Senior Program Manager, PEN-Plus

Directed by Dr. Gene Bukhman, the Center for Integration Science (CIS) in Global Health Equity develops, implements, and evaluates integrated care delivery models to address neglected health issues in highly constrained health systems. The most prominent of those models is PEN-Plus (the Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions - Plus). PEN-Plus is a proven integrated healthcare delivery strategy for delivering complex care to people living with such conditions as type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, and rheumatic and congenital heart disease in rural sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

The CIS is part of the Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) and works closely with the Department of Global Health and Social Medicine at Harvard Medical School. The CIS is also the World Health Organization's Collaborating Center for Integration Science and Service Delivery. It further serves as one of two co-secretariats for the 22-country NCDI Poverty Network, as well as its strategic initiative, the global PEN-Plus Partnership.

To accomplish its ambitious mission, the CIS provides technical, policy, advocacy, and financing support for national NCDI Poverty Commissions in Network countries as they progress through a four-phase theory of change. This theory of change starts with situation analysis and ultimately leads to the implementation of PEN-Plus at a national scale.

The Senior Program Manager for PEN-Plus, will support 10 lower-income countries to expand access to high-quality services for the poorest children and young adults with type 1 diabetes, and other severe chronic diseases through initiating the Package of Essential NCD Interventions - Plus (PEN-Plus) strategy in Sierra Leone, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Nepal, and Chhattisgarh State (India).

PEN-Plus is a model for integrated health service delivery for severe noncommunicable diseases at rural hospitals in low and low-middle income countries. PEN-Plus builds on the World Health Organization's Package of Essential NCD Interventions (WHO PEN). Whereas WHO PEN addresses common NCDs at the health centers such as hypertension and type 2 diabetes, PEN-Plus focuses on hospitals and provides care for more severe NCDs such as type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, and rheumatic and congenital heart disease that require a higher-level of training and management. PEN-Plus trains clinicians in rural areas to provide advanced-level care to ensure availability and access to care for the poorest and most vulnerable populations.

They will work closely with and be supervised by Dr. Emily Wroe, Director of PEN-Plus Programs. Dr. Wroe works directly with the in-country teams to guide their work on PEN-Plus initiation. The Program Manager will lead communications with subcontracts across 14 countries and oversee project and program management, manage internal communication for a 15+ person team, lead communication with all partners, manage quarterly reporting from spearheading internal communication and systems to support it for program and clinical team members, facilitation of documentation, and leading the tracking and planning for key activities for cross-site PEN-Plus support. They will also supervise the PEN-Plus Coordinator who will perform all administrative related duties with partners across 14 countries including scheduling calls, creating agendas, and taking minutes as well as managing calendars across the Programs Team.

Responsibilities and Primary Duties Include:

Financial Management and Responsibilities

• Manage the implementation, grant management, and internal and external communication around a portfolio of multiple large grants, with a combined value of over 36M for 2024 - 2027 with funding from several (>5) sponsors including the Leona M. Helmsley Charitable Trust, Breakthrough T1D, American Heart Associate and private individual donors.
• Manage and lead the process for soliciting Request for Applications for PEN-Plus expansion - this includes tracking all applications received, conducting initial review of technical content and budget, working closely with the CIS Programs Director, Finance and Operations Director, Regional Leads, and maintaining communication with applicants throughout the process of application receipt to notice of award
• Work with the grants administration team to proactively track grant progress and assist with budget analysis as well as leading program management communication with all subawards for PEN-Plus (13+ partners)
• Lead the timely submission of subaward grant reports, including technical and financial reports, identifying and addressing any bottlenecks or challenges
• Work with the grants administration team to track burn rate for 20+ subcontracts and work with partners to address spending bottlenecks or needs as they arise

Supervisory duties and team management

• Onboard the program coordinator including introduction to all team processes, documentation, meetings, structure, and workflow as well as connecting with 5+ other teams within the Center for Integration Science
• Supervise the program coordinator, including training, mentorship, performance reviews, and any employee relations issues
• Supervise the program coordinator to train them and ensure smooth processes for scheduling all meetings (often 40-50+ per week across 14+ countries) and matching calendars across the 15+ Program Team members and attending to time zone needs from US West Coast to Npel when scheduling
• Ensure the program coordinator is well equipped to prepare agendas and manage documentation and minutes of meetings, giving routine feedback and support as needed
• Oversee the coordinator in charge of travel for country visits, booking flights, and facilitating visas for 15+ Programs Team members
• Organize and oversee onboarding for all new Programs team members; anticipated 5-6 individuals in first six months
• Organize and lead all internal communications for a 15+ person Programs team, acting as main pathway for communication with the team's Senior Director and ensuring clear and detailed schedules, documentation systems, and communication channels
• Support five Africa-based Regional Advisors and 1 US based Regional Advisor to ensure coordination across all activities and communication
• Create and maintain systems to streamline operations on the PEN-Plus Programs Team, which includes individuals across several geographies, time zones, and cultures
• Ensure timely and effective completion of high priority projects on the PEN-Plus Programs Team, tracking key deliverables for funders and the leadership team and tracking progress and deadlines
• Work with the Director of Programs to plan content and execute team leadership retreats

Technical Responsibilities and Support

• Act as primary leader for all PEN-Plus activities with Lusophone (Portuguese speaking) countries and partners including strategic conversations and presentations, partner coordination, technical support, and supporting the policy initiatives (all in Portuguese)
• Represent the PEN-Plus initiative and the Brigham in external meetings, often international, designing and giving presentations or facilitating meetings with stakeholders that include Ministries of Health, implementing or technical partners, and UN organizations
• Lead and manage relationships and engagement with external partners - both technical partners and sub-contract partners - through managing documentation and knowledge management, designing and implementing processes for routine feedback and collection of additional information, and other project-specific management needs
• Lead management of three clinical expert groups (diabetes, cardiac, and sickle cell), with a combined 100+ clinical experts from 20+ countries, working closely with clinical staff to identify priority areas, strategically plan presenters, content, and agendas, and ensure follow up
• Develop and lead robust communication and documentation systems to streamline all technical support for PEN-Plus partners across 20+ countries. This includes pathways for support of training, M&E, clinical, and grant reporting systems for 14+ country teams

Qualifications:

• Masters degree in relevant field
• High degree of familiarity with NCD space and advocacy movement for type 1 diabetes and sickle cell disease
• Experience leading internal communications for large projects and teams in complex multinational environment
• Experience with project management, event planning and external communications with stakeholders is preferred.
• Strong and effective oral and written communication skills
• Fluent written and spoken English and written and spoken Porguese; French and/or Spanish a plus; other languages will be highly rated;
• Experience working with multiple stakeholders in a multicultural environment across different countries and timezones, ;
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Prioritize, multi-task and work well under pressure with competing priorities
• Strong skills and experience in computing systems for documentation and remote work including managing and using communication platforms like zoom and Microsoft Teams; managing digital calendars; expertise in Microsoft Office suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)
• Work effectively in a team environment and establish strong working relationships
• Follow procedures and guidelines, but with the capacity to take initiative where appropriate
• Strong organizational skills and an ability to meet deadlines
• A friendly and approachable personality with a willingness to learn
• Interest in social justice and public health strongly desirable

Skills/Abilities/Competencies Required:

• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively;
• Ability to interact with people from various cultural and language backgrounds.
• The candidate should have a meticulous attention to detail
• Highly professional and in possession of excellent social skills for regular interaction with workgroup members, international government officials, and high-level industry executives;
• Ability to manage several projects simultaneously;
• This is a fast paced and exciting environment. We are looking for a self-motivated individual who is comfortable working independently and providing recommendations to the PI, Faculty, and organization leadership

Brigham and Women's Hospital is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.