HIV TECHNICAL ADVISOR

Superviseur : Country Program Manager

Postes à supervise : N/A

Location : Yaoundé

Overview:

Jhpiego is an international non-profit public health NGO, affiliated with Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, USA, that works to improve the health of women and families around the world.

With funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Jhpiego leads the 5-year Reaching Impact, Saturation, and Epidemic Control (RISE) global project, which works with countries to achieve a shared vision of attaining and maintaining epidemic control, with stronger local partners capable of managing and achieving results through sustainable, self-reliant, and resilient health systems by 2024. In Cameroon, RISE is providing targeted technical assistance (TA) to support the Ministry of Public Health (MoH) and the Global Fund principal recipients, implementing partners and subgrantees to implement a coordinated comprehensive response in the country. For this purpose, Jhpiego is recruiting a HIV Technical Advisor to support the National AIDS Control Council (NACC) with conducting the National AIDS Spending Assessment and a national HIV sentinel surveillance study.

Under the direction of the Country Program Manager, the HIV Technical Advisor will provide leadership and technical oversight in the design and day-to-day management of project implementation. S/he will be responsible for making key decisions and solving problems in a timely manner while ensuring the quality and integrity of the program. This includes ensuring optimal technical assistance and guidance to partners, effective organizational management, and communication with the MSP, national, regional and district stakeholders, and other international and local partners involved in the fight against HIV/AIDS. He/she will ensure timely and cost-effective project implementation, reporting on activities, and be accountable to the donor for all project results.

Primary Responsibilities:

1. Provide high quality program management to the project:

• Provide technical leadership and oversight for the implementation of the RISE program in Cameroon, including overseeing strategic planning of activities in support of program goals and objectives, and determining program priorities and appropriate technical initiatives;
• Assist in coordinating the RISE work of team members with their designated counterparts, including the donor agency, MSP, civil society organizations and communities, and other implementing partners in Cameroon, to ensure effective technical assistance and implementation of activities;
• Contribute to annual, quarterly and monthly planning of activities.
• Work with finance and project staff to develop and monitor project budgets;
• Work closely with Jhpiego headquarters staff to ensure effective, timely and coordinated project implementation.
• Draft timely donor reports, work plans, strategic plans, and other program-related documents and respond promptly to donor requests for information.
• Effectively integrate Jhpiego approaches into overall project implementation.
• Coordinate and/or represent the project in professional circles through meetings, conferences and presentations.
• Represent Jhpiego’s interests and present progress, achievements and lessons learned to key stakeholders, including donors, implementing partners in public and professional settings through meetings, conferences and presentations.
• Ensure that Jhpiego’s programs comply with donor policies and regulations

1. Provide direct technical assistance and mentoring to the NACC on HIV/AIDS and syphilis epidemiology related topics:
   • Coach the NACC staff in the selection and application of appropriate, evidenced-based problem-solving approaches and techniques; provide guidance on work methods, practices and procedures; and assists the team and individual members in identifying effective solutions.
   • Provide ongoing assistance to ensure privacy, confidentiality and ethical clearance.
   • Conduct trainings and workshops for staff in the following areas: data collection, tool design, data analysis, manuscript and report writing, etc.
2. Provide technical support and oversight to epidemiological surveys, with a focus on the HIV sentinel survey

• Lead the design and analysis of epidemiological studies to address important and practical public health issues and program planning;
• Develop methods and perform advanced descriptive and comprehensive analyses of surveillance data.

1. Dissemination of HIV/syphilis program data, information and results

• Conduct and supervise literature reviews for program design, publication preparation, planning and evaluation;
• Design, prepare and review reports for analysis of HIV/AIDS surveillance data and other information, such as secondary analyses;
• Present data results to various audiences;
• Review and prepare responses to requests for information to support HIV/AIDS planning and decision-making;
• Develop and provide recommendations to MOH/NACC officials on HIV/AIDS control based on the results of surveillance; field surveys, public health research, laboratory tests, and other acceptable control methods.

1. Provide epidemiological consultation on HIV/AIDS and scientific and technical issues
   • Serve as a recognized scientist and expert consultant on HIV/AIDS on critical epidemiological issues or problems where the type of resources provided and the impact on communities are significant, especially on the application of advanced scientific and technical methods and practices;
   • Work as a liaison with external data-generating stakeholders to develop and maintain partnerships for data sharing and use.

Skills and qualifications required:

• PhD in epidemiology or biostatistics, or public health or non-PhD (e.g., M.D.) with expertise in epidemiology;
• A minimum of eight (8) years’ experience in HIV care;
• At least 5 years of demonstrated experience working with USAID/PEPFAR programs and strong knowledge of USAID/PEPFAR’s overall strategic framework and reporting requirements including program planning, coordination, monitoring and evaluation (at least 3-5 years of program management);
• Demonstrated expertise in the coordination of surveillance and research activities, including experience in study design, recruitment, training and supervision of field teams, data collection, data management and analysis, and dissemination of study results;
• Excellent command of statistical analysis software (e.g. STATA, SAS, SPSS, R);
• Experience with data extraction, cleaning, management and analysis including brief development and visualization;
• Experience in capacity building and mentoring in cross-cultural professional environments;
• Excellent analytical skills with the capability to serve as role model and engage in systematic reflection to promote the epidemiological perspective in the strategic planning process of an international governmental public health agency;
• Excellent writing skills;
• English would be an asset.