Advises HCH; establishes operating model; coordinates embedded team; drives capability transfer
Location: Gombe
Hiring Responsibility: KSDF
Senior Technical Adviser to the HCH / SDIU Stand-up Lead
| Source | 1 Government and 1 Partner-supported |
| Institutional location | Office of the Honourable Commissioner for Health |
| Reporting / accountability | Functionally accountable to the HCH; works closely with the Permanent Secretary and TMT. Technically accountable to the KSDF Program Lead |
| Nature of role | Full-time embedded, time-bound technical assistance |
| Key working relationships | HCH, Permanent Secretary, TMT Secretary, Heads of Agencies, three Management Advisors, Senior Programme Analyst, Director DPRS / Head of DIU |
Background
The Gombe State Delivery and Insights Unit (SDIU) aims to strengthen the state’s existing health-system architecture by creating a consistent mechanism that connects data, management decisions, coordinated implementation, follow-up and escalation. The SDIU works to strengthen existing statutory functions and connect them into one repeatable evidence-to-decision-to-action cycle. it will connect leadership structures, technical forums, delivery agencies and data systems into one government-led decision-to-action mechanism. The SDIU is not intended to operate as a parallel programme management unit, replace existing government institutions, duplicate technical committees, or assume responsibility for programme implementation.
Role purpose
To serve as the principal technical and management adviser to the HCH during establishment and early operation of the SDIU, strengthening the Commissioner’s ability to coordinate the health sector across Ministry departments, GSPHCDA, HSMB, GoHealth/GSCHMA, GODMA/GoPharma, LGAs and partners while building a sustainable government-owned operating routine.
Key responsibilities
1. Establish the SDIU operating model
- Translate the approved architecture into practical operating arrangements, calendars, templates and decision pathways.
- Establish clear interfaces between the TMT, DMU, DIU, existing technical committees and implementation institutions.
- Ensure the SDIU does not duplicate Planning Cell, AOP, data-review, supportive-supervision or other existing state routines.
- Develop, test and refine SOPs for decision preparation, review, action tracking, escalation and closure.
2. Support the HCH-led TMT
- Work with the HCH, TMT Secretary and Senior Programme Analyst to develop focused agendas around issues requiring leadership action.
- Ensure the TMT functions as a decision forum rather than a general presentation forum: each agenda item should state the problem, evidence, decision required, accountable owner and expected result.
- Support the HCH in distinguishing technical issues that should remain with existing committees from matters requiring senior leadership intervention.
- Help identify unresolved cross-agency constraints requiring escalation beyond the health sector.
3. Strengthen cross-institutional coordination
- Facilitate resolution of dependencies across PHC, secondary care, health financing, commodities, HRH, planning and data.
- Ensure Management Advisors facilitate government delivery rather than substitute for agency programme managers.
- Support alignment of Execution Grant actions, AOP priorities and partner-supported interventions with government priorities.
4. Build delivery-management capability and transfer ownership
- Coach the TMT Secretary and government counterparts on structured problem solving, review preparation, action management and escalation.
- Ensure every partner-supported role has a named government counterpart and documented transfer milestones.
- Periodically assess which routines can transition to government and recommend phased reduction of embedded TA.
5. Strengthen evidence use
- Work with the Head of DIU to ensure TMT discussions use validated evidence rather than competing programme narratives.
- Ensure analytical findings are converted into clear management questions and choices.
- Promote triangulation where sources disagree rather than allowing one system to automatically override another.
Key deliverables
- Operational SDIU SOP and review calendar.
- TMT agenda and decision-preparation protocol.
- Monthly synthesis of major cross-agency bottlenecks.
- Quarterly SDIU operating-model review.
- Government counterpart and capability-transfer plan.
- Periodic recommendations to the HCH on institutionalization and partner drawdown.
Suggested performance indicators
- Share of TMT agenda items ending in a documented decision, owner and timeline.
- Share of escalated issues resolved within agreed timelines.
- Reduction in repeatedly overdue cross-agency actions.
- Progressive transfer of DMU routines to government counterparts.
- Evidence that partner-supported routines are incorporated into government structures rather than operated in parallel.
Recommended profile / capabilities
- Senior-level experience in public-sector health systems, programme delivery, government reform or health-sector management.
- Minimum of 10 years of progressively senior experience in health-sector management, public-sector transformation, strategy, delivery management, consulting, or development programmes.
- Demonstrate experience working with senior government leadership.
- Demonstrate experience leading multidisciplinary teams and coordinating multiple stakeholders
- Strong understanding of Nigerian health-sector institutions and state-level delivery systems.
- Ability to manage politically and institutionally sensitive cross-agency issues.
- Strong facilitation and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate complex issues to senior executives concisely.
