Overview
The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries, while strengthening the capabilities of governments and the private sector in those countries to create and sustain high quality health systems that can succeed without our assistance. For more information, please visit: http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org.
Position Overview:
With support from the Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation (BMGF), CHAI is implementing a three-year grant to strengthen national HIV Testing Services (HTS) programs to increase the number of people living with HIV (PLHIV) diagnosed and linked to care, and increase access to treatment for HIV positive patients and prevention for high risk groups, to ultimately reduce incidences. To reach this outcome, CHAI is working to achieve two intermediate outcomes: (1) implement optimized and iteratively revised HTS strategies, and (2) accelerate and sustainably optimize uptake of HIV self-testing (HIVST), as part of the HTS program.
CHAI is working closely with the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) and key partners to strengthen planning and implementation of HTS programs, to ensure efforts are focused on proven strategies that effectively reach high-priority population groups and geographies. CHAI is supporting MoHP to adopt evidence-based targets, develop national plans aligned with these targets and within the resources available, strengthen resource mobilization efforts to enable targeted testing, improve management and coordination of testing and linkage efforts, and continuously monitor and update these plans based on program data and emerging evidence.
In addition, CHAI is working with MoHP and partners to support the introduction and strategic deployment of HIVST. To this end, CHAI is developing models on optimal HIVST distribution to inform incorporation of HIVST into national HTS strategies and procurement processes.
The HTS Associate will report to the HTS Program Manager within the Universal Health Coverage and Sexual Reproductive Maternal and Newborn Health cluster. The Associate will provide technical assistance to the Ministry on optimization of HIV testing efforts, including HIVST. He/she will support a range of activities including HTS data collection, analysis, modeling and target-setting; supporting revision of HTS guidelines, policies, implementation plans and algorithms; strengthening M&E systems and capacity; and supporting the Program Manager in reporting and M&E of the program.
The Associate will be based in Lilongwe, Malawi with 15% travel within Malawi.
Responsibilities
- Serve as a trusted technical advisor to the MoHP on a range of HTS strengthening issues, enabling MoHP to mobilize additional resources into the HIV response and ensure effective implementation
- Work with MoHP and partners to develop effective, evidence based national annual HTS targets through updating of costed testing and linkage models that evaluate the optimal mix of testing modalities
- Coordinate sub-national HTS data collection activities, data cleaning and analysis to update the HTS optimization model, develop presentations, and share results with MoHP and partners
- Support MoHP and partners in updating national HTS guidelines, implementation plans and algorithms, informed by international best practices and analysis of national data
- Participate in an HIVST study, and support utilization of study findings to inform policy decisions
- Liaise with implementing partners and the MoHP to evaluate existing HTS M&E systems and support design of M&E tools necessary to improve the use of data for decision-making
- Conceptualize and develop HTS M&E dashboards for MoHP utilization to facilitate ease of data visualization and programmatic decision making
- Work with MoHP to identify resource needs and subsequently strengthen resource allocation, mobilization, and coordination efforts to enable HTS program scale-up and sustainability
- Strengthen the capacity of program management and coordination of efforts for effective implementation of an optimized HTS program by working with MoHP and partners
- Support the HTS Program Manager in completing communication and reporting requirements internally and for program donors
- Other duties as assigned by the Program Manager
Qualifications
- Bachelors’ degree in a relevant field (e.g. Public Health, Economics, Business, Social Sciences)
- A minimum of 3 years’ relevant professional experience
- Excellent analytical skills and advanced technical proficiency with MS Excel and PowerPoint
- Ability to build strategic relationships and interact with individuals of different backgrounds
- Demonstrated experience building and analysing quantitative models to inform decision-making, including experience developing or evaluating financial models
- Structured thinker with experience collecting data and analyzing complex datasets to identify key trends and to translate them into actionable options for decision makers
- Ability to manage ambiguity and navigate political environments
- Strategically minded, able to think creatively around long-term programme objectives and the detailed steps necessary to achieve these goals
- Excellent verbal, visual and written communication skills
- English language fluency, both written and verbal
Advantages:
- Masters’ degree in related field such as Economics, Business, or Public Health
- Experience working with government ministries and partners within the HIV sector
- Professional experience in public sector policy/planning, health policy, public sector finance
- Experience with shaping national health policy development and decisions
- Experience working in developing countries, particularly in the health sector and in Sub-Saharan Africa
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PI119609357
More Information
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