State Technical Officer

Job Posting Organization:
Catholic Relief Services (CRS) is the official international humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the United States. Established to save, protect, and transform lives in need, CRS operates in more than 100 countries, providing assistance without regard to race, religion, or nationality. The organization focuses on various sectors including emergency response, health, agriculture, education, microfinance, and peacebuilding. CRS is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults from abuse and exploitation, and it welcomes candidates from diverse backgrounds who share its values and commitment to serving those in need. The agency's work culture is collaborative and mission-driven, aiming to improve the lives of the poor globally. CRS has a comprehensive benefits package for its staff, which varies based on the country of employment and includes medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and retirement savings plans. The organization emphasizes the importance of personal accountability, integrity, trust-building, collaboration, and a willingness to learn among its staff.

Job Overview:
The State Technical Officer will play a crucial role in the CORE Group Partners Project (CGPP) team by facilitating the achievement of project objectives through effective coordination and reporting on all project activities. This position requires providing technical guidance and advice to staff and implementing partners, ensuring that Catholic Relief Services' work serves the poor and vulnerable effectively. The officer will focus on malaria interventions in Bauchi State, specifically strengthening malaria case management, implementing Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI), providing malaria in pregnancy services, and preparing for malaria vaccine readiness at supported health facilities. The role demands strong coordination and relationship management skills to apply best practices and continuously improve the impact of the project on the communities served. The State Technical Officer will also be responsible for mentoring health workers, supporting supervision activities, and enhancing the quality of malaria service delivery.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The State Technical Officer will have a comprehensive set of responsibilities, including:

• Providing technical support for malaria implementation across supported Local Government Areas (LGAs) and health facilities, ensuring alignment with the detailed implementation plan, CRS program quality principles, donor requirements, and best practices.
• Supporting the implementation of interventions related to malaria case management, including IMNCI services, malaria in pregnancy (IPTp), and malaria vaccine readiness, integrating these into routine immunization efforts.
• Participating in integrated supportive supervision visits to health facilities and offering on-the-job coaching to health workers to enhance their skills and service delivery.
• Conducting facility readiness assessments and contributing to health system strengthening initiatives to improve overall service delivery.
• Assisting in the development and distribution of job aids, guidelines, and standard operating procedures to support health workers in their roles.
• Strengthening the capacity of health workers on malaria diagnosis, treatment, and adherence to national guidelines through targeted training and mentorship.
• Participating in quality-of-care assessments and monitoring test positivity rates to ensure effective malaria interventions.
• Coordinating with state and LGA health teams to enhance service delivery and contribute to program monitoring, reporting, and documentation of lessons learned.
• Supporting the implementation of targeted mentorship for underperforming facilities to improve their service delivery outcomes. 1
• Collaborating with partners to enhance commodity management and service integration for malaria interventions.

Required Qualifications:
The position requires a Bachelor’s degree in Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Health Sciences, or related disciplines. Additionally, candidates must possess strong technical knowledge of malaria prevention and treatment, as well as an understanding of IMNCI, antenatal care (ANC) services, and malaria in pregnancy interventions. The ability to conduct health worker mentoring and supportive supervision is essential, along with strong analytical and problem-solving skills. Candidates should demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively with government and partners, possess good communication skills, and have the capacity to work independently while traveling frequently to LGAs and health facilities.

Educational Background:
A Bachelor’s degree in Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, Health Sciences, or related fields is required for this position. A Master’s degree in public health or a related field is preferred and would be considered a plus.

Experience:
Candidates should have a minimum of 6 years of work experience in project support, ideally in the field of malaria, maternal and child health, or infectious disease programs for an NGO. At least 5 years of experience specifically in malaria, maternal and child health, or infectious disease programs is required. Experience in supporting health facility service delivery improvement, conducting supportive supervision, and capacity building of health workers is essential. Familiarity with Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability, and Learning (MEAL) skills and experience is also necessary.

Languages:
The mandatory language for this position is English, and proficiency in Hausa is also required. Knowledge of additional languages may be considered an asset.

Additional Notes:
The position does not have supervisory responsibilities. The role requires a willingness to travel up to 75% of the time. CRS offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, life insurance, vision, and a generous retirement savings plan for U.S.-based staff. For candidates employed outside the U.S., benefits packages are based on the country of employment. The successful candidate is expected to adhere to CRS' Code of Conduct and safeguarding policies. The organization prioritizes candidates who are citizens or permanent residents of the countries where CRS operates.