Technical Advisor for Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment and HIV/AIDS

Overview:

The Technical Advisor will provide technical and program oversight and direction in the area of cervical cancer prevention and treatment (CECAP) for an upcoming Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) integrated HIV/AIDS and CECAP program in Botswana. This program aims to increase utilization of health services by strengthening systems and improve quality of integrated health services. . This position will ensure the technical and methodological soundness of activities and, in collaboration with the project team and partners, support the design of service delivery strategies, based on sound and current scientific evidence. The Technical Advisor will lead technical guidance in the development and implementation of annual CECAP and HIV/AIDS activities.

Responsibilities:

• Provide technical oversight, strategic direction and ensure appropriate support for the development and implementation of program activities in CECAP and HIV/AIDS.
• Identify key implementation science questions to address in the development of program activities in order to establish evidence of effectiveness of practices; gain consensus on these from stakeholders
• Ensure that appropriate approval is sought and obtained by local and international ethical review boards, as indicated
• Guide the integration of CECAP services with HIV, maternal and newborn health, and family planning.
• Refine evidence-based clinical training materials, job aids, and curricula, supervisory systems and other training materials needed for implementation of CECAP and HIV/AIDS to meet the needs of CDC and the Government of Botswana
• Provide supportive supervision, mentoring and capacity building at the individual and organizational level in CECAP and HIV/AIDS
• Mentor trainers on the Single Visit Approach (VIA and cryotherapy), loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP), site strengthening, in-service education, follow-up and supportive supervision to project-supported health facilities, as required by program activities
• Work with colleagues to develop a cadre of CECAP champions who will facilitate links to other community-level health programs/services
• Coordinate assessments, site strengthening, follow-up and supervision, advocacy, demand creation, policy support, capacity-building and M&E across program sites as required by program activities
• Lead the formulation of approaches for scale up of CECAP and HIV/AIDS services, including accessing hard-to-reach populations and integration of services
• Actively participate in all Technical Advisory Group Meetings, and represent Jhpiego in professional forums by participating and presenting in pertinent meetings and conferences, as well as technical working groups
• Analyze potential CECAP and HIV/AIDS strategies within the context of the program and explain these, as necessary, to policymakers, funding agencies, and/or program staff
• Work with health care providers, local authorities, community members and program team members to identify clinical, community-based service delivery issues that impede access to care
• Identify appropriate facility- and community-based strategies to address CECAP and HIV/AIDS service delivery gaps
• Identify clinical training needs and assist in the design and implementation of measures to address those needs
• Formulate and test sustainable solutions to service delivery gaps, utilizing cross-cutting approaches such as performance and quality improvement and in-service training
• Advocate with national, regional and community-level health institutions to raise awareness about their role in improving health outcomes in CECAP and HIV/AIDS
• Guide Ministry of Health, professional associations, other national stakeholders in the revision/development of evidenced-based standards for competency in CECAP and HIV/AIDS
• Mobilize international level clinical/technical expertise to resolve clinical issues that shape or effect local public policy or program design
• Collaborate with all local stakeholders and implementing partners, especially the Ministry of Health and other US and international implementing partners, in order to ensure that all activities conform to the requirements and regulations
• Conduct regular reporting to the Chief of Party, and program and technical staff, of successes, challenges and lessons learned in implementation related to areas of technical expertise
• Document and maintain an inventory of successful tools and approaches for CECAP and HIV/AIDS
• Author and co-author abstracts and presentations for journals and conference
• Supervise technical staff
• Manage technical contributions of subgrantees, including providing scopes of work
• Maintain excellent relationships with CDC and in-country stakeholders and develop rapid responses to CDC/Atlanta and CDC in-country requests
• Work closely with the Chief of Party on setting program priorities and directions, and responding to requests for support from local counterparts.
• Provide technical support to M&E staff to design, implement a plan to track data/results related to CECAP and HIV/AIDS
• Provide technical leadership to the development the project strategic plan, work plan, and program monitoring, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, CDC and other stakeholders
• Ensure timely implementation of all program inputs related to CECAP and HIV/AIDS, including planning and implementing assessments, site strengthening, follow-up and supervision, advocacy, demand creation, policy support, capacity-building and M&E across program sites, in close coordination and collaboration with CDC, relevant ministries of health
• Assist in the preparation of donor reports and project reports
• Lead analysis and use of program data to further strengthen program implementation
• Ensure availability of resources/facilitate the procurement of equipment and supplies required for project implementation
• Coordinate and monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of the work of short-term consultants as required

Required Qualifications:

• A medical degree (doctor or nursing) or Master's in Public Health
• At least 5 years' experience on clinical aspects of cervical cancer prevention and treatment and HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment;
• At least 5 years' experience in managing $10M per year in donor-funded projects and in the design and implementation of overseas health projects; preferably in East and Southern Africa;
• Experience building capacity at individual and organizational levels
• Skill in at least two or more of the following technical areas: strengthening service delivery programs, training, performance and quality improvement,
• Experience with a mix of practical technical skills in CECAP and HIV/AIDS necessary for strengthening CECAP and HIV/AIDS health service delivery at the regional, national, clinical and community-level
• The ability to liaise with senior MOH officials and dignitaries, executives of NGOs, FBOs, CBOs, the for-profit business community, and senior members of the donor community;
• Demonstrated in-depth understanding of Botswana healthcare system, particularly the public health system, experience living and working in Botswana preferred
• Strong oral and written communication and presentations skills in English
• Strong skills in word processing and Excel spread sheets
• Familiarity with CDC or other USG administrative, management and reporting procedures and systems
• Proven track record managing a project team composed of several technical experts and fostering team work
• Ability to coach, mentor and develop technical capacity in national programs and technical staff in the areas
• Fluent English
• Ability to travel up to 50% time