Job Advert: Program Officer Position - Uganda Data Driven Policy Initiative for Women’s Health

Makerere University School of Public Health (Dept. of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences) in collaboration with Vital Strategies is looking for a Program Officer for an exciting new program to reduce maternal mortality in Uganda.

Vital Strategies also promotes public health programs that include road safety, mental health, and activities to strengthen public health data systems and the use of public health data to guide policy and decision-making in Uganda.

About the Program

Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) with funding from Vital Strategies will implement a program to promote women’s health by address leading causes of morbidity and mortality. This program under the name Data-Driven Policy Initiative to Improve Women’s Health (DDP for WH) aims to reduce maternal morbidity and mortality resulting from unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and complications of pregnancy and childbirth in Uganda. Other countries where this project is being implemented are Bangladesh and Rwanda.

The program officer will work closely with ministry of health to strengthen capacity to collect, analyze and apply data to develop evidence-based policies. This Initiative applies a data-to-policy model to support improved access to, and surveillance of, family planning, contraceptives, abortion care, and other sexual and reproductive health services. The program complements existing efforts in Uganda and leverages Vital Strategies’ expertise in health data, epidemiology, surveillance, health policy and public health law, and strategic communication and advocacy.

The program’s theory of change is based on the assumption that clear and compelling data and evidence, along with effective advocacy, is fundamental to create meaningful and impactful policy and program improvements. Anchoring the first-year activities in building capacity and understanding in the data and its gaps will serve as the basis for policy analysis and development. Also through support and partnership with others currently working in this space, will complement ongoing advocacy and communications, and implementation efforts in the initial year and beyond.

The Position

This is a two-year, grant funded position but may extend for additional years. The Program Officer will be responsible for supporting Uganda-specific program results. S/he will serve as a subject matter expert in epidemiology/health data/Health Management Information Systems and will guide and provide technical support to Ministry of Health (MoH) of Uganda counterparts. The program officer will report to the Principal Investigator at the MakSPH. Progress will be discussed with Program Director based at Vital Strategies, the MoH and the Kampala based Investigators. The primary responsibilities of this position will be to ensure that the implementation of Initiative-activities in Uganda are country-owned and country-driven, technically sound and sustainable. They should also be in line with program goals and objectives, best practice standards, approved work plans, and budgets. S/he will ensure that Initiative activities are continuously monitored, and that implementation obstacles are identified and reported in a timely manner.

This position requires expertise and experience in the technical dimensions of this work, i.e., reproductive and sexual health, familiarity with sources and analytic approaches for data related to reproductive health, safe abortion and post-abortion care, and the use of data for policymaking and program management. The officer will be embedded in the Ministry of Health and MakSPH with dual accountability to MakSPH and Vital Strategies.

Terms of Reference:

• Collaborate with Investigators at the MakSPH, develop and seek approval for work plans with clear milestones, and timelines
• Develop data system and analytic improvement plans with Ministry partners
• Manage inter-governmental partnerships and if necessary, create and seek approval for data sharing agreements
• With guidance from MakSPH and Vital Strategies, identify and work with topical expert consultants.
• Draft data-related evidence briefs
• Provide support in the analysis, synthesis and summarizing of existing data and related data information systems (processes) to the MakSPH
• Conduct desk research and coordinate stakeholders inputs and edits of data-related evidence briefs
• Organize and participate in data-oriented training programs, including preparation of materials, curriculum support, identifying instructors, identifying participants, convening training logistics
• Help organize appropriate meetings with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders with outside venues, caterers, vendors
• Coordinate meetings and regularly scheduled communications with MOH; coordinate all reports on Initiative progress to senior government officials, the Program Director, local stakeholders/civil society organizations, other Vital Strategies team members and initiative partners
• Work closely with MakSPH based investigators and Vital Strategies’ communications teams for public events, document production, and strategic communications
• Other duties as assigned

Qualities and Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of increasing experience working in the maternal health or reproductive health sector, international public health organization, or as manager of public health projects
• Post-graduate degree in relevant field (community health or nursing, public health, epidemiology data science, biostatistics or public administration) or equivalent experience
• Strong analytic skills and experience
• Written and oral English language proficiency required
• Evidence of scientific writing skills
• Ability to work independently
• Strong organizational and verbal and written communication skills 
• Proficient user of Microsoft office suite, as well as statistical and database management software
• Willingness and ability to travel in country and internationally, pandemic dependent
• This position is open to Ugandan nationals and candidates holding a valid work resident permit for Uganda

NB: MakSPH strongly encourages qualified female candidates to apply

Term of Service

Initial consultant contract will be 12 months and may be renewed, subject to satisfactory performance. A three-month probationary period will apply.

How to Apply

Please submit your application, a CV including salary expectations to the Dean, MakSPH via the link below.

Application link: https://forms.gle/w5GPpqTCVgftQJvFA

The deadline for applications is August 6th 2021. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.