Programme Manager - Primary Healthcare Health Workforce Capacity Building Programme at Neem Foundation

Duration: To 31st January 2025 (with a possibility of being extended to January 2026)

Dual Line Reporting To:

Chair, Steering Group - Primary Healthcare Health Workforce Capacity Building Programme (for programme delivery)

Head, Psychology and Training - Neem Foundation (for day to day Administration) The Programme Manager will be embedded in the Neem Foundation offices in Abuja job  and the successful individual will be required to go to the office 4 days per week.

Background & Objectives

The NIDSG/NEEM Foundation/UATH Health Partnership is seeking a highly experienced Programme Manager to lead a Primary Healthcare Health Workforce Capacity Building  Programme in Nigeria. The objective of the programme is to upskill frontline health  workers (Doctors, Nurses, Midwives and Community Health Workers) in Primary  Healthcare Centres in eight States across Nigeria, in two clinical areas; mental health and psycho social support (MHPSS) and Maternal and Neonatal child health (MCH):

• MCH - "Train the trainer" in Emergency Maternal and Newborn Care (BEmONC) - to  help reduce the appalling maternal and neonatal mortality in childbirth
• MHPSS Training as lay mental health and psycho-social support counsellors - to help  trauma victims and other people suffering mental health issues in their  communities. The partnership also will help State mental health leaders to create and implement a mental health delivery framework for their State. Following the initial training, the partnership will also set-up BEmONC and MHPSS  networks to support the frontline Primary Healthcare Workers who have been trained trainees in each of the two clinical areas;  knowledge sharing, further remote training,  expert support for difficult cases, mentoring, etc. The programme is funded via a small grant from the UK Department of Health and Social Care.

Key Responsibilities:

• Day to day accountability for delivering the 2024 Primary Healthcare Health 
• Workforce Capacity Building Programme and bringing this to a successful completion  in January 2025
• Defining and planning the next phase of the Primary Healthcare Health Workforce 
• Capacity Building Programme for 2025 and leading writing and timely submission of a grant funding applications.

Project and Programme management:

• Develop and execute comprehensive project plans, ensuring delivery  within-budget and on-time, in alignment with the project's objectives and  timelines.
• Regularly assess progress towards completion of the programme  deliverables and outcomes, and provide weekly updates to relevant stakeholders
• Drive timely delivery of project activities, milestones, deliverables and outcomes
• Attend and lead quarterly project progress meetings, - virtual meetings  with THET and FMOH to track progress and identify challenges/delays.
• Manage issues, risks and challenges., and escalate as appropriate

Support Steering Group and Technical Working Groups

• Organise and Support Steering Group meetings. MCH and MHPSS Technical
• Working Groups in any way required to achieve a successful outcome. This includes, but is not limited to, scheduling and arranging meetings,  recording meeting notes and actions, tracking and following up actions to  ensure they are delivered, supporting content creation, etc
• Provide effective and timely responses to inquiries and concerns.

Support Capacity Building:

• Manage successful delivery of the in-person training events in Emergency 
• Obstetric and Newborn Care and Mental Health and Psycho-Social Support – training venue selection, delegate logistics, event planning and management, admin (travel, hotel accommodation, printing, audio-visual equipment, etc), vendor sourcing and negotiation,
• Help to establish the BEmONC and MHPSS networks and regular engagement with participants through this. Organise virtual follow-up lectures, remote assistance, ongoing support and mentoring for trained 
• Primary Healthcare Worker in MCH and MHPSS
• Support creation of the mental health framework for participating States

Monitoring, Evaluation and Donor Reporting: Lead Monitoring, Evaluation,  (M&E) to ensure that the aims and objectives of the programme are met and that the terms of the THET grant agreement are adhered to.

• Develop a monitoring and evaluation plan that is acceptable to THET and establish robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to assess the  impact of the capacity-building programs
• Lead regular monitoring and reporting of the delivery and success of the programme, meet THET requirements, to ensure that activities are closely monitored and documented throughout implementation and that these
• Provide a narrative operational report on its use of the Grant and the delivery of the programme (a “Narrative Operational Report”) every six (6) months during the Grant Period.

Oversee Budget and Financial Management - monitoring and managing project budgets effectively and ensure compliance with THET financial regulationsand reporting requirements.

• Deliver a delivery chain map in THET’s template form (a “Delivery Chain Map”) within the three (3) month period following the start of the Grant 
• Period, such Delivery Chain Map to detail the funding flows to Downstream Partners,
• Provide THET with a detailed financial report containing details of expenditure to date (against budget) and an up-to-date budget in respect of its use of the Grant and delivery of the GHWP project every six (6) 
• months during the Grant Period and in such format as may be reasonably required by THET (each such report a “Financial Report”).
• Provide THET with further information, explanations and documents as 
• THET may reasonably require in order for it to establish that the Grant has been used properly and in accordance with this Agreement
• Participate in internal and external audits and ensure that these are undertaken to a high-quality standard
• Retain and safely store all accounting records, including all invoices, receipts, and accounts and any other relevant documents relating to the expenditure of the Grant for a period. This includes an Asset Register for Programme Funded Assets, fully itemised transaction list, etc
• Compile annual accounts

Manage the end of project activities

• Final Financial report - detail the budget and all expenditure in connection with the GHWP project and
• Final narrative report (due mid-February 2025): To demonstrate whether this project has been successfully and properly completed in accordance  with THET’s, DHSC’s and the  iGHWP requirements.
• Health Worker survey:
• Secure programme funded assets

Stakeholder Management

• Develop a strong knowledge of donors’ policies and guidelines and the grant agreement and ensure adherence to these
• Engage  productively with a wide range external stakeholders, such as  THET, State and  Federal Health authorities, vendors and end beneficiaries of the programme. Respond to  requests for information as appropriate
• Organise and participate in Stakeholder Consultation Group meetings
• Represent the partnership at events throughout the programme - will be expected to attend a sharing and learning event at the end of the programme and any other virtual programme trainings offered as part of the programme.
• Coordinate and ensure effective collaboration within the NIDSG/UATH/Neem Foundation  partnerships, to achieve maximum impact from the programme
• Build and maintain excellent relationships with senior-level colleagues from the partnership

Future Planning and Fundraising

• Work with the Chair and Steering Committee members to design and plan the 2025 project, and compile and submit a robust application for follow-on grant funding, including  – completing any application forms, due-diligence submissions, OBTAINING associated letters and documentation (e.g. partner accounts), compiling a budget for the 2025 any other required activities.
• Work with the PSO to proactively research other grants and funding sources and make applications, as a contingency, in the event THET funding is unavailable.
• Respond to any requests for grant proposals or information, required to secure additional funding from local or international donors

People Management:

• Act as Line Manager to an NYSC Programme Support  Officer

Ideal Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

• Excellent project and programme management skills and experience
• Minimum of 10years of relevant professional experience delivering international  donor funded projects, particularly in the health sector or civil society initiatives 
• Strong writing skills
• Experience of writing project progress and operational reports
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience in writing winning grant  proposals and submissions
• Experience of monitoring and evaluation frameworks for international donor funded programmes
• Understanding of budget management and financial monitoring of donor funded projects,
• Governance experience - supporting High level Steering Committees and  Technical working groups
• Strong Stakeholder Management skills and the ability to engage with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
• A degree in international development, health administration or any other relevant field
• Has the ability to manage a NYSC Programme Support Officer, who has a Finance  or international development background

Required Personal Attributes

• Strong computer skills (Word, PowerPoint, Excel Google Office Suite).
• A self-starter, pro-active, a problem solver, able to work independently without requiring much hand holding. This includes anticipating identifying risks and impending issues before they arrive, and finding appropriate resolutions
• Can show good critical thinking skills in carrying out day to day tasks. Able to add value and continuously improve delivery of the programme and not simply follow instructions.
• Has good attention to detail and organisation skills, is able to meet deadlines,
• Diplomacy, and excellent written and oral communication, and negotiation skills.
• A mature and reliable individual, with high integrity
• A dynamic, energetic individual, who has a sense of urgency in execution of plans and action points - fast and effective, without needing to be chased