GRM International Job for a Team Leader - Chief of Party

GRM International - Palladium develops and delivers solutions that create positive impact for communities, businesses, societies and economies. We transform lives and create enduring value by working with governments, corporations and non-profit organisations. Palladium is built on the idea that progress will be supported by four key pillars: International Development, Strategy Execution Consulting, Impact Investment, Training and Events

We create positive impact through more than 100 current projects with more than 2000 employees operating in over 90 countries.

We are recruiting to fill the position of below:

Job Title: Team Leader - Chief of Party

Location: Kano

Background
DFID appointed Palladium and its consortium members to manage implementation of the Nigerian Maternal, Newborn and Child Health Programme (MNCH2); which runs for 5 years from 1st June 2014 to 31st May 2019.

The objective of the programme is to achieve effective and efficient delivery of essential health care for pregnant women, newborns and children, alongside routine immunisation.

The programme will strengthen health system coordination through improved health sector planning and financing, and will increase demand for and access to high quality health services. The programme is working with government to build capacity within the public health system to enable sustainability beyond the immediate lifetime of the programme.  Sustainable solutions should be sought for every output and outcome of this programme intervention.

This MNCH2 programme is delivering across the 6 DFID Northern Nigeria focus States (Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Jigawa, Zamfara and Yobe); where the greatest population gains can be made and the largest burden of maternal, newborn and child mortality and unmet need for health care are located. Northern Nigeria is a fragile context, and some States, particularly Yobe and urban Kano, are affected by levels of violence which impede access to health services. The recipient of MNCH2 services is the people and Government of Nigeria, representing namely: the Federal and State Ministries of Health, and Local Governments.

Purpose of Position

• The Team Leader has overall in-country programmatic, financial and management responsibility for the project.
• The Team Leader is a senior representative of the company and as such ensures that risks are minimised, company policies, processes and procedures are adhered to, and the project is compliant with client policies, rules and regulations.
• The role ensures that project objectives, outcomes and deliverables are met and that financial, operational and reporting requirements of the client are adhered to.
• The role works closely with and manages the project team of technical and administrative professionals and other support staff.
• The Team Leader is the primary liaison with the client and represents the company with other donors, partners and stakeholders, including the host country government.

Primary Responsibilities
Specifically, the Team Leader

Strategic and Operational Planning:

• Leads the preparation of the annual strategic plans; technical and operational work plans and budgets; staffing plans; performance improvement plans and other plans as required;
• Ensures appropriate consultation in the development of plans and budgets (including consultation with the Project Director, the client, national government agencies and other project stakeholders);
• Monitors implementation progress and progress towards milestones; maintains up to date logs of issues and risks; works to resolve issues, manages and mitigates risks; and escalates material issues and risks as appropriate;
• Develops and implements plans for results measurement, monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management, value for money analysis and communication;
• Program Management:
• Provides technical guidance, oversight and quality assurance for all project activities, outputs and deliverables;
• Assumes overall responsibility for the effective implementation of work plans and ensures delivery is on time, within budget, meets client and stakeholder expectations and is contractually compliant;

Human Resource Management:

• Assumes overall responsibility for the effective and professional management of the project team;
• Leads, guides, mentors and manages the performance of technical and administrative direct reports and ensures appropriate leadership, guidance, mentorship and management of other staff;
• Participates as required in HR management including but not limited to recruitment and contracting, performance management, disciplinary and grievance proceedings, and learning and development;

Financial Management and Administration:

• Ensures consistent implementation of company Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Guidelines, Security Protocols and, where applicable, recommend modifications;
• Ensures the project provides and demonstrates good value for money;
• Supports the preparation and delivery to the client of budget variations and contract amendments;

Client Relationship and Stakeholder Management:

• Represents and promote legitimate commercial interests of the company;
• Manages relationships with the government of host country, industry actors, business partners and Palladium’s program implementing partners;
• Maintains regular communication with the client and relevant stakeholders and ensure that activity reports and critical program issues are resolved in a timely manner;
• Maintains excellent working relationship with the client and ensures agreement of the program’s strategy, plans, resource requirements and any other contract amendments required;

Reporting Requirements
The role will report directly to the Project Director. The reporting requirements include:

• Chairing weekly meeting with direct reports and project staff;
• Exception reports as and when required;
• Report on issues and risks;
• Attendance of all meetings with the client;
• Regular update discussions with the Project Director;
• Other reports as requested by the Project Director.

Relationships:

• The role liaises with assigned Practice Area Specialists, Operations Managers, other company employees as required, professional service providers, host country government representatives, the client and other stakeholders.
• A particularly important relationship is with the client.

Authority Levels:
The role carries a high degree of autonomy with appropriate consultation. The role is required to:

• Manage, analyse and make sound recommendations to the line manager
• Oversee the effective management of all project staff members
• Ensure compliance with the Group’s published policies on delegation of expenditure and signing authorities.
• Ensure that all approval levels within the project are adhered to.  With the understanding that the client contract and SOP take precedence over any other direction in this job description. Order of precedence being as follows: Client Contract, SOP for the project and then Job Description.

Minimum Education and Experience required

• A postgraduate qualification in Public Health or relevant field
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant experience, with specific experience managing large DFID-funded programs
• A minimum of 4 years of people management experience including setting clear performance objectives, managing for results, giving and receiving feedback, performance evaluation, mentoring and coaching
• In country working experience in Northern Nigeria

Key Competencies and Professional expertise required

• Successful track record in delivery of complex programs
• Strong technical track record in reproductive health and health systems strengthening
• Ability to foster successful partnership approaches and relationships among a variety of organizations/institutions
• Excellent English language communication skills and ability to work collaboratively across
• technical disciplines
• Ability to communicate effectively and negotiate persuasively with high level decision makers
• Results oriented
• Excellent leadership, representation and organizational skills
• Strong management and people handling skills
• Financial acumen and the ability to interpret and analyse financial reports
• Ability to operate in complex
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