Global Program Director, Civil Registration and Vital Statistics

Are you seeking an opportunity to bring your professional expertise to a global organization focused on re-imagining public health?

The Global Program Director is a new role. The responsibilities will include providing direction and oversight for the global team working in countries under our government partnerships model; directing the creation, implementation, and monitoring of country-specific workplans; contracting and procurement, logistics, internal and external/donor reporting, budget management; ensuring compliance with Vital Strategies policies and procedures, acting as the CRVS liaison to human resources, communications, grants management, operations, and the legal department.

About Vital Strategies:

Vital Strategies is an international public health organization. Our programs strengthen public health systems and address the world’s leading causes of illness, injury and death. We currently work in 73 countries, supporting data-driven decision making in government, advancing evidence-based public health policies, and mounting strategic communication campaigns. Vital Strategies’ priorities are driven by the greatest potential to improve and save lives. They include non-communicable disease prevention, tobacco control, road safety, obesity prevention, overdose prevention, environmental health, vital statistics systems building and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment research. Our programs are primarily concentrated in low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Pacific; the Overdose Prevention Program is our first initiative in the U.S. Please visit our website at www.vitalstrategies.org to find out more about our work.

Vital Strategies is committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive (DEI) organization. We believe our programs are strengthened when they are developed and supported by individuals with diverse life experiences, whose understanding of social and cultural issues can help make our work and workforce more inclusive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or creed, gender, national origin, ancestry, actual or perceived age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, marital status, sexual orientation, predisposing genetic characteristics, alienage or citizenship status, gender (including gender identity or expression), partnership status, arrest or conviction record, status as a victim of domestic violence, status as a victim of sex offense or stalking, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws.

Read about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Vital Strategies: https://www.vitalstrategies.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-at-vital-strategies/

Vital Strategies is committed to helping prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to protecting the safety of our employees. All U.S. employees will be required to be fully vaccinated unless the employee is approved for a reasonable accommodation due to a disability or a religious reason.

The Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Program:

The CRVS Program at Vital Strategies was established in 2015 through a grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies (as part of its Data for Health Initiative), providing the organization with the opportunity to assemble a world-class team of experts and implementers not found at any other global organization. Since then, the team has amassed over a hundred years of collective in-country experience supporting CRVS improvement, achieving substantial progress in collaboration with government partners. The team’s vision is “A World Where Everyone Counts.” The team works to extend the benefits of CRVS to every person and government, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries – all part of our organizational commitment to “reimagine public health.” Accordingly, the CRVS program contributes prominently – from both a data systems and human rights perspective -- to pursuing Vital Strategies’ broader vision of a world in which everyone is protected by a strong and equitable public health system.  

Job Purpose:

Now entering its ninth year, The Civil Registration and Vital Statistics Program (CRVS) is seeking a Global Program Director (GPD) to assume all aspects of implementation and operation, including day-to-day oversight of Vital Strategies’ CRVS Program operations in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Data for Health Initiative. The GPD will direct the implementation of a large, multi-country effort strengthening the counting of births, deaths, and causes of death in over 25 low-and middle-income countries around the world, for the purpose of using data in policy making. The GPD reports to the Vice President, CRVS and works in partnership with the CRVS Program’s Technical Director. This three-person leadership group is collectively responsible for delivering technically sound results on time and within budget.   

The Global Program Director is a new role. The responsibilities will include providing direction and oversight for the global team working in countries under our government partnerships model; directing the creation, implementation, and monitoring of country-specific workplans; contracting and procurement, logistics, internal and external/donor reporting, budget management; ensuring compliance with Vital Strategies policies and procedures, acting as the CRVS liaison to human resources, communications, grants management, operations, and the legal department.  

As part of the three-person program leadership team, which includes the Vice President, CRVS and the CRVS Program’s Technical Director, the GPD will collaborate in setting the course of the CRVS Program, but also driving how we do our work; balancing the need for operational feasibility and the technical rigor of plans and outputs, with the need to deliver results on time, given the realities of each country context. The GPD will help reach decisions about implementation strategy, timelines, human resources, and budgets in the development or revision of workplans and address major bottlenecks arising during implementation. The Director will oversee a team of 12.5 FTE and a large team of global consultants supporting government partners in 17 ‘focus’ countries and in several non-focus country and regional projects.  

This is a full-time position based in our New York office, or the NY Tri-state area, where a hybrid, 2-day-per-week office schedule is in place. If the candidate lives outside of the NY Tri-state area, the salary range may be adjusted based on local market conditions. Vital Strategies offers highly competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits. The salary range for this position in NY is $170,000 USD to $180,000 USD. The candidate must have authorization to work legally in the US at time of hire. Vital may consider outstanding candidates outside the U.S.  

Duties and Responsibilities:

CRVS Program Operations -

With and through the country teams, establish and maintain working relationships with government focal point persons; Serve as point of contact with partner organizations in the CRVS arm of the initiative including the CDC and CDC Foundation; Proactively address major bottlenecks and delays in achieving results; Oversee contracting and procurement processes including any RFPs; Ensure compliance with all Vital Strategies operations policies, donor guidelines, and adherence to human subjects research guidelines; Contribute as needed to operational/administrative policy development and rollout (e.g., travel, procurement, hiring) as it relates to CRVS; Organize and manage team meetings.

Internal and Donor Reporting -

Manage the production process for all internal and external/donor reports following calendar for monthly, quarterly, annual, and end of cycle reporting with Program Manager support and in partnership with the Technical Director for content and the Vice President, CRVS for review and comment; Responsible for maintaining up to date data, reviewing program progress and project financial status, providing updates including organizing quarterly country progress reviews; Support the VP CRVS in responding promptly to ad hoc information requests from donors concerning project operations or implementation progress; Participate in progress, planning, and check-in calls or meetings with donors and/or representatives from other Data for Health Partners as required.

Management -

Directly supervise three Regional Deputy Directors that also have a dotted line to the Technical Director; Manage a 0.5 FTE Program Manager to support reporting and human subjects protection compliance; Provide oversight to a team of global consultants ensuring timely delivery of deliverables; Design and implement an onboarding process for new CRVS staff and consultants; Ensure managers receive training and support to build their effectiveness.

Crosscutting -

Participate and represent the CRVS Team in Data for Health and Public Health Program Division and Organization-wide discussions concerning program operations Serve as the team’s primary point of contact for business partners in Grants and Finance, Human Resources, and Legal.

Qualifications:

Education and Degree -

Minimum Master’s degree in public administration, business, or other relevant degree preferred.

Skills and Abilities -

A strong, organized leader with excellent communication and people management skills; Proficient in the creation, understanding and management of complex multi-site, multi-partner program budgets; Strong technology tool skills including familiarity with collaborative project management tools such as Monday, Airtable, or Smartsheet; Ability to work independently and proactively; Detail-orientated, self-starter with a positive attitude and willingness to learn; Comprehensive project management skills, with the ability to make sound, informed judgements; Proficiency in French or Spanish a plus; Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.  

Professional Certification -

Certification in project management a plus.

Experience:

Required -

• Minimum of 15 years in public health practice;
• Minimum 5 years of experience in managing complex, multi-country global health or development projects with solid understanding of working conditions in low- and middle-income countries;
Experience managing process improvement and supporting teams through change; Experienced at managing and building diverse teams across global time zones;

Preferred -

In-country experience with health systems strengthening or health information systems strengthening in Africa, Asia/Pacific, or Latin America; Experience in civil registration and vital statistics strengthening in low- and middle-income countries; Experienced in managing globally dispersed team members.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

• International travel as needed (up to 30%).