OVERVIEW
The Prevention Lead will responsible for the technical direction of a CDC-funded HIV care and treatment project in South Sudan. The purpose of this project is to provide comprehensive and cost-effective technical support for the provision of quality HIV prevention, care, and treatment services; to develop and support human resources for health; and to improve on data systems for program monitoring and oversight at the county, state, and national levels in RSS. CDC South Sudan prioritizes working in collaboration with the MOH, GF, and other stakeholders to implement the following approaches:
i) expand HIV testing services (HTS) through high-yield testing approaches;
ii) improve access to antiretroviral treatment (ART) services to the general population (including pregnant and breastfeeding women (PBFW);
iii) improve viral load coverage (VLC) and viral load suppression (VLS); and iv) advance the development of sustainable human resources for health in RSS.
The project will operate over a 5-year period. Responsibilities include providing leadership and technical guidance in the development and implementation of comprehensive and evidence-based prevention, care, support and treatment services within HIV and TB facilities and communities under the leadership of the Principal Investigator/Project Director, as well as annual phasing in of activities.
The Prevention Lead will serve as the lead technical advisor for prevention activities (including HTS and PrEP) under the project but will also offer technical support to care and treatment, laboratory support, PMTCT, key population and paediatric HIV care programming as needed. S/he will lead the design and oversee the implementation of culturally-appropriate, and KP friendly prevention programming across the 95-95-95 treatment cascade at the national and county level to support national and county led efforts toward epidemic control.
This position is contingent upon award from CDC. South Sudanese nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Technical Leadership
- Leads the project’s prevention portfolio (including PrEP), collaborating with the MOH, CDC, implementing partners, CSOs and other key stakeholders
- Supports the Project Director in establishing relationships and working closely with senior level counterparts in the MOH/ and other government and non-governmental partners to advance HIV HTS and Prevention in the implementation sites and the health facilities Ensures that the project’s HTS, HIV prevention support and linkages to care are evidence-based, KP friendly and meet PEPFAR’s minimal requirements including, tuberculosis screening and prevention
- Trains, mentors and supervises Senior Technical Officers, Technical Officers, healthcare providers and health volunteers to address their attitudes and beliefs towards KPs, as well as improve the capacity of CSOs, providers and county-based health teams to deliver HIV prevention and HTS services
- Leads the operationalization of the 2020 comprehensive guidelines
- Leads the design, piloting and implementation of various prevention and targeted HTS and linkage interventions including Index testing, HIV Self Testing, PrEP provision and outreach HTS activities
- Leads design and implementation of strategies to support optimized HTS and prevention (including PrEP) for targeted key populations meeting their needs
- Coordinates assessments, site strengthening, follow-up and supervision, advocacy, demand creation, policy support, capacity-building and SI across program sites as required by program activities
- Works with Monitoring and Evaluation (SI) staff to develop SI frameworks and use regularly data to guide program implementation, course correction and effectively track data/results
- Assists in the identification and dissemination of best practices and new technical strategies and approaches
- Provides technical leadership to revise or adapt products and documents in the areas of HIV/AIDS prevention (including PrEP) and HTS
- Assists with coordinating the necessary technical input from partners required for key activities and work closely with external stakeholders, consultants and experts as required to ensure that the continuum of prevention and care is strengthened
- Cultivates strategic relationships and alliances with other PEPFAR and GF partners
- Provides technical assistance on HIV prevention (including PrEP) and HTS to various technical working groups at national level
- Experience supervising and leading teams and staff
- Ensures the dissemination of national policies, standards and guidelines on HIV programming
- Provides training, follow-up support and support supervision as necessary for activities
- Contributes to annual work planning
- Contributes/coordinates with project’s SI activities to ensure that the project meets set targets in accordance with national and PEPFAR standards
- Works with Strategic Information team to ensure quality and verified data
- Works collaboratively with other project team members to ensure necessary project planning, development, resource availability and management activities function smoothly and efficiently
- Promotes and supports the dissemination of project and country level best practices and lessons learned among the project team, key stakeholders, local partners, and PEPFAR collaborators
- Participates as requested in final review of technical and programmatic portions of documents
- Writes, co-authors and supports the documentation of South Sudan and project results in international conferences and through peer-reviewed journals and publications
- Motivates and mentors assigned staff and consultants
- Assists with identification of professional development needs for technical staff in the field
- Performs other duties as required by the project
Management
- Supervise technical staff
- Manage technical contributions of sub-grantees, including providing scopes of work
- Maintain excellent relationships with MOH, CDC and in-country stakeholders and develop rapid responses to CDC/DC and Mission requests
- Work with partners and consultants as required
- Work closely with the PI on setting program priorities and directions, and responding to requests for support from local counterparts
- Work with Strategic Information Director and team, to design and implement a plan to track data/results at site, district and region level and monitor progress towards project targets and deliverables
- Provide technical leadership to the development of the project strategic plan, work plan, and program monitoring, in close collaboration with the MOH, CDC, and other stakeholders
- Ensure timely implementation of all program inputs 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 collaboration with CDC, the MOH, and relevant stakeholders
- Assist in the preparation of donor reports and project reports, including technical reports and expenditure reports
- Oversee data collection, analysis and development of conclusions and recommendations 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
- Holds a health degree (doctor, clinical officer or nurse) required
- At least 3 to 4 years of demonstrated experience working in one or more areas of HIV programming including: HIV counseling and testing (required), HIV self-testing, PrEP, HIV care and treatment, linkage, case management, lab support, PMTCT, TB/HIV or other applicable area
- Strong skills in data use and interpretation
- Strong leadership and technical capacity to support service delivery, especially at the community level
- Demonstrated in-depth understanding of South Sudan healthcare system, particularly the public health system
- Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform
- Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills in English
- Experience and understanding of PEPFAR-funded programs
- Experience in planning, developing, implementing and evaluating HIV public health programs
- Ability to travel nationally and internationally up to 40% of the time
- 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
- Experience in managing a large HIV prevention and treatment portfolio, including provision of clinical services (HIV/AIDS, PrEP, HTS (Index and HIVST), ART, PMTCT)
- Proven leadership skills, as well as skills in training, mentorship, facilitation, team building and coordination
- Experience in managing a team of two (2) or more professional staff
- Excellent grasp of clinical issues and current literature in HIV/AIDS and TB
- Strong change management, results-oriented and decision-making skills
- Ability to travel up to 40% time to project provinces and sites.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Additional post-graduate degree in public health desirable
- At least 7 years demonstrated experience working in one or more areas of HIV programming including: HIV counseling and testing (required), HIV self-testing, PrEP, HIV care and treatment, linkage, case management, lab support, PMTCT, TB/HIV or other applicable area.
- Experience living and working in South Sudan preferred
Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits package.
Please apply at https://bit.ly/3wtMJ8G
For more opportunities please visit www.jhpiego.org/careers
Applicants must submit a single document for upload to include: cover letter, resume, and references.
For further information about Jhpiego, visit our website at www.jhpiego.org
Note: The successful candidate selected for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation.
Jhpiego is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer
“Jhpiego, a Johns Hopkins University affiliate, is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, other legally protected characteristics or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. Jhpiego promotes Affirmative Action for minorities, women, individuals who are disabled, and veterans.