Sight Savers International: Our vision is of a world where no one is blind from avoidable causes and where visually impaired people participate equally in society. Each year, we improve the lives of millions of people in the poorest parts of the world.
Job Title: Programme Development Advisor - Eye Health and Health Systems Strengthening
Job Title: Programme Development Advisor - Eye Health and Health Systems Strengthening
Job Location: Sub-Saharan Africa (located within one of Sightsavers’ country offices)
Reports to: Chief Programme Development Advisor (within Programme Development and Innovations Team)
Responsible for: N/A
Department: Strategic Programme Innovations, Development, Evidence and Research Directorate
Job Purpose (the overall purpose and function of the job): To provide Sightsavers with technical leadership in the areas of eye health, health systems strengthening, and human resources development to the organisation as a whole, with a focus on Sightsavers’ country and regional programmes in sub-Saharan Africa.
Department: Strategic Programme Innovations, Development, Evidence and Research Directorate
Job Purpose (the overall purpose and function of the job): To provide Sightsavers with technical leadership in the areas of eye health, health systems strengthening, and human resources development to the organisation as a whole, with a focus on Sightsavers’ country and regional programmes in sub-Saharan Africa.
The role will ensure that our programme portfolio is aligned with Sightsavers’ organisational strategy and international best practice.
Principal Accountabilities (specific activities and end results):- Providing Sightsavers’ country offices with technical leadership and guidance in the areas of eye health, health systems strengthening, and human resource development in sub-Saharan Africa, ensuring that our policies, advocacy and programmes are aligned with our strategic approach, informed by best evidence and good practice, and effectively designed, implemented, and evaluated.
- Working in close liaison with other Programme Development Advisors in Eye Health to guide the organisation in developing and implementing strategic approaches to strengthening health systems.
- Advising country offices on setting up effective systems for collecting and analysing eye health and health system data and supervising data monitoring processes where necessary
- Contributing to the conceptualisation and design of new programmes and technical input into review of programmes and funding proposals
- Promoting a quality improvement and innovative culture within Sightsavers’ work in eye health and health systems by ensuring programme and partner staff have the necessary guidance, capacity and support to meet Sightsavers’ eye health and health systems quality standards.
- Contributing to the development of good practice guidance, research to practice up-dates and operational policies to improve and enhance the quality of our work in eye health and health systems strengthening
- Undertaking senior level representation of Sightsavers at national, regional and international professional and sector-specific meetings.
- Contributing to Sightsavers’ research, innovation, policy and advocacy agenda through close collaboration with interdepartmental team and key external stakeholders
The principal accountabilities listed above are not meant to be an exhaustive list of tasks.
The jobholder will be expected to be flexible and carry out any other related duties that are within the employee's skills and abilities whenever reasonably instructed.
Jobholder Entry Requirements - the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours required
Knowledge (Education & Related Experience):
Jobholder Entry Requirements - the essential knowledge, skills and behaviours required
Knowledge (Education & Related Experience):
- Medical doctor with post-graduate qualifications in ophthalmology.
- Postgraduate degree(s) or similar qualification in public health, epidemiology or community eye health will be an advantage.
- Considerable experience of developing eye health and health systems strengthening programmes at national and international levels.
- Good knowledge of health systems and policy-making processes in Africa.
- Experience of working with national governments and international institutions such as the World Health Organisaiton, International Agency for Prevention of Blindness, World Bank and other International Development Organisations (INGDOs)
- Knowledge of current issues and best practice in eye health and international development
- Understanding of research and evaluation methodologies and data monitoring practices applicable to eye health
Skills (Special Training or Competence):
- Analytical thinking and ability to plan strategically from organisational perspective.
- Ability to build strong working relationships across different departments and work collaboratively as a member of cross-functional teams.
- Proven ability to initiate, innovate and translate ideas into effective action plans.
- Excellent leadership and networking skills.
- Excellent oral and writing skills in English
- Excellent communication and influencing skills with ability to represent the organisation externally.
- Strong ability to design and write up project proposals and funding applications
- Strong ability to develop and adapt programming guidance tools and other resource materials.
- An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity for people with disabilities.
- Able to travel for up to 16 weeks a year (regional and international)
Core Behaviours:
- Communicating & Influencing
- Team Working
- Planning & Organising
- Change & Improvement
- Decision Making
- Delivery and Implementation
Key Relationships
Internal
- Programme Development Advisors (Eye Health, Education, and Social Inclusion)
- Regional and Country Directors
- Director of Strategic Programme Innovations, Development, Evidence and Research
- Research team
- Evaluation Advisers
- Global fundraising teams
External
- Professional bodies and organisations
- International partner organisations and other development agencies and networks working in the area of eye health, health systems strengthening, and human resources development.
- Research, policy and disability institutions and bodies
- Donors and other influential programming policy directors
How to apply
Please download our application form here and return the completed application form and equal opportunities form (click here to download) as two separate documents to jobs@sightsavers.org.
Please download our application form here and return the completed application form and equal opportunities form (click here to download) as two separate documents to jobs@sightsavers.org.
The hiring manager would also like to see your CV therefore please send it through with the rest of documents.
We are an equal opportunities employer, and we particularly encourage qualified people living with a disability to apply.
We will be contacting shortlisted candidates for interview, shortly after the closing dates. We very much regret that in view of the large number of applications we receive, we are unable to respond if you are unsuccessful. I am sure that you will understand the need to concentrate resources towards our work
Closing date: 10 July 2014
We are an equal opportunities employer, and we particularly encourage qualified people living with a disability to apply.
We will be contacting shortlisted candidates for interview, shortly after the closing dates. We very much regret that in view of the large number of applications we receive, we are unable to respond if you are unsuccessful. I am sure that you will understand the need to concentrate resources towards our work
Closing date: 10 July 2014
First stage interviews: week commencing 20 July 2014