If you're experienced in managing public health campaigns, coordinating teams, and liaising with stakeholders at the local level, this Program Officer consultancy with Malaria Consortium in Kaduna offers a structured opportunity to drive impact through the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) program.
Job Title: Program Officer (Consultant)
Location: Kaduna
Employment Type: Short-Term Consultancy
Application Closing Date: 12th August, 2025 (5:00 PM)
About the Company
Established in 2003, Malaria Consortium is one of the world’s leading non-profit organisations specialising in the prevention, control, and treatment of malaria and other communicable diseases among vulnerable populations. The organisation operates across Africa and Asia, leveraging evidence-based interventions to strengthen health systems and promote universal health coverage.
Job Description / Purpose
- The job purpose is to work with the State Project Manager (SPM) to effectively manage project activities and resources, provide leadership and stewardship to the project team and maintain collaborative links with the project’s key stakeholders at the LGA level.
Scope of work:
- The Program Officer (PO), while reporting to the State Project Manager (SPM) and based at the state office, will line manage the LGA Field Assistants across the state.
Key working relationships:
- The PO would be line managed by the SPM and would line manage the LGA Field Assistants in-charge of the assigned LGAs. S/he would also maintain relationships with the country office departments, including Finance and Logistics.
- Key external relationships would be with staff at the LGA and State Malaria Elimination Programme (SMEP), LGA health staff and leading community members and gatekeepers.
- S/he would lead training and coordination, through drug administration and supportive supervision, to reporting of activities at the LGA level. S/he would maintain close communication with stakeholders and influential persons in the assigned LGAs through the agreed frameworks.
Responsibilities
Programme Management (70%):
- Support the SPM and the state management team to lead activities for smooth programme management in the assigned LGAs in the following areas:
- Line management – build and performance manage an effective and technically fit SMC project team in the assigned LGAs. Be conversant with and guided by Malaria Consortium, policies, guidelines and the SMC Handbook towards the delivery of SMC in assigned LGAs. Planning (microplanning, selection of implementers at the local levels, training, database finalization, last mile distribution, SPAQ admin and reverse logistics);
- Engagement of stakeholders including government, communities and beneficiaries.
- Implementation (SPAQ admin) including QA and innovations, including the use of technology.
- General management including security, HR including line management, risk management, work planning and budgeting, VFM, optimization of grant, etc.;
- Risk Free operations including ensuring that all staff comply with MC values and start-to-finish (SFG) policies; and
- Coordination with other levels of government and internally, all MC functions.
Technical (20%):
- Support M&E activities, including reporting of SPAQ admin and Support programme review including end of cycle (EoC) reviews, end of round (EoR) reviews and EoR coverage survey.
Representations & Knowledge Management (10%):
- Lesson identification and use including adaptive management;
- Harmonisation with other partners; and
- Representation especially at the LGA levels.
Requirements
Essential:
- Training in Nursing or Public Health;
- Five years’ experience of working in the Public Health sector;
- Experience in programme management at the LGA/state level;
- Excellent project planning, management and monitoring & evaluation skills.
- Experience managing project budgets;
- Experience in using digital data collection tools in SMC campaigns and other health programmes;
- Some practical experience in Health Information and Disease Surveillance Systems, interoperability, and international standards; open Global Health Information System software and open data sources, such as, but not limited to, DHIS2, ODK, KoboCollect;
- Experience working at the LGA and community levels;
- Experience working on campaign style interventions (delivery of interventions or social mobilization and SMC would be an added advantage).
Work-based skills and competencies:
- Good understanding of the Nigeria health system;
- Understanding of communication for behaviour change and social mobilisation;
- Team player and demonstrated ability to work within a team as well as individually;
- Ability to travel to LGAs outside of state capital at least 80% of the time;
- Ability to perform under pressure;
- Excellent communication skills in English and the dominant local language in assigned state.
- Evidence of being resident in state of assignment.
Note: For this position, previous working experience with MC and in SMC are added advantages.
Application Closing Date
12th August, 2025 (5:00pm).
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should: Click here to apply online
Note
- Kindly note that applicants who do not follow this specification will be disqualified.
- Only Shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
- Kindly note that applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and as a result, the process may conclude before the advertised deadline. Therefore, early applications are highly encouraged.
- Malaria Consortium does not accept or ask for payment during recruitment. We also would not accept hardcopy CVs; all applications should be sent through the above link.
Tips to Land the Role
Ensure your CV highlights specific experience managing public health projects, particularly at the LGA or state level. Mention previous responsibilities involving training, logistics coordination, and stakeholder engagement.
Demonstrate a track record of using digital data collection tools such as KoboCollect, ODK, or DHIS2 for campaign monitoring or reporting. Candidates with hands-on experience in SMC delivery or similar campaigns will be prioritized.
Emphasize your skills in planning and microplanning, team supervision, budget monitoring, and coordinating health commodity logistics across multiple LGAs.
If you've previously worked with Malaria Consortium or have strong networks with SMEP or PHC units in Kaduna State, be sure to mention these relationships, as they are viewed favorably.
Finally, fluency in English and a strong command of the dominant local language in Kaduna is essential. Be sure to state your language proficiency and your willingness to travel across LGAs as required.