Country Director at Willows International Rwanda

Title: Willows International Rwanda -Country Director 

Established in the United States in 1998, Willows International (WI) is an international non-profit organization dedicated to improving reproductive health and rights. WI works towards the achievement of this goal by improving the service provision capacity of community level health care providers through training and providing them with user friendly systems and tools in service and client management. 

Since 2021 WI has been collaborating with the Ministry of Health, the Rwanda Biomedical Center, and district level stakeholders to implement sustainable solutions that support the optimization of the government’s community health workers (CHW). Our interventions improved the effectiveness and efficiency of CHWs who empower individuals and communities they serve to make informed choices about their sexual and reproductive health.

The primary goal of Willows International is to help women, particularly those in disadvantaged situations, through increasing their access to services by developing and implementing systems that improve the service provider performances. We improve service providers knowledge and skills at the community level in two areas: 1) By updating their counseling and interpersonal communication skills as well as their reproductive health knowledge, 2) By training them in the use of a user-friendly tool that help them prioritize their services to the clients and enable them to perform timely follow-ups. To achieve this, Willows International has developed a unique client management system and set of tools called WISE (Willows International Services Enhancement) that enables Community Health Workers (CHW) to provide customized counseling, referral, and follow-up services to women and men they serve and to improve the way they manage their time and services. This intervention not only achieves more effective and efficient CHW services, but it also results in client behavioral change in seeking and obtaining contraceptive and abortion services that lasts beyond the implementation period of the Willows programs, throughout their reproductive years.

The government of Rwanda is introducing a new cadre of grassroots health care providers, the Certified Community Health Workers (CCHW), who will be paid professionals and will be assigned to their duty posts after successfully completing a comprehensive one-year training program. WI will collaborate closely with the Ministry of Health (MOH) and the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC) to support the successful implementation of this important initiative by ensuring that the CCHWs have the essential systems and tools they need to perform their job more effectively and efficiently. 

Willows International achieves its goals through implementing programs in various countries. Willows International Country offices are headed by Willows Country Directors who represent Willows. Country Directors are responsible for developing the country program jointly with the Willows U.S. team and the Ministry of Health and appropriate agencies, and for monitoring the country program implementation. They represent Willows at the national level including at the government and other national and international institutions. The Country Director will provide information to the President and CEO, and the Senior Staff at the Willows U.S. Office on the program performance and progress based on the data analyses and assessments s/he will conduct on a continuous basis and through visits to the project sites in the country. 

The Rwanda Country Director will report to the President and CEO of Willows International.

Principal Duties and Activities 

• Advance Willows International’s mission and ensure successful achievement of Willows Program’s goal and objectives as per the approved country program description, workplan, and budget.
• Conduct continuous supportive supervision of project implementation sites and closely monitor program implementation progress through analyzing and interpreting project data and take necessary actions to improve performance when and where it is needed.
• Lead the country program by maintaining open, collaborative, and professional relations with WI Rwanda colleagues, officials of the Ministry of Health & the Rwanda Biomedical Center, and other relevant government and non-government organizations.
• Lead the development of project proposals, workplans, and budget according to Willows International guidelines.
• Prepare and submit staffing list and job descriptions for the country office team, in line with the approved program budget and submit list of candidates for program positions to the U.S Office for approval.
• Contribute to the design of data collection and performance and progress reports to ensure continuous learning and improvement.
• Identify, communicate, and monitor program’s critical paths to assess risks, identification of mitigation, and contingency planning in close coordination with senior U.S. staff.
• Follows U.S. Office guidelines in budget development and management.
• Prepare and submit monthly program and financial reports to the U.S. Office. Prepare semiannual, and annual program reports and submit them to the U.S. Office for timely feedback.
• Lead and participate in program review meetings to identify adjustments needed in the implementation to improve program performance.
• Suggest systems, strategies, and processes to continuously improve program implementation and outcome.
• Provide training and/or request training from the Willows U.S. Office for country office staff as needed and monitor their performance together with the Willows U.S. staff.
• Represent Willows International in all interactions with the government and other local and international organizations.
• Inform Willows President and senior management of all important developments in the country.
• Maintain excellent relations with the government and other stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance of all Willows operations with applicable local laws and regulations and to the Willows by-laws, Financial Rules and Regulations and Program Guidelines.
• Perform other duties assigned by the President.

Qualifications

• Analytical skills will be considered an important asset. Applicants with a graduate degree in medical sciences, public health, evaluation, research, demography, social and behavioral sciences, business administration, or other analytical skills requiring professions are encouraged to apply.
• A minimum of five years of experience in managing and implementing reproductive health programs or community-based health programs, preferably involving data collection and analyses
• Experience in program management, budget development and management, monitoring, and evaluation, including an ability to efficiently plan, prioritize, and manage programs/projects.
• Strong leadership, strategic planning, and program management skills, with a proven track record of achieving results in complex and challenging environments.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively and effectively in a dynamic, fast-paced, crossfunctional environment where everyone is expected to balance multiple roles and commitments.
• Commitment to Willows mission and values, with a passion for advancing reproductive health and rights in Rwanda.

Skills and Competencies

• Knowledge in family planning and safe abortion services, including counseling, contraceptive methods, and abortion procedures, adhering to evidence-based guidelines and protocols.
• Strong managerial skills.
• Ability to work independently, and as a team leader.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and negotiation skills with the ability to engage effectively with diverse stakeholders, including government officials, health care providers, and community leaders.
• Strong organizational, analytic, and problem-solving skills. Capacity to work under pressure and to handle stressful situations in a healthy, constructive manner.
• Strong detail and results orientation and meticulous follow-through skills.
• Excellent budget and time management skills.
• Excellent computer skills in MS Office.
• Some familiarity with basic quantitative and qualitative research methods. Fluency in English and Kinyarwanda.

Work Conditions and Place

• The workplace is in Kigali, Rwanda
• Position is full-time.

Application Instructions: 

Interested candidates should submit a resume/CV and cover letter outlining their qualifications, relevant experience to Dr. Turkiz Gokgol at tgokgol@willowsintl.org not later than 15^th October 2024 by COB. Please indicate "Country Director - Rwanda" in the subject line of your email.