Global Health Fellows Program
Technical Advisor III: Senior Strategic Information Advisor
United States Agency for International Development/Malawi
Location: Lilongwe, Malawi
Assignment: Two year fellowship
GHFP-II-P5-207
The Global Health Fellows Program (GHFP-II) is a five year cooperative agreement implemented and managed by the Public Health Institute in partnership with Global Health Corps, GlobeMed, Management Systems International and PYXERA Global. GHFP-II is supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
GHFP-II’s goal is to improve the effectiveness of USAID health programs by addressing the Agency’s immediate and emerging human capacity needs. The program seeks to accomplish this goal first through the recruitment, placement and support of diverse health professionals at the junior, mid and senior levels. These program participants include fellows, interns, corporate volunteers and Foreign Service National professionals. The program then provides substantial performance management and career development support to participants, including annual work planning assistance, and ensures that professional development opportunities are available.
Looking to the future, GHFP-II also seeks to establish a pool of highly-qualified global health professionals that will ensure the Agency’s ongoing technical leadership and effectiveness. This objective is supported by an extensive outreach program that brings global health opportunities and specialized career advice to a diverse range of interested individuals, with a particular focus on those underrepresented in the field of global health.
BACKGROUND:
The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) supports activities designed to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, treat those infected, and care for individuals, including orphans and vulnerable children, who are affected by the disease. The work of the PEPFAR-Malawi Country Team (PCT) is managed by the PEPFAR Coordination Office and is made up of staff from USAID, Peace Corps, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the US Departments of Defense (DOD) and State (DOS). These agencies are collaborating under a whole of government approach to partner with the Government of Malawi (GOM), the private sector and civil society to implement evidence-based and innovative HIV programs in prevention, care and treatment, and health systems strengthening. PEPFAR Malawi supports the GOM’s National Strategic Plan to control and accelerate progress towards attainment of the national 90-90-90 objectives by 2020. In order to move towards this goal, PEPFAR is focusing on reducing the risk of HIV infection through male circumcision; increasing HIV testing and linkages into care and treatment; training, mentoring and supportive supervision; strengthening of strategic information including prioritizing scaling-up electronic health information systems; increasing orphans’ and vulnerable children’s access to essential care, support and protection services; strengthening sustainable food and nutrition programs; and, increasing the availability and quality of TB diagnosis.
INTRODUCTION:
The Strategic Information Advisor (Senior Advisor) will provide high quality technical assistance to the US Government (USG) PEPFAR/Malawi Country Team, technical working groups, implementing partners, and GOM counterparts in the development and implementation of strategic information (SI) systems to ensure that the portfolio of program activities contributes to the national HIV/AIDS strategic goals and targets to achieve epidemic control. The Senior Advisor will monitor, steer and prioritize SI activities based on the Malawi team’s priorities and concerns. The Senior Advisor will generate accurate data analyses and reports to inform national policy, and to meet the Office of the Global AIDS Coordinator (OGAC) reporting requirements. The Senior Advisor will work as part of an interagency USG Country PEPFAR SI Team to translate Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) and other SI (including expenditure analysis) into improved PEPFAR programming and delivery of services. S/he will serve as the principal field counterpart to the headquarters SI Advisor and will act as liaison between the PEPFAR Coordination Office and the OGAC SI Unit. The Senior Advisor will be a member of the interagency PEPFAR Coordination Office, and will be responsible for reporting on progress toward achieving PEPFAR targets, communicating SI to the broader team to inform PEPFAR programming, and will support both internal and external capacity for using SI in combating HIV/AIDS in Malawi. The Senior Advisor will receive technical direction and operational guidance from the PEPFAR/Malawi Coordinator.
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Senior Strategic Information Advisor will be responsible for:
1. Facilitating PEPFAR Planning/Reporting and SI Activities
- Leading the Strategic Information Technical Working Group (SI TWG).
- Ensuring that all USG agencies and partners involved in data collection, analysis and reporting have a common understanding of PEPFAR’s M&E requirements.
- Serving as the primary lead and working closely with USG Country PEPFAR SI Team members to ensure systems are in place for partners receiving PEPFAR funding to plan and monitor programs for PEPFAR requirements.
- Acting as the lead in organizing and coordinating M&E-related and other SI-related processes required for the development of the annual Malawi Country Operational Plan (COP), including development/coordination of target setting tools, and providing technical guidance and vision for the SI needs in Malawi.
- Working with USG Country PEPFAR SI Team members to build implementing partner capacity and government partner capacity to respond to planning and reporting requirements; reviewing and assessing the targets set by partners; tracking the progress of results achieved by all partners against their targets; tracking overall progress in achieving PEPFAR goals, and, when needed, recommending adapting targets to be consistent with appropriated budgets, country constraints, and new opportunities.
- Serving as the primary lead in the development and submission of the PEPFAR indicators for quarterly monitoring and reporting to OGAC; coordinating and liaising with implementing partners and agency SI counterparts to ensure timely and accurate reporting of quarterly monitoring and reporting data in DATIM and FACTS Info.
- Providing SI technical assistance to the interagency PCT and technical workgroups, implementing partners, and GOM counterparts to ensure that the portfolio of program activities contributes to the national HIV/AIDS strategic goals and targets. This will include robust coordination with the MOH Department of HIV/AIDS (DHA)’s quarterly monitoring and data collection process.
- Learning, understanding and training partners and USG staff in the use of the both the PEPFAR Records and Organization Management Information System (PROMIS) and Data for Accountability, Transparency, and Impact (DATIM) systems; liaising with the PROMIS and DATIM technical support teams in the US to provide technical oversight for reporting and evaluation of expenditures and results; facilitating dissemination of findings; ensuring reporting requirements are met; and identifying areas for further study to inform PEPFAR and national programming.
- PROMIS is a web based system that allows for implementing partners to directly upload their financial and programmatic data.
- DATIM is a web based system, powered by DHIS2, which allows implementing partners and USG country teams to collect targets and results data for PEPFAR indicators at all necessary levels of granularity, including at the facility and community levels.
- Participating at the national M&E TWG and liaising with international partners to ensure effective exchange of SI; guiding USG technical support to national data systems and generating accurate data analyses and reports to inform national policy, as required.
- Facilitating the work of the SI TWG with the in-country implementing partners to ensure PEPFAR requirements are met on a timely basis. Related activities include reviews of guidance documents, PEPFAR targets for the annual COP, quarterly progress reports, and TWG sessions to analyze progress against targets.
- Coordinating responses to ad hoc SI requests from OGAC TWGs. Serving as the principal field counterpart to the Headquarters SI Advisor and lead development of country responses on SI queries from the Headquarters SI Advisor, Core Team and OGAC.
- Assisting the PEPFAR Malawi Coordinator to identify and communicate SI issues, challenges, and policy questions to the GOM, Department of State and Country Team for response and plan of action. Providing advice to the Country Team and Executive Committee as needed.
- Attends Country Team meetings in the absence of the PEPFAR Coordinator.
- Ensuring PEPFAR and other relevant program data are consistently and correctly used for external communications such as Fact Sheets, press releases, etc.
- Travel to project sites to support interagency site visits or meetings as required.
International and domestic travel approximately 15%.
TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (7%)
- Keeping abreast of literature and latest developments in HIV/AIDS and SI programming.
- Deepening knowledge of HIV/AIDS and SI programming.
- Participating in interagency and intra-agency working groups as appropriate to the scope of work.
- Participating in professional continuing education and skills training within the purview of GHFP-
REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE:
- Master’s degree or higher in public health or a related social science field.
- Minimum ten (10) years’ experience in implementing public health or other social sector programs, with at least three (3) years’ experience in an international or resource challenged setting.
- Knowledge of USG HIV/AIDS public health programs, strategies, methods, processes and techniques used to plan, develop, implement and evaluate results of HIV/AIDS programs is required.
- Knowledge of the objectives and operations of the USG, or the program activities of other international donor organizations, is required.
- Experience managing data, information, and evaluations on large-scale health or HIV/AIDS activities required.
- In-depth knowledge of best practices in M&E and SI required.
- Demonstrated competency in information management systems required.
- Knowledge of or experience working with PEPFAR preferred.
- Advanced knowledge of monitoring and evaluation methodology, data quality assurance, analysis reporting and best practices in data dissemination and data use is required. Good knowledge of data management processes and tools, including web-based database systems highly desired.
- Working knowledge of HIV/AIDS and general public health issues is essential and such knowledge within the Malawi context is desirable.
- Working knowledge of local community-based and public sector health organizations.
- Working knowledge of overall administrative requirements, budgeting and fiscal management in support of contracts/cooperative agreements/grants is preferred.
- Detail oriented person; ability to work independently and organize tasks taking time constraints into account; excellent interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to work effectively as a member of a diverse team of professionals; consensus-building skills.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Fluency in English is required; knowledge of Chichewa is preferred.
- Ability to travel internationally.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a medical clearance to live and work in Malawi required.
- US citizenship or US permanent residency required.
SALARY AND BENEFITS:
Salary based on commensurate experience and earnings history. The Public Health Institute offers a comprehensive benefits package including professional development programs.
TO APPLY:
All applicants are required to apply for this position through GHFP-II’s online recruitment system at
https://www.ghfp.net/recruitment/, which allows you to store your CV, profile and bio data form in our database. A separate cover letter describing your qualifications and experience, interest and familiarity with issues relating to this position, and how this position relates to your career goals is required for each application.
All online applications must be submitted by June 23, 2016 by 5:00 pm Eastern time.
We are proud to be an EEO/AA Employer.
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