Program Manager – Health System Resilience and Governance

Program Manager – Health System Resilience and Governance

Job Location: Kathmandu

Ipas works globally with a vision that every woman and girl has the right and ability to determine her own sexuality and reproductive health.
As part of the broader reproductive justice movement, Ipas is working to ensure that abortion and contraceptive care are essential health services and that all people can access them. Our programs use a multifaceted approach that addresses reproductive health services, access to services, and fulfillment of reproductive rights. We seek to expand the accessibility, availability, acceptability and quality of abortion and related reproductive health services, as well as improve the enabling environment for the sustainability of RH services.
Ipas Nepal’s program intervention prioritizes intersectional partnerships that integrate into the broader gender equality and social justice, including gender-based violence prevention and response, women-led climate justice and disaster risk reduction.
The Program Manager Health System Resilience and Governance will successfully manage the programs and provide technical guidance for governance, policy and advocacy initiatives to increase access to SRHR services through a resilient health system. The primary focus of this position is working with federal, provincial and local governments, civil societies and other stakeholders on improving the policy environment including formulation of laws and regulations, development and revision of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) incorporating resilience. The program manager works closely with Health System and Policy unit, Partnership and Field Operations, GBV, and other units and takes the lead on the policy and governance-related activity of Ipas Nepal and ensures the deliverables are met. The program manager also assists with implementing strategies to improve the enabling environment in support of women’s reproductive rights. S/he supports minimizing policy-related barriers to the implementation of the SRHR program through different levels of policy advocacy. S/he advocates for the integration of SRHR into national-level policy documents for the sustainability of initiatives. In addition, this position is also responsible in strengthening the capacity for good governance in the health sector to deliver quality services from the service delivery points (SDPs). S/he works closely with local governments in formulating policies and strategies and in strengthening the capacity of health facility operations and management committees (HFOMCs) and other management and coordination committees. This position reports directly to the Head of Department or the Country Director.

Detailed duties and responsibilities for the position

Program management and implementation

• Lead the planning and implementation of activities in enhancing Governance and Resilient policy environment.
• Monitor the alignment of policy and governance-related activities as per the plan.
• Support the implementing partners for capacity building and timely execution of the activities to meet the organizational standards and donor requirements.
• Lead and track the program initiatives on Governance and Resilience as a Program Manager and ensure regular PMT and updating Program Tracker.

Technical assistance and support to Governments and stakeholders

• Provide technical support to the local and provincial governments in formulating new health policies, strategies, and guidelines to ensure the inclusion of climate resilient health system to deliver quality SRHR services at the sub-national level in line with the constitution of Nepal, and other acts and regulations at the federal level.
• Support the government authorities to review and update the guidelines on health sector governance, humanitarian settings, resilience, and HFOMC.
• Support FWD to regularize the meeting of the subcommittee regularly, and in preparing program guidelines and standards.
• Support all levels of government in forecasting and quantification of drugs and supplies for quality SRHR services in close coordination with other units and departments at Ipas Nepal.

Advocacy with the government for policy and budget on Climate Resilient Health System

• Capacitate implementing partners and field staff on Climate-resilient health system, policy review, and planning processes (7-step planning) of local governments, and budget allocation.
•  Advocate with all levels of government for climate resilient health system and to increase the allocation and utilization of budget on SRHR and monitor the progress focusing on the sustainability of the SRHR program.
• Work with media (journalists) for advocacy and dissemination of governance and policy-related information.
• Engage with professional organizations for the dissemination of climate-resilient health systems and Ipas work in the sector.

Knowledge management, monitoring, and program development

•  Document the program learnings and share them with the team internally and with external stakeholders as and when required.
• Support in developing new programs based on the lessons learned from the existing projects.
•  Monitor the implementation of program activities at the field level.
•  Conduct joint monitoring visits, with other high-level government officials and civil society representatives, and prepare quality donor reports and other relevant documents in the technical areas in close coordination with the Program Evidence Team and other teams at Ipas Nepal.

Coordination, liaison, and representation

• Coordinate with all levels of government as and where required,
•  Participate in various meetings representing Ipas as decided by the Unit lead or the management, especially related to climate resilient health systems, health governance and policy.
• Maintain relationships with government officials including provincial-level government and conduct sensitization workshops.
•  Coordinate with stakeholders to regularize the RHRWG meeting as an advocacy forum for SRHR.
•  Engage with partners (civil society) to implement international and national obligations and commitments made by the government and support such initiatives within the scope of the program.
•  Willing to perform other duties as assigned by the supervisor and the organization.
  Understand and comply with the organization’s policies and ethics.
•  Understand and comply with the Human Resources, Procurement, Travel, Finance Policy, and other policies of the organization.
•  Commitment and adherence to the Ipas code of business ethics and conduct and safeguarding policy.
• Contribute to a safe working environment where every team member is treated equally and respectfully.
• Live up to the Ipas core values-driven, principled, bold, and interdependent.
• Ensure all work activities comply with the organization’s rules and regulations.
•  Ensure proper documentation of memos, decisions, reports, and any official documents for record keeping hardcopy/OneDrive/Luna as appropriate.

PSEA compliance

•  As an Ipas Nepal employee read, understand, and sign the acknowledgment to comply with all aspects of the PSEA as defined by the PSEA policy.
• Contribute to a safe working environment where every team member is treated equally and respectfully.
•  Ensure Ipas representatives (including consultants, interns, volunteers, independent contractors, suppliers/vendors, board members, and sub-awardees) and government officials directly working with Ipas and its partners understand and practice the prevention of sexual exploitation and abuse policy while in partnership and implement the program with Ipas.

Other responsibilities

• Engage in a learning culture and participate in and enroll in learning courses at Ipas University.
•  Willing to be back up for staff and vacant positions and perform other related duties as required.

Qualification and skill requirements:

•  Master degree in Public Health, Social Studies, Development Studies, Human Rights, Law or other relevant field of study with 5 years experience, with at least 2 years in a senior role OR bachelor’s degree with 7 years of experience, with at least 2 years in a senior role in development organizations (I/NGOs)
•  Experiences in sexual and reproductive health and rights, human rights, and/or public policy procedures.
•  Experiences in working with government at the federal, province, and local levels with good working relationships with non-government organizations including public health organizations.
• Working knowledge of budget oversight.
• Has strong written and spoken communication skills in English and Nepali language.
• Flexible to adapt to challenging work environments.
•  Ability to travel up to 60% domestically.

Qualified women candidates and candidates particularly from disadvantaged and socially excluded/marginalized groups are strongly encouraged to apply.

Ipas is strongly committed to providing a work environment that is free from all forms of harassment, discrimination, and inequity. We recruit, employ, train, promote, and compensate our personnel without regard to race, age, sex, religion, national origin, color, creed, ancestry, citizenship, caste, ethnicity, regional identity, tribal identity, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, gender identity, transgender status, sexual orientation, or any other personal characteristic protected by law or outlined by Ipas policy. Ipas acknowledges that these personal characteristics may differ in different contexts.

Tagged as: Ipas Nepal, Kathmandu, NGO INGO, Program Manager