Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) - University Research Co

University Research Co., LLC (URC) is a global company dedicated to improving the quality of health care, social services, and health education worldwide. With a non-profit affiliate, the Center for Human Services (CHS), URC manages projects in over 45 countries, including the United States.

Established in 1965, URC offers a range of technical assistance to strengthen health and social systems and service quality by empowering communities and health workers to identify and scale up locally appropriate solutions to critical problems. Internationally, we expand access to and improve the quality of services addressing maternal, newborn, and child health; infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, TB, and malaria; reproductive health and family planning; food and nutrition; and vulnerable children and families. In the US, we focus on improving communication related to issues like substance abuse, with a particular focus on reaching underserved populations.

URC’s mission is to provide innovative, evidence-based solutions to health and social challenges worldwide. Please join us in carrying out our mission (http://www.urc-chs.com/).

Region and Project Overview:

The Global, Latin America and Caribbean, and West Africa Region has projects spanning various health areas, including HIV/AIDS, TB, MNCH, and malaria, and in cross-cutting areas such as health systems strengthening, community mobilization, quality improvement (QI), and social and behavior change communications.

URC is seeking a Deputy Chief of Party (DCOP) for a potential USAID-funded quality improvement (QI) health project in Ghana. This position is subject to project award and funding. 

Roles and Responsibilities: The DCOP is responsible for providing high level strategic leadership, guidance, oversight and supervision of the design, implementation, monitoring of project-supported high quality, high-impact interventions to support the implementation of activities under the USAID/Ghana – Quality Integrated Health Systems Activity. S/he will have relevant technical expertise and experience; solid professional reputation; and program management expertise. S/he will mentor and supervise a team of senior level team members. S/he will support the Chief of Party (COP) in project management functions including representing the project at meetings with USAID, as well as other organizations and counterparts within the regions and districts. S/he reports directly to the Chief of Party and will be a member of the project’s Senior Management Team.   

The DCOP’s roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Lead and/or participate in technical activity planning meetings.
• Provide technical direction, as delegated by the COP, for one or more technical components of the project; supervise related technical staff.
• Coordinate program implementation, including detailed monthly and quarterly work planning, capacity building, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL).
• Ensure technical resource needs for program activities are planned and met.
• Support the COP in the design and oversight of annual project planning cycle to develop comprehensive annual work plans, assure timely disbursement of funds and results reporting for the project.
• Support the COP in monitoring and reporting of project results and direct quality control mechanisms throughout the life of the project.
• Participate in a key role in the development of quarterly and annual reports.
• Maintain regular contact with USAID (as delegated by the COP), key counterparts and URC headquarters staff.
• Represent the project at meetings with donors, MoH officials, roundtables, working groups, and conferences, as delegated by the COP.

Minimum Qualifications 

• Demonstrated experience in Ghana required. Ghanaian Nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.
• 10 years of experience designing, implementing, and managing national-level or global health projects in developing or middle-income countries.
• Prior experience working with USAID and other international donors and knowledge of USAID and US Government policies and procedures is preferred.
• Master’s degree in health or social sciences, or a related advanced degree relevant to the field of global public health.
• Strong leadership skills and demonstrated experience in managing and improving projects with the following components strongly preferred: health systems strengthening/QI, health economics, health financing, government-to-government agreements, leadership, and governance.
• Experience managing improvement interventions and technical/institutional capacity building programs primarily through a technical assistance approach.
• Demonstrated experience interacting with host county governments and counterparts and international donor agencies.
• Strong written and oral communications skills in English is required.