Company Profile

Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. CRS works to save, protect, and transform lives in need in more than 100 countries, without regard to race, religion or nationality. CRS’ relief and development work is accomplished through programs of emergency response, HIV, health, agriculture, education, microfinance and peacebuilding. CRS Ghana was established in 1958, a year after Ghana gained independence. In Ghana, CRS works with local partners to tackle poverty on several fronts including improving health and nutrition; increasing access to safe water and improved sanitation; promoting agriculture to enhance food security; and increasing financial assets through Savings and Internal Lending Communities. 

Job Description

Department: Programming (Health)
Band: D
Reports To: REST Coordinator
Country/Location: Ghana/Gambaga, East Mamprusi District
Start Date: December 2017
End Date: June 2020
Scope:       Supervises 2 staff

Job Summary:
CRS seeks a Supervisor to work closely with the REST Project Coordinator and District Director of Health Services in the management of the Centre of Excellence for Maternal and Child Health (CE4MCH) of the Rural Emergency Health Service and Transport (REST) Project.
The CE4MCH will support the Community System Strengthening component of the REST II project.  As a supervisor of this center, you will provide dynamic technical leadership and support to staff of the center, visiting health professionals and community-based agents. You will work closely with the REST II District Implementation Team (DIT) and Field Officers to roll out high impact, cost-effective, and locally-responsive strategies to end avoidable deaths among the vulnerable populations within the REST II Project districts and beyond.

Job Responsibilities:

• Key Responsibilities
  • Provide dynamic leadership, technical support and team coordination to the Centre staff and District Implementing Team (DIT).
  • Ensure optimal quality and efficient service delivery at the Centre.
  • Ensure that the capacities of health staff are built in Community System Strengthening (CSS) using customized CRS and GHS developed strategies.
  • Lead the process for the identification and linkage of specialists working with the GHS, and at teaching hospitals and medical schools to provide remote technical support on practical day-to-day issues that confront Community Health Officers and other healthcare professionals.
  • Ensure the Centre is resourced with all the relevant and state-of-the-art equipment to ensure MCH capacity building strategies including video conferencing apparatus, birth simulators etc.
  • Ensure the security and efficient management of all resources, equipment and documentation of the Centre.
  • Provide dynamic leadership by work facilitating coordination between CRS and GHS to ensure the Centre is recognized and certified by the GHS/MoH as a reference point for all CRS-GHS promising CSS focused strategies for maternal and child health.
  • Ensure the documentation and dissemination of lessons learned, promising strategies, and best practices in MCH at health facility and community levels.
  • Provide technical leadership for the design and conduct of lessons and practicum sessions for visiting health staff from other districts.
  • At center level, represent the center to Government, decentralized authorities, NGOs, private sector and to existing and potential donors as appropriate and other representation as may be required from CRS and GHS.
  • Ensure the efficient use of the human and financial resources available to deliver on the Centre’s mandate.
  • Develop and lead the successful networking of actors engaged in the health sector.
• Management and Administration
  • Manage the Centre’s budgets, including tracking of financial and material resources.
  • Ensure accurate and timely reporting of finances and progress status, review actual financial performance against the budget, and explain variances on a regular basis.
  • Ensure staff compliance with all CRS/GHS administrative and operational procedures and policies, as well as applicable donor regulations.
• Representation and Advocacy
  • Strengthen linkages with existing and potential partner agencies, in collaboration with CRS Country Representative, Head of Programming, Health Program Manager, REST Project Coordinator and the District Director of Health Services (DDHS)
  • Oversee the communication strategies, in collaboration with CRS REST Coordinator and Health Program Manager, including compliance with donor's branding and marketing requirements as well as marketing and communication procedures.
• Human Resource Management
  • Lead, manage and supervise staff of the Centre to meet the Centre’s objectives.
  • Conduct periodic reviews of Centre Assistants performance in keeping with CRS' and GHS performance management standards and mentor staff to ensure high levels of motivation, commitment, capacity, and teamwork.
• Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL)
  • Coordinate with the REST Coordinator and REST MEAL Specialist to ensure MEAL systems comply with agency/GHS standards and donor specifications.
  • Check on quality assurance and address emerging technical operational/management issues.  
  • Other Duties/Assignments:
  • Carry out any other duties/assignments as shall from time to time be directed by the DDHS, REST II Project Coordinator, Health Program Manager, the Head of Programs or Country Representative.

Key Working Relationships:

• Internal: Country Representative, Head of Programs, Health Program Manager, Finance Manager and Senior/Regional Technical Advisor for Maternal and Child Health/Nutrition
• External:  Ghana Health Services and other partners

Travel Required:  20% of time

Required Skills or Experience

• Advance Degree in Community Health and Development, Health System Strengthening, Public Health, Health Information Management Systems, Nutrition, and other related discipline.
• Minimum of 3 years of work experience in development projects preferably in MCH project planning, monitoring and evaluation, at a supervisory level.
• Two-three years’ experience working with Ghana Health Service at the Regional, District and Sub-district levels.
• Demonstrated experience in leading and building capacity of teams.
• Computer literate and skills in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Knowledge of local languages in the Northern and Upper East Regions (i.e. Dagbani, Mampruli) would be a plus.

Personal Skills:
Demonstrated professional maturity, relationship management and good interpersonal skills for teamwork.
Good written and verbal communication skills.
Observation, active listening and analysis skills with ability to make sound judgment.
Attention to detail, accuracy and timeliness in executing assigned responsibilities.
Proactive, results-oriented and service-oriented.
Excellent facilitation, reporting and presentation skills.

Required/Desired Foreign Language:
Not Applicable

Agency-wide Competencies (for all CRS Staff):
Upholds a Spirit of Service and Integrity
Cultivates Constructive and Collegial Relationships
Models Principled Stewardship
Promotes continuous learning and innovation