A. Position Identification

B. Summary Statement:

The Public Health Institute (PHI) is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health, well-being, and quality of life for people throughout California, across the nation and around the world. As one of the largest and most comprehensive public health organizations in the nation, we are at the forefront of research and innovations to improve the efficacy of public health statewide, nationally, and internationally.

The Global Health Training, Advisory and Support Contract (GHTASC) delivers effective global health programming to advance the mission of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Bureau for Global Health (GH) through institutional support and workforce development services from junior, mid-level, senior and expert advisory and administrative professionals.

The world has witnessed an extraordinary 70 percent decline in child mortality over the last 50 years, and a reduction in child deaths from over 12 million in 1990 to 5.9 million in 2015. Over the same timeframe, maternal deaths declined by 43%, from an estimated 532,000 in 1990 to 302,000 in 2015. New WHO global and national estimates and trends in maternal mortality are forthcoming. Despite this progress, significant work remains to increase coverage of high-impact interventions, strengthen the health systems that support these interventions, improve quality, and address equity gaps that are bottlenecks to ending preventable child and maternal deaths.

In 2014, with technical input from USAID, a 2030 global target of fewer than 70 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births was adopted by WHO. In June of that year, USAID outlined its support for this goal in the report Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality: USAID Maternal Health Vision for Action. The Vision emphasizes equity, sustainability, country ownership, capacity building, innovation, and collaboration across disciplines and sectors to end preventable maternal mortality. An update of a Maternal Newborn Health Vision for 2020-2015 is underway that will emphasize the USAID Journey to Self-Reliance.

The Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH) Division of the Office of Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN) within USAID’s Bureau for Global Health (GH) provides technical leadership and supports strategic planning, innovative program design, and monitoring and evaluation in maternal, newborn, child and environmental health programs globally and in USAID field Missions. The MNH Division plays a central role in technical leadership and management of USAID’s efforts to prevent maternal and newborn deaths and other similar global commitments and initiatives.

C. Position Summary:

The Senior Maternal Health Advisor will primarily support the Maternal and Newborn Health (MNH) Division within USAID’s Office of Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition (MCHN) in USAID’s Bureau for Global Health (GH) as a PHI Institutional Support Contractor (ISC). In this role, the selected candidate will provide program support, policy and technical guidance for MNH awards, as well as provide technical advice to the maternal and newborn health teams. The Maternal Health Team Lead will serve as the USAID point of contact, and the Senior Advisor will work in collaboration with other MCHN Divisions, GH Offices and Centers, and USAID Bureaus and Missions through USAID management and technical teams to promote maternal and newborn survival and health.

Full salary range for this position: $129,740 to $195,000 per year. The starting salary is determined based on the candidate’s knowledge, skills, experience, as well as budget availability.

D. Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Provide technical leadership to the Agency on Maternal Health (MH) issues, including enabling and mobilizing individual and communities, advancing quality respectful maternity care, strengthening related health systems, and continuous learning:

• Provide expert leadership and guidance regarding MH issues, priorities, and strategies, with attention to care across the maternity cycle and relevance to perinatal health and survival, and the major causes of maternal death and morbidity.
• Provide expert technical advice for antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum quality care based on current evidence.
• Analyze complex situations in order to assist in the development of USAID strategic plans and assess the impact of host-country policies and practices on USG or USAID programs in the health sector.
• Collaborate with U.S. Government (USG) partners, bilateral donors, multilateral organizations, foundations, universities, and nongovernmental/private voluntary organizations in policy and programming related to maternal health.
• Participate in global efforts to advance Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality (EPMM), including participation in global technical working groups.
• Support the policy oversight and management of MH and related projects and activities.
• Bring new findings from technical literature to the attention of USAID Health Officers, through webinars, presentations, the MNH Division’s Maternal & Newborn Health Breaking News e-newsletter and the USAID website.
• Contribute to education and communication, including e-learning courses, social media and reports to Congress.
• Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

Provide technical assistance to field Missions, GH offices, regional bureaus, and implementing partners:

• Serve as a maternal health expert resource for GH offices, regional bureaus, and individual countries to advance maternal survival and health, including healthy behaviors, care seeking, provision of quality care, monitoring and evaluation.
• Provide short-term maternal health expertise to designated priority countries in design and evaluation of MH programs and long-term support as a team member or GH country coordinator for a selected country(ies).
• Provide expert maternal health technical assistance as needed to USAID’s implementing partners.
• Provide expert maternal health technical assistance and support coordination with other USG partners.
• Respond to internal and external requests for information, prepare background and briefing documents, and serve as a technical mentor and member of working groups and technical committees, as necessary.
• Provide guidance on strengthening health systems as it relates to MNH.
• Provide technical input and advice to guide MH research, with emphasis on qualitative and implementation research.
• Bring new findings from technical literature to the attention of USAID and implementing partners.

E. Qualification Requirements:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Master’s degree with 10 years of relevant experience, or bachelor’s degree with 12 years of relevant experience, Associate’s degree and 14 years of relevant experience, OR High School graduate and 16 years of relevant experience.

Other Qualifications:

• An advanced degree/certification or equivalent in the field of obstetrics, midwifery or advanced nursing practice that includes maternity care, with relevant years of public health and clinical experience.
• A minimum of five years’ experience in design, implementation, and evaluation of public health programs, of which two to three years were in international or resource-poor settings.
• An in-depth understanding of health systems issues related to maternal care in low and middle income (LMIC) countries.
• Demonstrated skill in conducting critical analysis and evaluation of technical and programmatic aspects of programs.
• Ability to think and operate strategically and programmatically.
• Excellent understanding of current issues in international maternal and neonatal health programs.
• Demonstrated experience in working directly with host-country governments, developing country program clinicians, managers and policy makers in the field of newborn health.
• Basic understanding of programs and organizational aspects of major international donors, multilateral agencies, and nongovernmental/private voluntary organizations supporting the social sector, with a focus that includes maternal health.
• Excellent interpersonal and diplomacy skills and experience in working effectively in an independent capacity and as a member of a team.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills, including ability to write technical documents and give presentations on the technical and public health advances on maternal health to colleagues in and outside of USAID.
• Good computer skills.
• Ability to travel internationally for up to 15% of the time.
• US. Citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain secret clearance required.

F. Competencies:

• Innovation: Employee takes initiative to propose new ideas/approaches and demonstrates ability to find new and better ways to accomplish work.
• Customer Service: Handles customer questions and complaints, communicates with customers, handles service problems politely and efficiently, always available for customers, follows procedure to solve customer problems, understands company products and services, maintains pleasant and professional image.
• Accountability: Takes ownership of work responsibilities and holds high standards. Keeps commitments and takes appropriate actions to ensure obligations are met. Pursues efficiency and effectiveness and adheres to Organization policies and procedures.
• Interpersonal Skills: Employee demonstrates ability to work in cooperation with others and communicate effectively with co-workers, supervisors, subordinates, clients, and other outside contacts.
• Continual Learning: Assesses and recognizes own strengths and weaknesses; pursues professional development that is aligned with organizational role, contribution, and goals. Proactively shares knowledge with others to foster learning across the Organization.

G. APPLICATION INFORMATION:

Prior to submitting your application your resume must include relevant paid and non-paid experience showing dates held with month, year and hours worked per week for each position. Please ensure that all relevant experience and education is documented on your resume. There is no limitation to resume length; updates to resumes will not be accepted during the interview and selection process.

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA) STATUS

This position is classified as exempt based on the job duties. However, based on the FTE, salary level of the employee, or federal/state/local laws, the employee may be classified as nonexempt.

PHI WORKFORCE MANDATORY COVID-19 VACCINATION POLICY

Per the PHI Workforce Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, it is a condition of employment for all domestic based employees to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19, unless they are granted a reasonable accommodation under applicable law.

New hires need to provide proof of full vaccination prior to their start date or apply for an exemption/accommodation within three business days after their start date. Depending on the circumstances, new hires who do not comply with this Policy, or who cannot be reasonably accommodated, will either have their employment suspended or terminated. Candidates who are non-compliant will have their offers rescinded.

EEO STATEMENT

The Public Health Institute is committed to a policy that provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition including genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identification and expression, sexual orientation, and to make all employment decisions so as to further this principle of equal employment opportunity. To this end, the PHI will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, medical condition including genetic characteristics, physical or mental disability, veteran status, gender identification and expression, sexual orientation, and will take affirmative action to ensure that applicants are offered employment and employees are treated during employment without regard to these characteristics.

For further information regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, copy and paste the following URL into your web browser: http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf

ADA STATEMENT

The Public Health Institute is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Recruitment Team at least 48 hours in advance at Recruitment@phi.org.

This position described in this announcement falls under a contract with the Federal Government, and therefore is subject to the provisions put forward in OMB Circular A-76 which prohibit contractors from performing inherently governmental functions. Specifically, employees placed in agency positions will not perform inherently governmental functions, nor supervise any personnel other than the contractor’s own staff, nor make final decisions or sign documents that commit the U.S. Government.