Health Program Manager

CHILD FUND PAPUA NEW GUINEA

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Title: Health Program Manager (PNG Nationals Only)

Department: Program

Reports To: Head of Program

Location: Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Direct Reports: Health Program Officers / Project Staff, as applicable

Position Type:Full-time

 

ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT

ChildFund Papua New Guinea is the representative office of ChildFund Australia, an international development organisation working to reduce poverty for children and young people in developing communities.

ChildFund PNG works in partnership with communities, government, civil society and other stakeholders to create sustainable change that enables vulnerable children and young people to realise their rights and reach their full potential.

ChildFund PNG implements programs across education, child protection, health, nutrition, water and sanitation, resilience and other areas relevant to children and young people.

HOW WE VALUE YOUR CONTRIBUTION

At ChildFund, you will contribute to our vision of a world where all children and young people can say:“I am safe. I am educated. I contribute. I have a future.”

The Health Program Manager will contribute to this vision by providing technical and program leadership to ensure ChildFund PNG's health and health-related programs are relevant, inclusive, evidence-informed and focused on improved health and wellbeing outcomes for children, young people and communities.

The position will contribute to strengthening partnerships with government, health service providers, communities and national partners, while ensuring program learning and evidence are used to continuously improve program quality and impact.

 

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION

The Health Program Manager provides technical and program management leadership for ChildFund PNG's health portfolio, ensuring programs are effectively planned, implemented, monitored and adapted to achieve agreed outcomes.

The position will provide technical guidance on health programming and work closely with the Head of Program, MEAL, Finance, Operations and program teams to ensure program commitments, quality standards and donor requirements are met.

The Health Program Manager will build and maintain effective relationships with government health authorities, health service providers, communities, national partners and other stakeholders, promoting equitable, partnership-led and community-centred approaches.

The position will also contribute to program development, resource mobilisation, learning and evidence generation to strengthen ChildFund PNG's health portfolio.

KEY DUTIES

Health Program Leadership and Quality

• Provide technical leadership and program oversight across ChildFund PNG's health portfolio.
• Lead and support health program planning, implementation, review and continuous improvement.
• Ensure health programs are aligned with ChildFund PNG's strategy, relevant PNG health priorities and donor requirements.
• Ensure programs are focused on measurable health and wellbeing outcomes and impact, rather than activities alone.
• Monitor program performance against agreed outcomes, milestones, budgets and timelines.
• Identify implementation challenges, risks and opportunities and support timely corrective action.
• Provide technical advice to the Head of Program and Country Director on health priorities and program quality.
• Ensure health programming is contextually appropriate and responsive to the needs of children, young people and communities.

Health Technical Leadership

• Provide technical guidance on relevant health programming areas within ChildFund PNG's portfolio.
• Ensure program approaches are evidence-informed and consistent with relevant national policies, standards and good practice.
• Support integration of child protection, safeguarding, GEDSI, community participation and other relevant cross-cutting priorities into health programming.
• Strengthen approaches that promote access to appropriate and quality health services for vulnerable and marginalised children, young people and communities.
• Support program teams and partners to identify health-related barriers and develop practical and sustainable responses.

MEAL, Evidence and Learning

• Work closely with the MEAL team to develop and implement effective health program and MEAL plans.
• Ensure health programs have clear outcomes, indicators, targets and mechanisms for measuring change.
• Promote the use of program data and evidence to inform management decisions and program improvement.
• Ensure monitoring findings are reviewed and appropriate corrective actions are taken.
• Support assessments, evaluations, research and learning activities.
• Document and share lessons and good practices across the health portfolio.
• Strengthen the capacity of program teams and partners to use evidence to improve program quality and demonstrate impact.

Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain effective relationships with national and provincial health authorities, health facilities, communities, CSOs, development partners and other stakeholders.
• Promote equitable, respectful and partnership-led relationships with national and local partners.
• Ensure clear roles, mutual expectations, accountability and appropriate partner support mechanisms are established.
• Support partner capacity strengthening and localisation approaches.
• Represent ChildFund PNG in relevant health coordination mechanisms, technical working groups and stakeholder forums.
• Identify opportunities for collaboration and strategic partnerships that strengthen health outcomes.

Donor Reporting and Program Development

• Ensure health programs comply with donor agreements, approved proposals, budgets and reporting requirements.
• Lead and contribute to high-quality donor reports, proposals, concept notes and program updates.
• Ensure program results, challenges, lessons and corrective actions are clearly documented.
• Support the development of new health program concepts and funding opportunities.
• Work closely with Finance, MEAL and Operations to ensure program expenditure is aligned with approved budgets and implementation plans.
• Support donor visits, program reviews, audits and other program assurance processes.

Team Leadership and Capacity Development

• Provide technical leadership, coaching and support to health program staff.
• Establish clear performance expectations and accountabilities.
• Identify technical and capacity gaps and support appropriate staff development.
• Promote collaboration, learning, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Encourage program staff to take ownership of program quality and outcomes.
• Address performance concerns in a timely and constructive manner.

Safeguarding, GEDSI and Compliance

• Ensure safeguarding and child protection are integrated into health program design and implementation.
• Promote safe, inclusive and child-centred approaches to health programming.
• Ensure GEDSI is appropriately integrated into program design, implementation, monitoring and learning.
• Ensure staff and partners understand and comply with ChildFund safeguarding requirements.
• Ensure health programs consider the needs of vulnerable and marginalised groups.
• Escalate safeguarding, compliance and other significant program risks in accordance with ChildFund policies and procedures.

Budget and Resource Management

• Support effective management of health program budgets.
• Monitor expenditure against program plans and budgets in collaboration with Finance.
• Identify significant variances and support timely corrective action.
• Ensure program resources are used effectively and in accordance with ChildFund and donor requirements.
• Contribute to annual budgeting and forecasting.
• Promote value for money and responsible use of program resources.

 

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Bechelor's degree in Public Health, Health Sciences, International Development, Development Studies, Social Sciences or a related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years' relevant experience in health program management, public health or international development.
• Demonstrated experience managing health programs in an NGO, development or similar environment.
• Strong understanding of health and community health systems and challenges in PNG or a comparable context.
• Experience in program design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and learning.
• Experience working with DFAT, ANCP, UNICEF, UNFPA, EU or other institutional donors.
• Experience working with government health authorities, communities, national partners and other stakeholders.
• Experience in donor reporting and program compliance.
• Demonstrated experience in team leadership, coaching and capacity development.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding, child protection, GEDSI and inclusive programming.
• Strong program planning, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Desirable

• Experience in community health, health systems strengthening, child and adolescent health, nutrition or health promotion.
• Experience working through national or local partners.
• Experience working in rural and remote communities in PNG.
• Experience integrating climate resilience, disaster preparedness or other cross-cutting issues into health programming.

SAFEGUARDING AND PSEAH

Remain alert and responsive to any child safeguarding or sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment risks; understand and comply with ChildFund's safeguarding and PSEAH policies and procedures; and promote safe and respectful environments for children, young people, staff, partners and communities.

The Health Program Manager will ensure safeguarding considerations are appropriately integrated into health program design, implementation and engagement with communities and health service providers.

 

CHILDFUND VALUES

The Health Program Manager is expected to demonstrate ChildFund's values of:

Respect | Integrity | Collaboration | Change | Empowerment | Excellence

 

SKILLS

• Strong technical knowledge and practical experience in health programming, with the ability to provide sound technical advice and support quality program implementation.
• Ability to translate organisational strategy and health priorities into practical programs that deliver measurable outcomes.
• Strong planning, coordination, risk management and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• Ability to build equitable, respectful and accountable relationships with government, health service providers, national partners and communities.
• Ability to coach, support and develop staff while creating clear expectations, accountability and ownership.
• Ability to analyse program information and use evidence and learning to strengthen program quality and demonstrate impact.
• Strong written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively with technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Ability to work effectively in a complex and changing operating environment and respond constructively to emerging program challenges.
• Demonstrates sound judgement, responsible stewardship of resources and commitment to ChildFund policies, values and standards.
• Demonstrates commitment to gender equality, disability and social inclusion and the meaningful participation of children, young people and communities in program design and implementation.