Senior Project Coordinator at D-tree International

Senior Project Coordinator 

Reports to: Program Manager

Location: Stone Town, Unguja, Zanzibar

Start Date: March 15, 2021

Who we are 

D-tree International is on a mission to radically improve health by strengthening health systems through innovations in  digital technology. D-tree works through partnerships with Ministries of Health and NGOs to bring human-centered  design approaches to collaborations in which we support partners to understand local health system challenges and  opportunities, and integrate technology into these systems to improve the accessibility, quality and accountability of  healthcare delivery, ultimately leading to high-performing health systems that improve health and wellbeing for all. A key  aspect of our work is our end-to-end partnership, in which we also support partners to use systems thinking to roll out,  implement and monitor programs and facilitate a culture of data use among multiple stakeholders. D-tree has received  funding from USAID, the Gates Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation, Foundation Botnar, Human Development  Innovation Fund, Packard Foundation, UN Foundation and more than 20 international NGOs. As a pioneer in the field of  digital health, D-tree has supported more than 8,000 health workers serving over 5 million families in 16 countries  throughout sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.

D-tree has been working in Zanzibar since 2010 on projects focused on maternal and child health and digital health  systems. In close collaboration with the Zanzibar Ministry of Health and Ministry of Local Government (PORALGSD),  D-tree has trained more than 1,000 Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) who as part of the Jamii ni Afya community  health program. The program support Community Health Volunteers to utilize digital tools to provide high quality care  to women, children and their families to improve health, nutrition, and child development outcomes. The program is  expected to expand to include additional services and reach all communities in Zanzibar in 2021 and beyond.

Who you are 

We are seeking a full time Senior Project Coordinator, based in Stone Town, Zanzibar, to work closely with the Program  Manager and Program Director and manage specific project objectives within the Zanzibar portfolio. This is a dynamic  and challenging role requiring an individual with strong project management skills and experience coordinating complex  activities with a broad range of stakeholders.

What you will do 

As Senior Project Coordinator, the Employee will be responsible for ‘owning’ project objectives—taking initiative and  responsibility for ensuring objectives are met—while working closely with the Program Manager and collaboratively  with the D-tree Zanzibar team. The Senior Project Coordinator will take a leading role on various initiatives, which may  be programmatic, organizational, and/or related to government engagement efforts. Key responsibilities include:

Project management 

• Support the Program Manager to manage and implement project objectives, including developing work  plans, budgets, monitoring of activities and continuous quality improvement, external report writing and  ensuring compliance with donor agreements.
• With the Program Manager, develop project implementation strategies and work plans with the team including quarterly and monthly work plans and budgets.
• Support development of digital tool design specifications including flow charts, detailed protocols, and  dashboards
• Implement Jamii ni Afya program activities including:

1. Support government teams to lead recruitment, training, and supportive supervision of CHVs
2. Build capacity of supervisors, CHMT and MOH officials to play active program management roles  and utilize data.
3. Regularly meet and communicate with government health teams to develop joint workplans and  keep them updated on program developments.
4. Oversee implementation of large program activities including CHV training and supervision. o Regularly engage government health teams in program reviews and lead strategic conversations on  program improvements or additional interventions required in order to maximize health outcomes. o Monitor the maintenance of the CHV programs in Unguja and Pemba by following up with CHVs  and supervisors to monitor performance and encourage high performance.
5. Proactively communicate about technological or programmatic issues in the field and work with  relevant teams to identify solutions and continuously improve the effectiveness of our interventions and mobile applications
6. Identify programmatic weaknesses and recommend program improvements. Work with Program  Manager to develop and implement resolutions.
7. With support from Program Manager, Technical Advisor, and Administrative and Finance Officer,  plan and coordinate quarterly review meetings to be held in Unguja and Pemba.
8. Collaborate with Program Manager and Administrative and Finance officer on monthly budget  forecasts.

• Monitor and report on progress on project objectives and toward performance targets; ensure D-tree staff  and partners are kept on track to achieve results.
• Contribute to design and implementation of program monitoring, quality improvement, and supervision  frameworks, key performance indicators, tools, and implementation and review approaches in collaboration  with MEL and Program Managers. In collaboration with the D-tree team and external research partners,  contribute to design and implementation of mixed methods project evaluations and learning activities,  including development of tools, oversight of data collection, and analysis.
• Contribute to writing donor reports, internal reporting, documenting program learning through case studies  and success stories, and results dissemination efforts.

Organizational Management and Team Leadership 

• Coordinate with Operations team to plan, prepare, and implement project activities
• Manage and mentorjunior staff. Ensure that staff are motivated, empowered and given professional  development opportunities. Responsibilities include:

1. Approving staff timesheets
2. Approving advances and expenses
3. Supporting staff in designing Performance Action Plans and providing regular feedback o Supporting staff to develop OKRs and complete quarterly performance reviews

• Support recruitment process to interview, onboard and integrate new staff into the team

Partnerships and Government Engagement 

•  In close collaboration with the program leadership, foster effective working relationship with Zanzibar  government officials, leading communication at district health team level and ensuring alignment of project  implementation approaches
• Build capacity of district health team members to effectively use data for decision-making • Represent D-tree and communicate our strategy and role effectively through available fora  • Present project learning and results at meetings and conferences

Personal characteristics 

We are looking for a motivated, passionate individual who is willing to wear multiple hats and do what it takes to make  our projects succeed. The following attributes are a general overview, but we will consider individuals who do not meet  all of the details below if you have the right skillset and attitude.

Basic requirements 

• Minimum of 4 years’ work experience, including experience managing work plans, monitoring programs, and  reporting
• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field (e.g. public health, sociology)
• Superior analytic skills; ability to think logically and rationally about problems
• Must be able to work independently, multi-task, collaborate with a distributed team, be persistent and work  under tight deadlines
• Quantitative skills with the ability to interpret data and integrate program monitoring and learning findings into  program improvement activities
• Excellent written and spoken English and Swahili

Desired Qualifications 

• Strong preference for candidates from Zanzibar or with experience working in Zanzibar • Understanding of Zanzibar health system and experience collaborating with Ministry of Health and Council  Health Management Teams.
• Prior experience managing and/or implementing community health programs
• Prior experience with designing and implementing digital health programs
• Prior experience managing and training health workers in a clinical setting

Desired characteristics 

• A can-do attitude: You remain optimistic in the face of adversity and creatively solve problems to get things  done.
• A systems thinker: You are able to understand linkages and interactions between individual components in a  health system, and design solutions to strengthen the overall system.
• An innovator: You enjoy thinking outside of the box and want to use that thinking to solve pressingglobal health  problems.
• A detail oriented & strategic thinker: You pay attention to small details and focus on quality and consistency,  but also have the ability to see the big picture and think strategically.

D-tree Values:  

• We go above and beyond because people’s health and lives are at stake
• We respectfully challenge the status quo as we are always in search of a better way • We think big because we have faith in our ability to succeed
• We keep the people we work for and with at the center of everything we do
• We value balance between work and life
• We are excellent stewards of time, resources and money
• We continuously learn and adapt to become the best version of ourselves
• We believe that our strength lies in our diversity and how we perform as a team

Application information  

To apply for this role please follow the instructions below. Applications which do not meet these requirements will not  be considered. This position is open to Tanzanian nationals only.

To apply for this position, please fill in the form HERE.

You will need to include: 

• Cover letter, clearly and concisely explaining how you meet the required skills and experience specified  above
• Your current Curriculum Vitae (CV), showing your work history & achievements, including 3 professional  references

Deadline for applications: February 19, 2021