices and precedents to resolve. Problem solving involves evaluating and resolving discrepancies with data, analyses, processes, etc. within prescribed guidelines.
• Policies or guidelines exist for most problems; others must be referred to by a supervisor or more senior professional.

Supervision Given/Received:

• May supervise junior staff members.
• Coordinates own workflow and sets individual priorities.
• Works under general guidelines for completion and accuracy as determined by the supervisor.
• Accomplishes results through lower-level staff managers or through experienced staff who exercise independence in their assignments.
• May manage a centralized functional area of activity.

Serves as mentor to more inexperienced technical staff.

Reports to the Project Director.

Education:

• Master’s Degree or its International Equivalent in Knowledge/Information Services, Communications, Education, Environment, Health, Behavioral, Life/Social Sciences International Development, Human Development or Related Field.
• Project Management (PM) Certification preferred.

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Experience:

• Requires 8+ years of relevant experience in technical implementation of large projects and/or programs – may manage activities of lower-level staff, however, main function is individual contributor.
• Documented experience providing technical assistance, capacity building and business development in the specific technical domain.Prior work experience in a non-governmental organization (NGO), government agency, or private organization.
• International or Domestic (US) Program Development or Program management preferred.

Typical Physical Demands:

• Typical office environment.
• Ability to spend long hours looking at a computer screen and doing repetitive work on a keyboard.
• Ability to sit and stand for extended periods of time.

Ability to lift 5 – 25 lbs.

Technology to be Used:

• Personal Computer, Microsoft Office 365 (i.e., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Skype/TEAMS, e mail), office telephone, cell phone and printer/copier.

Travel Requirements:

10% – 25%

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned with or without notice.

The position will be based in FHI 360’s office in Monrovia. Liberian nationals and candidates currently based in Liberia are encouraged to apply.

Suitably qualified candidates openly living with HIV and/or who are representative of the key populations affected by HIV are also actively encouraged to apply.

Application: Send a CV and motivation letter to Liberia.EpiC.recruitment@fhi360.org. Closing date is Thursday, Feb. 29, 2023, at 5.00 pm GMT. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.