Technical Advisor for Lymphatic Filariasis & Morbidity

Sightsavers implements projects in over 30 countries in Africa and South Asia working to eliminate avoidable blindness and promote the rights of people with disabilities.

Title: Africa Regional Technical Advisor for Lymphatic Filariasis morbidity management

Location: Nigeria – Abuja, Mali, Senegal, Cameroon or Ghana

Contract: 2-Year Fixed Term Contract

Salary: Local Terms and Conditions apply

About the role

Sightsavers’ work in Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) aims to reduce health disparities and disease burdens by building sustainable, locally owned health programs. As a Country Coordinating Partner on the RLM Fund expansion project (2024-2030), Sightsavers will help eliminate NTDs in Africa, focusing on river blindness and lymphatic filariasis (LF). This $500M initiative, supported by the UAE and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will provide hydrocele surgeries and lymphedema self-care management to thousands, requiring strong technical coordination and program management.

• Support Strategy Development: Assist the Global Technical Lead for LF in creating strategies, policies, and frameworks for LF morbidity management and disability inclusion (MMDP/DMDI).
• Technical Activities: Oversee LF case finding, morbidity plans, assessments, tool development, training, patient follow-up, and service provision for lymphedema and hydrocele.
• Guideline Adherence: Ensure compliance with WHO and Sightsavers guidelines, proposing improvements for service availability, quality, and access.
• Technical Support: Provide technical support to Sightsavers’ country offices and Ministry of Health partners, serving as the primary contact for LF MMDP/DMDI advice.
• Appraisals and Best Practices: Conduct regular appraisals of ongoing implementations and share best practices across projects.
• Progress Reporting: Prepare progress reports for the Global Technical Lead, NTD Technical Director, and Project Directors.
• Collaboration: Work with the M&E team on Hydrocele Tracker use and lead training sessions for LF MMDP implementation and data collection.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Support dissemination of best practices with national and global stakeholders, ensuring coordination in multi-funded countries.
• Funding Proposals: Assist in developing technically sound funding proposals that align with WHO guidance and Sightsavers’ strategic priorities.
• Procurement Coordination: Collaborate with the NTD procurement team to identify needs, review product specifications, and ensure a ccurate budgeting for LF surveys.

This is a highly varied and involved role and the above is not an exhaustive list of duties or required professional skills. Please see the Job Description for full details.

Jobholder Requirements

• A good understanding of transmission, epidemiology, physiopathology and elimination strategies of LF.
• Experience on MMDP/DMDI situation analysis, plans development and cases finding.
• Experience on MMDP/DMDI activities implementation.
• Experience on health facilities readiness assessment for lymphedema and hydrocele.
• Strong knowledge of lymphedema selfcare kits, hydrocele surgical kits (drugs & consumables and surgical instruments.
• Ability to plan and implement MMDP/DMDI patients follow up (lymphedema and hydrocele).
• Ability to provide team training on lymphedema management and supervision on the field.
• Experience on planning and implementing routinely or surgical camps for hydrocele surgery.
• Experience working globally on disability inclusion and/or gender mainstreaming and in complex environments.

To apply for this exciting opportunity, please complete an application via our recruitment portal. We are particularly interested in learning of your motivations for applying.

As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Sightsavers is a Disability Confident Leader and qualified people with a disability are particularly encouraged to apply.

Sightsavers is an employer that does not tolerate any form of harassment and has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. All potential candidates will be subjected to rigorous background checks and controls.