Organization Overview:
The International Health Division is committed to the improvement of health and healthcare delivery around the world. Serving both the public and private sectors, our efforts include health policy research and evaluation, health promotion and disease prevention, health finance, and health systems management. Our impact is felt in policies that ensure healthcare access for women, children, and individuals with special needs, in strengthening health infrastructures, and HIV/AIDS solutions.
Job Responsibilities:
Abt Associates' International Health Division is committed to the improvement of health and healthcare delivery around the world. Serving both the public and private sectors, our efforts include health policy research and evaluation, health promotion and disease prevention, health finance, and health systems management. Our impact is felt in policies that ensure healthcare access for women, children, and individuals with special needs, in strengthening health infrastructures, and HIV/AIDS solutions.
Abt Associates Inc. is recruiting a Senior HIV/AIDS Technical Advisor for the USAID-funded Malawi Health Policy and Systems Strengthening project (a.k.a. Support for Service Delivery Integration-Systems [SSDI-Systems]). SSDI-Systems is providing technical assistance to Malawi's Ministry of Health (MOH) in support of improved policies, management and leadership and fiscal responsibility, in a collaborative effort to strengthen Malawi's health care system. The Senior HIV/AIDS Technical Advisor will be seconded to the National AIDS Commission (NAC) and based at NAC's Lilongwe office. NAC was established in 2001 to lead and coordinate a multi-sectoral national response to HIV/AIDS in Malawi. The National AIDS Commission therefore works in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, in order to strengthen and scale up the bio-medical components of the National Response to HIV and AIDS.
Reporting to the Executive Director, the Senior HIV/AIDS Technical Advisor will be responsible for the provision of technical leadership in key programmatic assignments for NAC and the entire national response to ensure effective and efficient management of the HIV/AIDS programme in Malawi. The incumbent will be required to provide fortnightly written updates and monthly progress reports of the specific tasks in the TORs of this assignment. S/he will be designated a NAC counterpart. The Senior HIV/AIDS Technical Advisor will also be expected to build capacity of, and transfer valuable skills and knowledge to the NAC assigned technical counterpart and other immediate staff.
As this position is seconded to the NAC, SSDI-Systems will have no technical or direct managerial control over this position. Abt's involvement is limited to funding and administrative oversight to verify the person is reporting to work at the NAC and performing his/her duties as instructed by the Executive Director of the NAC.
Specific Responsibilities:
- Supporting the overall coordination role of NAC for all HIV and AIDS implementing partners and management function of grant recipient organization through the following specific activities:
- Review of existing mechanisms for technical and supportive supervision for all HIV and AIDS implementing partners and recommend necessary improvements in the processes
- Explore modalities and make specific recommendations to strengthen NAC's image as a national response coordinating body, beyond sub-granting; and,
- Support implementation of NAC's Capacity Building Strategy for local organizations.
- Coordinating reviews, development, dissemination and implementation of strategic documents for the national response, in particular the National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan (NSP):
- Development of briefs on the National Strategic Plan (NSP) targeting key national stakeholders;
- Ensure that the NSP is disseminated comprehensively at all levels;
- Support implementation of operational and strategic planning processes and associated reviews; and,
- Facilitate implementation of and follow up on recommendations from the joint bi-annual and annual reviews of the national response
- Coordinating the development process of the Global Fund New Funding Model proposal and ensure multi-sectoral involvement. This will include:
- Ensuring that the proposal development task force adheres to the agreed roadmap;
- Coordinating the proposal drafting process including stakeholder consultations;
- Providing strategic direction in the development process and focus areas for the proposal; and,
- Providing continuous strategic review of the proposal in order to ensure technical comprehensiveness and eligibility.
- Coordinating the development of an HIV and AIDS resource mobilization strategy in liaison with the Department of Nutrition, HIV and AIDS and facilitate stakeholder involvement. This will include:
- Representing NAC in the Steering Committee;
- Providing technical input in the Steering Committee based on regional and global trends in the development of similar strategies; and,
- Providing strategic guidance to the consultants and stakeholders during the strategy development process to ensure that it comprehensively addresses the technical requirements of the response, as well as sustainability.
Skills Prerequisites:
- Minimum of a Master's degree in Public Health; Social Sciences, Epidemiology and/or any relevant discipline.
- At least 10+ years extensive post-graduate experience in HIV/AIDS and health management, experience working with and/or in collaboration with donor agencies, government agencies, NGOs and the private sector;
- Experience working in generalized HIV/AIDS epidemics and/or the sub-Saharan region;
- A strong understanding of the drivers and impacts of the HIV/AIDS epidemic globally and in the Sub Saharan region;
- Extensive experience in strategic planning and project management at policy/national level;
- A verifiable results-oriented track record.
- A strong understanding of the sub-Saharan region and Malawi's socio-economic fabric;
- An effective team player, able to motivate and lead a multi-disciplinary team;
- Excellent communication, analytical, social and organizational skills;
- A self-starter and a fast learner.
- Experience in implementing USAID-funded projects in Malawi or international development project will be an added advantage.
- Fluency in English is required; language skills in Chichewa or other languages of Malawi are highly preferred.
