INTRODUCTION [PROJECT OVERVIEW]

Save the Children (SCI) is the world’s leading independent non-profit organization for children. Our vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation. SCI’s Mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting changes in their lives. In Zambia, Save the Children has been implementing programmes since 1983 across Child Rights Governance, Health and Nutrition, Child Protection, Education, Child Poverty, and Humanitarian Response.

Save the Children, in partnership with Vayu Global Health and the Ministry of Health (MOH), and with funding from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Charities (LDSC), will implement the Better Care for Small and Sick Newborns in Zambia project. The project aims to reduce facility-level neonatal mortality by improving access to high-quality respiratory care through the implementation of bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (bCPAP), strengthening referral and transfer systems for sick newborns, and enhancing the capacity of health workers across Lusaka, Central, and Southern Provinces. The project will be implemented in ten district-level public health facilities providing maternity services with functional 24-hour inpatient newborn care units. The intervention will strengthen the quality of care for small and sick newborns through evidence-based clinical practice, health systems strengthening, capacity building, mentorship, quality improvement, and sustainable integration of bCPAP services into routine newborn care.

ROLE PURPOSE

The Project Manager will provide overall leadership, strategic direction, coordination, and oversight for the implementation of the Better Care for Small and Sick Newborns in and donor representatives. Regular collaboration with the Health and Nutrition Technical Lead, Senior Management Team, PDQ, Awards, Finance, Supply Chain, Human Resources, and MEAL teams will be essential to ensure quality implementation, timely decision-making, effective resource utilization, and achievement of project objectives.

The Project Manager is expected to demonstrate strong leadership, programme management, partnership development, technical coordination, and mentorship skills while promoting innovation, adaptive management, learning, and continuous improvement throughout the project lifecycle.

SCOPE OF ROLE:

Reports to: Head of Programme Operations

Staff reporting to this post: (2)

Indirect:

Budget Responsibilities: Main budget holder for the “Better Care for Small and Sick Newborns in Zambia”

KEY AREAS OF ACCOUNTABILITY:

1.Technical Leadership

Provide overall strategic leadership for project implementation across all supported provinces, districts and facilities by translating project objectives into annual work plans, implementation schedules, budgets and performance targets as appropriate to ensure timely delivery of project outputs, outcomes and milestones.

Lead adaptive management through continuous review of implementation performance and emerging evidence to keep the project well aligned with the national newborn health priorities and donor expectations.

Coordinate multidisciplinary technical teams to ensure integrated delivery of evidence based newborn clinical services, quality improvement, MEAL and other operational activities to continuously improve project performance through effective data management.

Lead overall implementation and translation of project objectives into practical implementation strategies that deliver measurable health outcomes while ascertaining quality delivery against approved workplans, budgets, milestones and contractual obligations.

Provide strategic oversight to ensure project activities remain aligned with Ministry of Health priorities, donor expectations and Save the Children programme quality standards.

Ensure integration of gender equality, safeguarding, disability inclusion and child rights throughout implementation

Represent Save the Children during technical working groups, steering committees and coordination meetings with full recognition of The Christ of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints contribution to the project

Ensuring that a quality and timely program phased budget aligned with the DIP is in place.

Ensure that program implementation meets the monthly financial performance target (100% burn rate) and annual spending against life of award budget not greater than 100%.

Ensure that all financial policies and regulations relating to cash flow management, expenditure controls, cash management, accounting information, advances management as put in place for the management and control of funds are followed by the staff and partners in implementing the different program activities.

Hold monthly staff meetings to plan and reflect on program roll out.

Financial management – Ensure excellent financial management and accountability in line with SCI policy guidelines anchored on effective and efficient forecasting, monitoring and tracking planned and actuals versus obligated

QUALIFICATIONS

Degree in Public health, social sciences, Nursing or other related Health degree

Post graduate qualification in Public Health or related field will be an added advantage

Minimum of 5 -7 years of experience in an in leading implementation and managing

Previous working relationships within donor funded programs and with key multilateral agencies, and bilateral donors;

EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Essential

Public Health, Nursing, Midwifery, Clinical Medicine or other related Health degree.

Minimum of more than five years of project management experience at mid-level management or higher

Previous working relationships within donor funded programs and with key multilateral agencies, and bilateral donors.

Demonstrated ability to work within a multi-faceted health development program in collaboration with MOH personnel at provincial, district and health facility levels, and local partners.

Registration with the relevant professional regulatory body in Zambia.

Experience with use of data/evidence for priority setting / decision making and targeting interventions

Experience and skills in managing and motivating teams to deliver results

Demonstrable financial, planning and budget management skills a MUST.

Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures

Demonstrated knowledge of international and local policies and frameworks relating to their thematic area is necessary.

Certification or proven experience in project management methodology

Strong record of fostering new and effective partnerships, team building and collaborative implementation

Proven ability to develop and oversee implementation of program work plans and coordinate/manage field staff implementing these plans.

Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform.

Ability to work independently and as a team leader/member with diverse team of partners and counterparts.

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (oral, written and presentation).

Excellent computer skills and experience working with Microsoft Office applications.

English fluency (verbal and written) required.

Proven leadership, strategic thinking, organizational, team-building, and representational skills.

Strong knowledge of the Zambian health system.

Previous experience working in Central, Lusaka Southern Provinces.

Additional job responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities as set out above are not exhaustive and the role holder may be required to carry out additional duties within reasonableness of their level of skills and experience.

• Provide overall strategic leadership for project implementation across all supported provinces, districts and facilities by translating project objectives into annual work plans, implementation schedules, budgets and performance targets as appropriate to ensure timely delivery of project outputs, outcomes and milestones.
• Lead adaptive management through continuous review of implementation performance and emerging evidence to keep the project well aligned with the national newborn health priorities and donor expectations.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary technical teams to ensure integrated delivery of evidence based newborn clinical services, quality improvement, MEAL and other operational activities to continuously improve project performance through effective data management.
• Lead overall implementation and translation of project objectives into practical implementation strategies that deliver measurable health outcomes while ascertaining quality delivery against approved workplans, budgets, milestones and contractual obligations.
• Provide strategic oversight to ensure project activities remain aligned with Ministry of Health priorities, donor expectations and Save the Children programme quality standards.
• Ensure integration of gender equality, safeguarding, disability inclusion and child rights throughout implementation
• Represent Save the Children during technical working groups, steering committees and coordination meetings with full recognition of The Christ of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints contribution to the project
• Ensuring that a quality and timely program phased budget aligned with the DIP is in place.
• Ensure that program implementation meets the monthly financial performance target (100% burn rate) and annual spending against life of award budget not greater than 100%.
• Ensure that all financial policies and regulations relating to cash flow management, expenditure controls, cash management, accounting information, advances management as put in place for the management and control of funds are followed by the staff and partners in implementing the different program activities.
• Hold monthly staff meetings to plan and reflect on program roll out.
• Ensure excellent financial management and accountability in line with SCI policy guidelines anchored on effective and efficient forecasting, monitoring and tracking planned and actuals versus obligated

• Experience with use of data/evidence for priority setting / decision making and targeting interventions
• Experience and skills in managing and motivating teams to deliver results
• Demonstrable financial, planning and budget management skills a MUST.
• Highly developed cultural awareness and ability to work well in an international environment with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures
• Demonstrated knowledge of international and local policies and frameworks relating to their thematic area is necessary.
• Certification or proven experience in project management methodology
• Strong record of fostering new and effective partnerships, team building and collaborative implementation
• Proven ability to develop and oversee implementation of program work plans and coordinate/manage field staff implementing these plans.
• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform.
• Ability to work independently and as a team leader/member with diverse team of partners and counterparts.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (oral, written and presentation).
• Excellent computer skills and experience working with Microsoft Office applications.
• English fluency (verbal and written) required.
• Proven leadership, strategic thinking, organizational, team-building, and representational skills.
• Strong knowledge of the Zambian health system.

• Degree in Public health, social sciences, Nursing or other related Health degree
• Post graduate qualification in Public Health or related field will be an added advantage
• Minimum of 5 -7 years of experience in an in leading implementation and managing
• Previous working relationships within donor funded programs and with key multilateral agencies, and bilateral donors;
• Public Health, Nursing, Midwifery, Clinical Medicine or other related Health degree.
• Minimum of more than five years of project management experience at mid-level management or higher
• Previous working relationships within donor funded programs and with key multilateral agencies, and bilateral donors.
• Demonstrated ability to work within a multi-faceted health development program in collaboration with MOH personnel at provincial, district and health facility levels, and local partners.
• Registration with the relevant professional regulatory body in Zambia.
• Previous experience working in Central, Lusaka Southern Provinces.