PATH is a global organization that works to accelerate health equity by bringing together public institutions, businesses, social enterprises, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing health challenges. With expertise in science, health, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales solutions-including vaccines, drugs, devices, diagnostics, and innovative approaches to strengthening health systems worldwide.
PATH seeks a Capacity Building Officer and Surveillance Team Lead for the newly awarded multi-year USAID-funded “Surveillance for Malaria Elimination” (S4ME) project in Ethiopia. The S4ME activity supports Ethiopia’s NMEP to achieve their goals and objectives of sub-national malaria elimination, particularly to attain near zero malaria deaths and eliminate malaria in selected low transmission woredas.
The Capacity Building Officer and Team Lead will be responsible to strengthen zone-wide surveillance for Malaria Elimination program in a sustainable way giving due emphasis to direct project supported woredas. S/he will be working very closely with the project leadership team based in PATH Country office and the zonal health department malaria/PHEM case teams for day-to-day technical and administrative decision-making, related to malaria elimination activities in the targeted project supported woredas of the respective cluster. S/he will also be responsible to guide and support S4ME Technical Surveillance officers based in the respective cluster office who in turn are responsible to provide closer technical support to selected project supported woredas. S/he will also liaise with the respective Regional Malaria Elimination Program Coordinator directly or through the DCoP to share the lessons learned from implementation of the project activities in the supported woredas for scaling up of evidence based effective interventions to the non-supported zones/woredas by the region using different funding mechanisms like, global fund.
Specific Responsibilities:
- Closely working with the Zonal malaria/PHEM case team and S4ME Deputy Chief of Party, the team lead is responsible to:Support the development of cluster level malaria elimination activity plans and quality implementation
- Establish/facilitate cluster level malaria elimination partners’ meetings to share experience among partners to minimize duplication of efforts and maximize collaboration to efficiently utilize resources and implement evidence-based surveillance for malaria elimination interventions
- Ensure cluster level tailored malaria case-based surveillance activities are included in the targeted plans and implemented in an ongoing and quality manner
- Facilitate the development of cluster level capacity building activity plans to cluster/woreda level malaria program/PHEM experts and other health care workers on the design and implementation of malaria elimination activities
- Plan, organize and participate in cluster level joint quarterly mentorship (physical and virtual), and monitoring activities to targeted health facilities in collaboration with zonal/woreda health office experts
- Coordinate malaria surveillance activities with other PMI-and non-PMI projects within the targeted zones/woredas and share timely data and information to inform, adapt, and implement antimalarial interventions in collaboration with the zonal health department and implementing partners
- Support the implementation of interventions like targeted mass treatment, chemoprevention, larval source investigation and management in the region as appropriate based on the national malaria elimination guideline and local evidence generated
- Assist the implementation and scale-up of an evidence-based malaria elimination model in the S4ME targeted woredas and organize experience sharing events to learn and replicate best practices to the other woredas
- Carry out any other duties and responsibilities related to malaria elimination program as assigned by the S4ME Deputy Chief of PartyTake on any other duties as
- be assigned by the Deputy Chief of Party and the project leadership team at PATH country office.
Leadership and Management:
- Guide and provide managerial technical assistance to the respective cluster Technical Malaria Surveillance officers to prepare the cluster and woreda level S4ME activity plans, activity budgets and monitor activity plan performances in collaboration with the zonal/woreda health offices malaria/PHEM focal persons
- Ensure timely surveillance data collection, analysis reporting and participation of Technical Malaria Surveillance officers in zonal and woreda level relevant meetings
- Engage with cluster level key stakeholders on malaria surveillance activities and related aspects and represent S4ME at the zone/woreda level as needed
- Coordinate with local representatives and other partners for leveraging limited resources
- Develop and maintain trusting, professional, and cordial relationships with local stakeholders to promote a culture of collaboration, coordination, communication, and learning
- Contribute to other PMI partner-led activities that advance the woredas malaria elimination goals and objectives
- Conduct performance appraisal for the Technical Surveillance Officers in the respective cluster according to PATH guideline
Data Management and Reporting
- Build capacity of zonal malaria, HMIS and PHEM focal persons to manage malaria program and analyze malaria surveillance data to use for decision making. This may include the development of dashboards to visualize data and facilitate identification of foci/hotspots in each project supported woredas in the region.
- Contribute to the quarterly analysis of routine malaria surveillance data obtained from DHIS2/PHEM system and use for evidence generation and decision making
- Facilitate and participate in the quarterly joint data quality assessments (RDQA) in sample project supported woredas and targeted health facilities
- Contribute to the ongoing identification of potential learning agendas for program adaptations and performance improvements at all levels as necessary
Duty Stations:Debreberhan (1), Harar (1), Shashemene (1)
Position Type: Full-Time/Regular
Job Requirements
- Master’s degree in Public Health/Field Epidemiology Training/Epidemiology or related field
- Minimum of five years of experience working in disease surveillance (preferably malaria), M&E and/or research in malaria programs
- Demonstrated problem-solving skills with ability to analyze situations, identify existing or potential problems and recommend solutions
- Proven experiences in cluster level office coordination and team leading
- Demonstrated excellent oral and written communications skills, including surveillance data management and report writing
- Demonstrated ability to translate assessments and findings into learning, use of information for action, with respect to malaria surveillance systems
- Excellent organization, time management, attention to detail, and ability to appropriately prioritize competing tasks
- Proven ability to work in a dynamic team environment with minimal supervision, anticipating pressing needs and requests
- Cultural sensitivity and diplomacy in communicating with a broad and diverse audience/team
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite including Word, Excel, Power Point and Teams
- Strong quantitative data management and analysis skills with proficiency in statistical software packages such as SPSS or STATA
- Willingness and ability to travel estimated at 60% of the time
- Local language of the duty stations is highly desirable
- Experience with DHIS2 and country’s PHEM management system is needed
- Excellent oral, written, and presentation skills in English
More Information
- Job City Debreberhan, Harar, Shashemene
