Area Health & Nutrition Program Manager

Job title : Area Health & Nutrition Program Manager

General Objective

• The Borno Area Health and Nutrition Program Manager, under the direct supervision of the Area Coordinator and technical guidance of the Medical Coordinator, is responsible for leading the planning, implementation, and monitoring of all health and nutrition programming in PUI field locations in Borno State. The role provides strategic, technical, and operational leadership to ensure the delivery of high-quality, integrated healthcare services across assigned bases (Pulka, Bama, and Monguno).
• The Area Health Manager collaborates closely with Heads of Bases and the MEAL Manager to oversee health interventions at the LGAs, serving as the key technical link between field-level health teams, base leadership, and the health coordination structure. He/She will provide remote support to the three locations, with the support of the deputy Health program managers in the field.
• With the support of Deputy Health, the program managers will ensure continuous capacity-building for frontline staff. He/She will be the focal person for collation of reports from field locations, reviewing them, and forwarding them to the coordination health team. He/She will routinely visit the field location for supportive supervision and proffer solutions to identify gaps and challenges.

Responsibilities and Tasks
Project Planning, Implementation and meal:

• Ensure that the project action plan is prepared at the start of the project and reviewed periodically based on the feedback from the monitoring of the project. This also includes identification of support requirements from other sectors within the organization.
• Develop the program monitoring tool with the Arae Coordinator and the MEAL Department.
• Launch the implementation of the activities in a timeframe coherent with the donor’s requirements
• Ensure the coherence and the homogeneity of the activities under his/her responsibility (indicators and results follow-up) and develop proper assessment mechanisms.
• Lead regular field reviews, ensuring best practices standards are met;
• Inform His/her line manager of any relevant issues related to the project implementation.
• Ensure follow-up and analysis of epidemiological data, in collaboration with the Medical Coordinator.
• Participate in needs analysis of programs in relation to medical equipment, medications, and medical consumables.
• In collaboration with the MEAL department at the coordination level, makes sure that MEAL activities are properly implemented for the activities under his/her responsibility

Information Management, Assessment and Referral System:
In collaboration with the MEAL Department, and other relevant Program Departments, with the support of the Borno Area Coordinator and the Medical Coordinator:

• Develop tools and strategies to ensure qualitative and timely data collection, communication and analysis;
• Develop tools pertaining to multi-sector rapid needs assessments responding to identified /emerging needs in intervention
• Formalize external referral pathways through MoUs with relevant partners;
• Contribute to the design and lead the management of the internal/external referral and follow-up database system
• Ensure proper archiving of all the documents, tools, and training materials produced in the context of project/s and ensure the availability of the verification sources mentioned in the proposals.

Capitalization, Reporting and Development:

• Ensure internal and external qualitative reporting on all activities under his/her responsibility is done in relevance to PUI internal tools and requirements
• Ensure the monthly update and transmission of the PMT (Project Monitoring Tool) as a tool to follow up on the implementation of the project, and provide feedback to the base teams after monthly reviews of the PMT.
• Provide regular reports on all activities as requested by the Area Coordinator or the Medical Coordinator;
• Contribute to the collation and drafting of qualitative intermediary and final reports for donors;
• Capitalize lessons learned and good practice throughout the project;
• Participate in the development of comprehensive support documents for the implementation by his/her team
• Create/review SOPs and propose relevant improvements, under Area Coordinator and Technical Coordination’s management;
• Contribute to the definition of vulnerability criteria and assessment methodologies, allowing more accurate targeting of PUI’s activities in the area of intervention;
• Participate in identifying health-related needs in coordination with the Area Coordinator and the Medical Coordinator
• Participate in the operational development of the mission through active participation in the mission's annual programming strategy process.
• Contribute to the design and drafting of new proposals and budgets in collaboration with the Area Coordinator and the Medical Coordinator.

Team Managemen, HR and Capacity Building:

• Identify Human resource needs, Prepare job profiles for members of his/her team, have them endorsed by the Area Coordinator and the Administrative Manager, and participate actively in the recruitment process (interviewing, testing, etc.), as well as in any decisions related to the termination of employment contracts of team members; Pro-actively propose HR changes within his/her department to Area Coordinator and HR Manager;
• Familiarize himself/herself with all PUI internal HR regulations, and ensure that they are known and respected by his/her team across the field locations;
• Ensure that the defined appraisal system is applied to all members of his/her team
• Create coordination mechanisms specific to his/her team, and ensure proper supervision;
• Identify the training needs of the team and address them (organizational and technical support, methodology, organization of training sessions …) and interact with the HR manager in planning/conducting training;
• Follow-up on the training received by the teams and gather content for capitalization;

Representation and Coordination:

• In collaboration with the Area Coordinator, represent PUI in the project area with any relevant stakeholders, local, national, and international partners, and local community representatives in order to facilitate the implementation of the project’s activities;
• Set up a network, coordinate and communicate to the stakeholders acting in the same areas; ensure effective coordination and collaboration with key stakeholders and partners – NGOs, civil society organizations (CBOs), community groups
• In the event of visits from Donors, participate actively in the preparation and the smooth organization of the visit.
• Attend sector coordination meeting as delegated by the deputy Health coordinator.

Grant and Partnership:

• Act as the focal point for drafting contractual reports based on program expertise and the geographical area covered.
• Prepare the first draft of the report within the communicated timeframe and in accordance with the guidelines provided by the Grants Team.
• Under the direct management of the Field Coordinator and the technical supervision of the [program coordinator], serve as the primary contributor in its program expertise and geographical scope for developing proposal documentation, including but not limited to the Logical Framework, Narrative, Bill of Quantities (BoQ), and Beneficiary breakdown.
• Contribute to base-level Kick-off and Close-out meetings as coordinated by the Field Coordinator.
• Act as the focal point for the monthly reporting process in its geographical area.
• Lead the first stage of partner reporting by setting an internal deadline within the timeline set by the coordination office and coordinating the first back-and-forth round of review for partners
• Under the technical guidance of the program coordinator, he carries out capacity building sessions with the partner as needed and communicates the outcome with the coordination.
• During proposal development involving a partner within its geographical area, organize a preliminary meeting with the partner's Project Manager focal point to ensure the complementary design of activities within the budget allocated to the partner. Subsequent meetings are organized as needed.
• Conduct recurrent meetings with partners and counterparts to discuss project implementation, budget follow-up, mitigate challenges, and support a constructive relationship.

Logistics, Administration and Finance:

• Ensure budgeted action plans are prepared at the beginning of the project, and they clearly reflect the activity plan of the project;
• Be responsible for the budget lines under his/ her management, and provide forecasts on these budget lines monthly, contributing to the monthly budget follow-up process;
• Comply with all logistics rules, procedures, and processes, ensuring the timely supply of all logistics needs for the successful implementation of his/ her activities;
• Be responsible for the eligibility and good utilization of funds allocated to the activities under his/ her management;
• Analyze and propose solutions of budgetary reallocation if needed, after receiving a monthly updated financial follow-up (FFU) from the Finance Department;
• Fill the cash forecast according to his/her budget areas as per PUI internal procedures

Safety and Security:

• Ensure that the safety and security rules are known and respected by his/her team;
• Contribute data collection on safety and security issues in his/her field of operations and disseminate them to the Area Coordinator regularly or on an ad-hoc basis if urgent.
• Ensure that projects, methodologies, or selection criteria do not place beneficiaries, PUI staff or any other persons in harm’s way.
• He/she alerts the Area Coordinator without delay, in case of impending danger to teams or beneficiaries.

Consortium Specifities:

• In addition to PUI internal frame, the Area Health Project Manager will have to abide by consortium procedures, tools and implementation / MEAL/communication schemes.
• The tasks and responsibilities defined in this job description are non-exhaustive and can evolve depending on the project’s needs.

Priority of the Department:

• Support the take-up of activities of the Just Starting project in Monguno, Bama, and Pulka.
• Enhance remote monitoring and supervision of Health and Nutrition activities at Monguno, Bama, and Pulka.
• In collaboration with the deputy Health manager, ensure implementation of high-quality integrated Health and Nutrition activities at Monguno, Bama, and Pulka.
• Drive the operational and technical direction of health and nutrition programs across Borno State in light of the localization strategy, phasing out of PUI staff, and working with more MoH incentivized staff.
• Monitor grants budgets to ensure spending/Procurement and workplan , track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for ongoing projects, and compile high-quality technical reports for completed projects.
• Alongside the Deputy medical coordinator, representing the PUI at the Borno State Health and Nutrition Sector Working Groups, aligning operations with the State Ministry of Health (SMoH) and UN guidelines.

Mandatory Requirements

• Language skills: Fluent in English, Hausa, and Kanuri are an asset
• Education degree: A relevant Bachelor's Degree from an accredited institution, preferably in Nursing, MBBS from a recognized university, with a valid practicing license from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
• A master’s degree in public health and strong experience in Project Management are also required.
• Work experience: At least 3 years of experience as a manager in humanitarian projects in the Health and Nutrition sector, and strong experience in community-based Health and Nutrition activities and health surveillance monitoring. Experience in liaising with governmental authorities and stakeholders is an added value.

Knowledge and skills:

• Good knowledge of Integrated Health and Nutrition in an emergency context.
• Good reporting skills.
• Good Knowledge of the MEAL process related to health and nutrition programs.
• Computer skills: Excellent knowledge of the MS Office software, including Word, Excel, and Outlook

Assets:

• Interests
• Commitment to the NGO values and principles
• Strong understanding of the political situation in the area
• Required Personal Characteristics (fitting into the team, suitability for the job and assignment):
• Ability to provide/structure instructions clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing
• A high sense of discretion and integrity when dealing with sensitive information
• High degree of responsibility, initiative, alertness, emotional stability, the ability to prioritize a heavy workload, and to delegate accordingly
• Professional attitude and the ability to build successful working relationships with contacts outside of the projects.
• Demonstrate an integrated approach and attitude through normal work activities and a thorough understanding of community-based
• Self-motivated, flexible and adaptable to the needs of the team and organization
• Strong commitment to support/develop the capacity of national staff and develop a second layer of leadership
• Team player: proven management ability and inter-personal skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Problem-solving and leadership skills
• Ability to work independently while taking initiatives and showing a sense of responsibility
• Sense of diplomacy
• Analytical skills
• Organization, rigor and ability to meet deadlines
• Ability to travel, and work in volatile and secluded contexts
• Ability to integrate the local environment into operations, in its political, economic and historical dimensions
• Ability to manage teams remotely