Save the Children is seeking a Technical Director for a five-year USAID-funded Improved Health & Nutrition Activity program in Guatemala. The program focuses on achieving significant and sustainable improvements in nutrition and health outcomes of target select municipalities of the Western Highlands, which will result in reductions of stunted children, and maternal and child morbidity and mortality, and lowering the prevalence of anemia and micronutrient deficiencies. These results will occur by improving service delivery, incorporating digital advanced technology and strengthening health systems, especially of human resources for health (HRH) in Guatemala. Households with pregnant women and children under two years of age (i.e., 1000 days window of opportunity) will be a primary, though not the exclusive, focus of interventions. The Technical Director will be a key member of the Senior Management Team and will bring a solid technical background of public health experience to this role.
- Provide overall strategic and technical vision and implementation in the areas of nutrition, family planning, maternal and child health, WASH, and health systems strengthening
- Collaborate with the COP on areas requiring technical public health expertise, and build capacity of government, non-government, and community entities to address health issues
- Ensure that the program is delivered according to the contractual requirement with the donor and government i.e. that all activities and deliverables are completed within the agreed timescale and budget, reports are submitted as per agreed schedules and any other requirements or criteria are fulfilled
- Design and regularly update detailed annual work plans and ensure these are used by the team appropriately to monitor progress towards completion and achievement of program objectives
- Manage and motivate direct reports to achieve their work plan objectives, and to contribute to the achievement of the overall program goals
- Maintain good working relationships with officials, government ministries, implementing partners and the international and local NGO community
- Work with program staff and Save the Children Technical Advisors based in the country office to identify the technical support needs of the program and ensure this support is provided
- Monitor country-level activities, identify challenges and develop appropriate reporting and results of project activities to the COP including progress and annual reports
- Attend and actively participate in periodic program meetings and ensure a summary of progress and challenges are prepared and presented with follow-up actions as required.
- Minimum of seven years of progressively increasing responsibility, working on public health programs in a developing country context
- Strong experience with progressively increasing responsibility for designing, managing, and implementing complex health activities, including at least two of the following: Nutrition, Maternal-Neonatal-Child Health, FP/RH, and WASH programming in developing countries involving multiple stakeholders and implementing partners
- Hands-on experience in building government, non-government, and community capacity to address health issues
- Demonstrated experience in managing and supervising a technical team
- Demonstrated ability to work effectively with government representatives, private sector entities, local community organizations, donors and other stakeholders
- In-depth knowledge of USAID approaches and regulations
- Strengths in inspiring and enabling others through teamwork, training, and capacity building to realize organizational objectives
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Spanish
- Familiarity with the political, social, and cultural context of Guatemala is required