Senior Malaria Technical Advisor

Job Description

Overview

CAMRIS is an international development and research firm that realizes innovative solutions to health and development challenges through high-quality, cost-effective program and research management services. With experience working in more than 80 countries, we combine our proven systems with today’s most effective, evidence-based best practices to improve the lives of people around the world.

U.S. Agency for International Development, Africa Bureau, Office of Sustainable Development, Health Division

Title: Senior Malaria Technical Advisor

GS: 14 - Equivalency

Application Deadline: Open until Filled

BACKGROUND

The Africa Bureau (AFR) Regional Health Team works across all health sectors, supports USAID Missions in Africa, and directly manages activities that support African capacity development and improve the lives of Africa’s most vulnerable populations. The Malaria Division of the Health, Infectious Disease and Nutrition Office of USAID’s Bureau for Global Health (GH) is charged with the technical leadership for and management of USAID’s malaria portfolio, including leading the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI).

The AFR Health Team seeks a Senior Malaria Advisor to serve as an integral member of both AFR’s Health Team and GH’s PMI Team, while assigned to AFR, Office of Sustainable Development (AFR/SD), Health Team. Key responsibilities include: providing technical guidance, monitoring, and support to USAID headquarters and Missions, PMI country teams, technical counterparts, implementing partners, Ministries of Health, and other stakeholders. S/he will serve as a senior-level liaison between the AFR Health Team and PMI leadership, facilitating general information sharing relevant to AFR and PMI, and assuring PMI policy and strategy updates are clearly conveyed and discussed as necessary. S/he will exercise independent judgment in planning and carrying out tasks, in support of USG priorities at critical technical and policy forums, in resolving problems and conflicts, and in taking steps necessary to meet deadlines.

• Provide technical leadership in the development of PMI programs in Africa, providing technical guidance and programmatic support to assigned African PMI countries, including participating as an integral member of the PMI interagency country support teams
• Provide direct assistance to Missions to develop scopes of work and design programs for activities contained in Malaria Operational Plans
• Provide technical leadership and support for the formulation and review of assigned country-specific Malaria Operational Plans
• Assist in monitoring and tracking overall progress of PMI plans and activities in PMI countries in Africa
• Facilitate the effective functioning of Regional Bureau country backstopping teams for the health portfolio overall for countries implementing PMI programming

• Serve as a senior-level liaison between the AFR Health Team and PMI leadership and staff, communicating updates on policy and strategy, and facilitating general information sharing relevant to AFR and PMI
• Participate in report and manuscript writing related to PMI activities
• Keep abreast of new developments and emerging issues in malaria that affect USAID’s technical priorities via literature reviews, attending technical meetings and workshops, and participating in relevant training events
• Contribute to writing AFR health team and PMI operational plans, progress reports, PMI annual report, and other malaria and planning and reporting documents
• Liaise with Regional Bureau and GH colleagues to enhance linkages between malaria and other development-related activities in Africa

• Provide leadership for the development of new technical and programmatic guidance on malaria for implementation by PMI programs in Africa
• Provide expert recommendations for the development of program design and awards for PMI-related activities
• Serve as a technical advisor to awards within AFR/SD that contain malaria-specific activities, including AFR/SD’s strategic partnership with regional institutions such as WHO AFRO and other regional entities
• Travel to monitor the field activities of centrally-managed projects as needed
• Inform AFR and other stakeholders about malaria development and USAID’s role by preparing and conducting presentations and other materials for colleagues, USG and global partners, and other donors and contractors
• Provide leadership on PMI interagency technical working groups to review latest evidence and develop new guidelines
• Attend relevant technical meetings, trainings, and workshops
• Keep abreast of new developments and emerging issues in malaria, particularly as it pertains to advancing PMI’s goal and objectives in Africa
• Advise AFR and Agency senior management and the US Global Malaria Coordinator on technical and programmatic issues particularly related to PMI programs and challenges in Africa

Competencies

• Interpersonal Relationships: Ability to work in cooperation with others and communicate effectively with co-workers, supervisors, and other outside contacts.
• Job Knowledge: Demonstrated levels of theoretical and/or technical and /or practical knowledge appropriate to his/her current position. Demonstrates understanding of elements of job and provides practical solutions to work problems.
• Quality of Work: Ability to produce work that is accurate, thorough and neat. Pays attention to detail. Demonstrates organizational & planning skills. Work product is meticulous and complete.
• Reliability: Ability to complete assigned tasks and conduct necessary follow up independently.
• Productivity: Ability to produce significant amounts of work efficiently and within the time-periods specified.
• Initiative: Willing to seek out new assignments and undertake additional duties on his/her own, when appropriate.

• Master’s degree in public health, international health, social sciences or other related discipline
• Minimum nine+ years’ experience in designing, implementing, and managing malaria and/or other public health programs, with at least five years’ experience in an international or resource-challenged setting
• Demonstrated experience of working in the African context, with experience working in field programs desired
• Knowledge and specialized experience in infectious disease control programs including malaria
• Knowledge of development assistance programs, procedures, and systems for program design, procurement, logistics, management, and monitoring desirable
• Ability to work effectively with a broad range of USG personnel and partners, and in a team environment
• Ability to communicate technical health information to both health and non-health audiences, including demonstrated ability to liaise at high-level with management and leadership
• Demonstrated project management, technical leadership, policy experience, and problem solving orientation working on complex projects in a highly sensitive environment
• Knowledge of USAID programs, procedures, and systems for program design and management desirable
• Flexibility and openness in responding to changing work priorities and environment
• Strong oral and written communications skills and proven ability to communicate quickly, clearly and concisely
• Excellent writing skills in English required
• French language skills strongly desired
• Proficiency in the use of Google Suite applications (e.g. Gmail, Google Docs, etc) and Microsoft Office
• Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally

• US Citizeship is required

This is an opportunity for employment or a contract, but we reserve the right to make no selection or award.

About the Organization

CAMRIS is an international development and research firm that realizes innovative solutions to health and development challenges through high-quality, cost-effective program and research management services. With experience working in more than 100 countries, we combine our proven systems with today’s most effective, evidence-based best practices to improve the lives of people around the world.