Senior Global Health Security Advisor (DOS/LEAP Global) - Guinea

Job Description

Global Solutions Ventures (GSV) – a joint-venture partnership between ZemiTek, LLC and Dexis Consulting Group – is implementing the Long-term Exceptional Technical Assistance Project (LEAP Global), a mechanism originally used by USAID to battle against infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, and pandemic influenza. As of July 1, 2025, LEAP Global transitioned to the U.S. Department of State (DOS). This initiative aims to address the complex human resource challenges faced by national infectious disease programs in the USA-supported countries.

The intervention of this project is to hire and embed technical expert advisors and subject matter experts within government entities. By directly embedding the technical expertise within the national programs, LEAP provides long-term, sustainable lifesaving support to empower host governments to lead and manage key aspects of their infectious disease portfolios and improve coordination between the U.S. Government and the host country. 

The Senior Global Health Security (GHS) Advisor will work closely with relevant multi-sectoral government departments and agencies within the Ministry of Health, and, when appropriate, with the Ministries of Livestock, and Environment. The Advisor will promote the effective adoption and implementation of life-saving interventions aimed at preventing, detecting, and responding to infectious disease threats with public health significance, including zoonotic diseases. The Senior GHS Advisor will identify programmatic challenges and facilitate solutions by coordinating technical support and leveraging resources from GHS projects and, where applicable, the Pandemic Fund. The Advisor will be based within the designated Ministry and will receive guidance from Ministry staff, who will act as the onsite manager or supervisor. Experience with USAID programming and C/AOR responsibilities is highly desirable, as the Advisor will support the implementation of the GHS portfolio. The Advisor will provide weekly and monthly reports to the U.S. Department of State.

Support multisectoral ministries in effective delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance (LHA) through utilization of domestic and donors’ (e.g. the Pandemic Fund, Global Fund, World Bank Fund).

• Assist the relevant ministries with effective delivery of LHA GHS services, including but not limited:
• community-based active surveillance,
• systems capacity for detecting priority diseases/threats,
• data systems for monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on threats,
• infection prevention and control (IPC), including commodities and WASH in healthcare facilities,
• case management; and Emergency Management including Emergency Operating Centers (EOC) and Point of Entry Screening,
• Risk Communication and Community Engagement,
• Emergency outbreak response.

• Provide technical support and actively engage with field work to implement programmatic and response interventions at national and sub-national levels.
• Provide technical support during the country Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and implementation plan development.
• Assist in monitoring the progress of GHS program implementation and provide recommendations for improvements of service delivery.
• If relevant for the country, review and analyze performance reports submitted to the Pandemic Fund, Global Fund (GF), and other partners.
• Help organize regular discussions among the multisectoral stakeholders and partners to ensure alignment of technical approaches in the respective GHS portfolio.
• Provide support to the appropriate multisectoral ministries in identification of performance gaps, potential barriers and bottlenecks, and facilitate consensus on targeted interventions to improve performance on key indicators attributable to:
• reduction in incidence and mortality for epidemic and pandemic prone diseases;
• strengthening systems to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats;
• rapid and effective responses to infectious disease outbreaks which are threats for public health.

Support the implementation and expansion of best practices in GHS and outbreak response nationwide.

• Support MOH and other relevant Ministries in routine review of service delivery processes and outcomes.
• Promote the dissemination of best practices and effective models nationwide.
• Promote prioritized interventions in effective community-based active surveillance, strengthening systems capacity for detecting priority diseases/threats, and data systems for monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on threats;
• Support of the adoption of infection prevention and control (IPC), including commodities and WASH in healthcare facilities; case management;
• Support and strengthen Emergency Management including Emergency Operating Centers (EOC) and Point of Entry Screening; Risk communication.
• Support the relevant Ministries to rapidly and accurately report infectious diseases threats to the relevant, domestic and international system– such as the International Health Regulations (IHR) for quick responses to pandemic threats.
• Assist the relevant multisectoral Ministers emergency outbreak responses as needed.
• Assist the relevant multisectoral Ministries to achieve the relevant GHS related targets including the WHO Joint External Evaluation (JEE)^[1]; IHR States Parties Self-Assessment (SPAR)^[2]; and the Pandemic Fund Framework^[3] which includes reporting on the 7-1-7 target (7 days to detect, 1 day to report, 7 days to complete the initial response)
• Assist and provide information to State Department to prepare U.S. Government workplans and reports.

Seek opportunities to bring new partners including private sector or other donors.

• Identify and promote innovative financing mechanisms, such as public-private partnerships or impact investment opportunities, to address local health security challenges.
• Facilitate capacity-building workshops for local organizations to enhance their ability to attract and manage private sector funding.
• Support emergency outbreak response including assisting with mobilizing resources, coordination of efforts, and technical support for efforts to contain and respond to the outbreak.
• Help organize regular discussions among the relevant multisectoral stakeholders, Ministries, donors, and DoS to ensure alignment of technical approaches in the respective GHS portfolios.

Communications:

• Regular conference calls with multisectoral stakeholders, US Embassy and GHSD/Washington to review progress, discuss activities and address emerging issues.
• The GHS Technical Advisor should provide information and avail him/herself for calls/meetings with the US Embassy as requested.
• The GHS Technical Advisor should be willing to travel to work sites and other offices as/when requested.
• Coordinate travel logistics in advance to maximize efficiency and minimize disruption to ongoing activities.
• Document site visits with detailed reports and recommendations, sharing findings with relevant teams to inform program improvements.
• The Advisor will provide monthly reports to US Embassy/U.S. Department of State
• Ensure reports include clear metrics, progress updates, challenges encountered, and proposed solutions to facilitate informed decision-making.
• Incorporate stakeholder feedback and lessons learned into monthly reports to support continuous improvement of program activities.

REPORTING:

The Senior Advisor will provide a detailed monthly report to the U.S. Department of State, submitted by the 5th day of the following month.   Additionally, the Advisor will submit a weekly progress report to US DoS (and participate in weekly calls) to include a short paragraph about main successes for that week. 

• Master’s degree in public health, public policy, public administration, epidemiology, infectious disease, or a related discipline required. Advanced clinical degrees (MD, RN, or similar) and/or laboratory science degrees are strongly preferred. Additional certificates or training are advantageous.
• Minimum of seven years’ experience in public health, with a strong focus on surveillance and response activities, including program management and project implementation.
• Experience working with bilateral or multilateral donors/stakeholders (e.g., World Bank, Global Fund) or national-level public sector projects, with demonstrated compliance with U.S. Government regulations.
• Current knowledge of infectious disease epidemiology and America’s Global Health Strategy.
• Experience collaborating with key stakeholders in global health security, including national and international donors.
• Proven ability to manage complex portfolios involving surveillance, laboratory network strengthening, and response to emerging infectious disease outbreaks.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in cross-cultural environments.
• Superior written and oral communication skills in English, including report writing.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs.
• Strong organizational, planning, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with Department of State-funded public health programs.
  

About the Organization

ZemiTek, LLC is a Woman-Owned, SBA-certified 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB) based in the Washington, DC metro area. We have a strong record delivering innovative and high-quality solutions. Since 2007, ZemiTek has provided technical assistance, project management, information technology (IT), knowledge management, monitoring and evaluation, training and learning development, and institutional support services.