Maternal Health Advisor

Overview

Job Location: Washington, DC     

Telework Eligible: Yes, at least 3 days per week in-person reporting at Washington, DC office.

Remote Eligible: No.

 

Summary Statement

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.

 

Credence and its partner, the Public Health Institute (PHI), are both employers for GHTASC, and are seeking a Maternal Health Advisor under GHTASC. This position will be hired under Public Health Institute (PHI).

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.

Position Summary

The Maternal Health Advisor will be assigned to 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).  The incumbent will provide program support, and 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 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.

Salary Range

Full salary range for this position is $97,500 to $152,620 per year, with the starting salary determined based on candidate’s knowledge, skills, experience, as well as budget availability.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the duties listed below

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 (40%)

 

• Provide 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. Clinical experience is helpful.
• Provide technical advice for antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum quality care based on current evidence.
• Provides progressive expertise to 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 volun