Job Vacancy in Chennai: I-TECH India Country Director

[Guest guest]

Country Director

I-TECH India

Location: Chennai

Last Date: February 15, 2008

Email: infoitechindia@...

POSITION DESCRIPTION

I-TECH India Country Director

BACKGROUND INFORMATION/CONTEXT OF POSITION

I-TECH India is a division of The International Training and

Education Center on HIV (I-TECH), based in Seattle at the University

of Washington. I-TECH was established in 2002 by the Health Resources

and Services Administration (HRSA) in collaboration with the U.S.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Global AIDS Program (CDC-

GAP). I-TECH undertakes activities that increase human and systems

capacity for provision of HIV/AIDS clinical care and support through

the development of health care worker training systems that are

locally determined, optimally resources, highly responsive and self-

sustaining in countries and regions hardest hit by the AIDS epidemic.

I-TECH has been working in India since 2003, in partnership with CDC-

GAP/India and local government to improve the capacity of health care

workers to address the challenges of care and treatment of HIV and

related illnesses through activities such as needs assessment,

curriculum development, in-service training, training of trainers,

and program evaluation.

POSITION PURPOSE

The Country Director (CD) will have primary responsibility to fulfill

I-TECH's scope of work as reflected in the US Government's (USG)

Country Operating Plan for India. With support from I-TECH's US-based

headquarters, the Country Director will lead the in-country team in

assuring that I-TECH India implements its funded scope of work,

including the development and management of I-TECH's portfolio of

HIV/AIDS capacity-building initiatives in India. This position will

be responsible for regular reporting to I-TECH's US headquarters (HQ)

on programmatic, policy and fiscal matters and will ensure that I-

TECH India is in compliance with relevant rules and regulations of

the Indian government, USG partners, including CDC-GAP/India, the

Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the

University of Washington (UW).

This demanding and critical leadership position requires a strong

commitment to I-TECH's mission and goals, proven high level

administrative experience in public health programs, excellent cross-

cultural communication and interactive skills, familiarity with human

and systems capacity-building strategies, and awareness of current

issues in international public health and current training methods

around HIV/AIDS care, treatment and prevention.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/RELATED DUTIES

Capacity Building and Leadership (40%):

• Represent I-TECH at key meetings with national government

representatives, local and international non-government

organizations, and funders to advance effective communication,

planning, development and implementation of collaborative training

activities, providing leadership to establish I-TECH India's role in

HIV/AIDS training, quality assurance, and support activities.

• Serve as the primary contact for I-TECH India's in-country

administrative and program partners, USG officials in India, other

PEPFAR implementing partners in India, India governmental agencies,

and other India organizations.

• Coordinate activities with funders and partners to develop and

maintain strong local partnerships on technical issues.

• Expand I-TECH India's program and develop new partnerships

accordingly

• Participate in relevant technical advisory groups with counterparts

and partner institutions

• Provide technical assistance to national counterparts.

Program Management & Administration (40%):

• In collaboration with I-TECH HQ leadership, guide strategic

planning and provide leadership in the development, implementation

and regular monitoring of the I-TECH India work plan.

• Assume overall accountability for attainment of I-TECH program

goals, objectives and deliverables; Develop and manage program

budgets in collaboration with the HQ-based Country Project Manager

(CPM)

• Oversee development, application and regular updating of written

policies and procedures for country office operations; verify that

these are in accordance with I-TECH, UW, funder and India government

requirements and regulations

• Oversee all administrative, financial, logistical and security

activities for the country office

• Overall responsibility for budget (approximately $1.2 million

annually) and +/- 20 staff

• Evaluate performance and trends as reported by the leadership team

to promote capacity building

• Be the key contact for the Board of I-TECH India post registration

and provide regular updates to the Board Members on happenings and

facilitate decision making on strategic issues..

Reporting, Monitoring & Evaluation (10%):

• Communicate regularly and substantively with I-TECH headquarters on

all program activities, respond quickly to reporting requests from

CDC and other requests for I-TECH India program and administrative

data

• Submit regular reports to funders and stakeholders as required

• Assure integration of M & E activities throughout the program

Human Resources (10%):

• Provide overall management of all in-country staff and consultants

• Oversee the recruiting, hiring and evaluation of all employees and

consultants

• Ensure that all contracts and employment packages are consistent

with local practice and labor law

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Masters degree in Public Health, Health Administration or related

field

• A minimum of five years' related work experience with an emphasis

on human and organizational capacity development, preferably in India

• A minimum of five years experience in high-level, multi-faceted

program management

• Demonstrated ability to bring together diverse professionals into a

functioning unit and be able to facilitate communication in order to

keep partners working together effectively

• Strong familiarity with international public health and/or HIV/AIDS

issues

• Working knowledge of administrative mechanisms for government

contracting and procurement so that project needs can be met in a

timely way

• Excellent writing and communication skills; ability to interact

with persons from a variety of professional disciplines and from

different levels of society in a tactful, diplomatic, and culturally-

appropriate manner

• Strong commitment to building local organizational capacity

• Demonstrated ability to work both collaboratively and independently

and give close attention to detail

• Demonstrated experience in the supervision of staff, including

managers, technical experts and support staff

• Excellent organizational and communication skills, verbal and

written.

• Excellent cross-cultural interpersonal and diplomacy skills.

• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks and work effectively in a

demanding environment.

• Program monitoring and evaluation experience

• Fiscal monitoring experience

• Computer skills including MS Word, PowerPoint, Excel

Equivalent education/experience may substitute for required

qualifications.

Desired:

• Experience living and/or working in India

• Familiarity with foreign governmental contexts; US university or

comparable institutional bureaucracies; USG (e.g., CDC HRSA) systems,

protocols and policies.

• Experience with capacity development and training, particularly in

the health care context.

• Experience working in the NGO context.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS

This position is 1.0 FTE, based in Chennai, India. A two-year

contract is required with possibility of extension, pending funding.

Must be available and willing to travel: within India, and up to 2-3

trips/year to regional or international meetings/conferences.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

Interested parties should submit (AT THE EARLIEST) cover letter and

CV directly to:

infoitechindia@...

or

mail them to:

Mrs. Jasmine B. Rajan, Senior Office Manager

The International Training & Education Center on HIV

Government Hospital of Thoracic Medicine

Training Center

Tambaram Sanatorium

Chennai 600 047

Tel. No. 044-22414200

PLEASE MARK " APPLICATION FOR THE POST OF COUNTRY DIRECTOR " ON ENVELOPE