Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
References
Languages
Timeline
Generic

Taurai Bhatasara

Zimbabwe

Summary

Taurai is and experienced researcher, program management professional with expertise in strategic planning and implementation of HIV prevention and Family Planning initiatives. Heah as proven leadership in managing multi-million-dollar budgets (currently managing 70 million DREAMS budget that includes SRH) and coordinating cross-sector partnerships to support youth empowerment, SRH, KP and HIV programs. Skilled in capacity building, economic strengthening, research and monitoring and evaluation to drive program success. He has experience working with government building capacity and developing child sensitive polices and models that has strengthened access and utilization for various SRH and social protection products. Vast experience working at global level across diverse country teams including presenting research papers and abstracts.

Seasoned project management specialist with comprehensive experience in leading projects from inception to completion. Skilled in coordinating cross-functional teams, optimizing processes for efficiency, and implementing innovative solutions to complex challenges. Proven ability to deliver projects on time and within budget while maintaining high standards of quality. Demonstrated success in enhancing operational workflows and significantly improving project outcomes through strategic planning and effective communication.

Overview

15
15
years of professional experience

Work History

Project Management Specialist

USAID
10.2021 - Current
  • Managing a DREAMS budget $87 million over a period of five years supporting five implementing partners
  • Conduct AOR duties including financial and program management oversight through pipeline analysis, accruals, QFRs, timely processing of liquidations and advance request on implementing partners
  • Provide technical direction to program implementation in Zimbabwe in line with global trends
  • Coordination of Child Social Protection interventions and ensure case management approaches
  • Capacity building, coaching and mentoring of DREAMS IPs, government and other stakeholders
  • Provide technical direction to the Economic Strengthening intervention including working with various organization as well as conducting implementation science related to labor market assessment
  • Collaborate with private sector organizations to increase access to finance by young women including skills development and employment
  • Contributing to the operationalization of the integrated CDCS and other relevant program documents
  • Conduct site support, monitoring and evaluation, managing the DREAMS data base, compile APR and SAPR as well as contributing to POART including representing the DREAMS program at interagency TWG

Technical Lead Adolescent Girls, Young Women and Prevention Services

FHI360
10.2020 - 09.2021
  • Technical Lead AGYW and Prevention Services is responsible for technical oversight of the AGYW/DREAMS component of the program
  • Design, implementation and monitoring of sound technical strategies and interventions targeting AGYW and HIV Prevention as well as ensuring integration and synergies with the other key program area, focused on OVC
  • Ensure the layering of services for HIV prevention and SRH in AGYW and develop systems and strategies to ensure services uptake completions according to the profiles of the different AGYW recruited into the DREAMS Program
  • Supervise and provide technical and operational program management to staff, partners and sub-grantees, to optimize program performance and outcomes
  • Coordinate effective implementation of program activities, including the development of work plans and timely reporting
  • Provide technical expert in-country on delivery of prevention HIV and SRH services to AGYW
  • Provides expert guidance on appropriate technical and programmatic approaches for scale up of PrEP, Contraceptive, and other Reproductive health services for AGYW, including gender-based violence (GBV) mitigation and post-violence care
  • Works closely with Monitoring and Evaluation staff to define data needs related to Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for AGYW and Prevention programming, to regularly analyses micro-level program data, and to report upon progress and results in a timely fashion
  • Manage and supervise local staff including program partners to meet evolving program demands; provide technical assistance, mentoring and skills building to local staff and key local counterparts
  • Ensure compliance with programmatic objectives and FHI 360\USG financial and administrative regulations
  • Liaise with key stakeholders including Government of Zimbabwe at national, district and peripheral levels as well as strategic government departments, CBOs, other local and international agencies
  • Coordinate and engage private sector on Economic Strengthening that includes access to micro finance, markets including growing and improving businesses of young women as well as creating employability pathways and skills development for AGYW

National DREAMS and Key Populations Coordinator

Ministry of Health and Child Care, AIDS and TB Unit
05.2016 - 10.2020
  • Company Overview: (Seconded from PSI)
  • Coordinates multiple implementing partners and program in the implementation of HIV prevention program that is Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC), HIV Testing Services (HTS), Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Harmonized Cash Transfers (HCT), Economic strengthening, Sexual and Reproductive Health, Gender Based Violence (GBV) and HIV treatment to prevent HIV infection amongst Adolescent Girls and Young Women in the 15-24 years’ age bracket and Key Populations
  • Coordinates various government line ministries to support different parts of the DREAMS program
  • Working with PEPFAR supported implementing partners to ensure establishment of functional HIV and SRH program intervention and strategies
  • Collaborate with stakeholder to develop strategies and approaches to enhance program effectiveness including documenting and research
  • Review and align Ministry of Health Documents to global best practices
  • Collaborate with East and Southern African Countries on South-to-South Global learning
  • Coordinate implementation research
  • (Seconded from PSI)

National Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Coordinator

Zimbabwe Youth Council
01.2011 - 04.2016
  • Coordination, managing, supervising and implementation of the National Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Program
  • Strengthen Youth Friendly service provision in public health facilities
  • On behalf of the organization serve as secretary to the National Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health forum responsible for driving SRH in Zimbabwe
  • Support research and documentation of best SRH practices and approaches
  • Track and monitor supply chain for SRH commodities that includes Family Planning

Part Time Counsellor

PSI- New Start Centre
12.2009 - 12.2010
  • Providing HIV Counselling
  • TB Screening and sputum collection
  • Family planning counselling
  • Mobilization and Linking HIV Positives to ART and Ongoing Psychosocial Support

Education

PhD - Child Sensitive Social Policy

01.2021

Advanced Diploma - Sexual and Reproductive Health

12.2015

MSc - Development Studies

01.2013

Certificate - HIV Counselling, Care and Support

12.2009

Bachelor of Science (BSc Honours) - Psychology

01.2008

Skills

  • Project management
  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Budget oversight
  • Social protection
  • Proposal writing
  • Research
  • Women and Youth empowerment
  • Designing strategies
  • Strategic evidence use

References

Provided on request

Languages

English
Beginner
A1

Timeline

Project Management Specialist

USAID
10.2021 - Current

Technical Lead Adolescent Girls, Young Women and Prevention Services

FHI360
10.2020 - 09.2021

National DREAMS and Key Populations Coordinator

Ministry of Health and Child Care, AIDS and TB Unit
05.2016 - 10.2020

National Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Coordinator

Zimbabwe Youth Council
01.2011 - 04.2016

Part Time Counsellor

PSI- New Start Centre
12.2009 - 12.2010

PhD - Child Sensitive Social Policy

Advanced Diploma - Sexual and Reproductive Health

MSc - Development Studies

Certificate - HIV Counselling, Care and Support

Bachelor of Science (BSc Honours) - Psychology

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Taurai Bhatasara