Job Description
The GH-TAMS project seeks applicants for two Voluntary Male Medical Circumcision / VMMC consultants, for part-time assignments up to twelve-months in duration. The consultancies begin approximately the first week of October - with one position possibly beginning later, once in-country field travel is permitted. The consultants will provide external quality assurance and continuous quality improvement (EQA/CQI) technical support to USAID-funded VMMC programs in the field. The assignment will be remote / virtual with possible future trips to priority countries in East and Southern Africa (Uganda, Tanzania, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya) if COVID-19 travel restrictions permit.
Background
The Bureau for Global Health’s (GH) Office of HIV/AIDS (OHA) is the focus of HIV and AIDS technical leadership for USAID and has primary responsibility for leading the Agency’s efforts within President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a multibillion-dollar, multi-faceted approach to combating the disease in more than 120 countries around the world. In cooperation with the US Department of State’s Office of the US Global AIDS Coordinator, other US Government (USG) partners, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations, USAID provides global technical leadership on the full range of issues related to HIV and AIDS prevention, care, and treatment; manages numerous research and field support programs; and monitors the impact of the Agency’s HIV and AIDS programs. OHA provides input to decisions concerning the strategic allocation of financial and human resources in the sector and assists in designing, implementing, monitoring and evaluating programs. In this endeavor, USAID works very closely with a range of USG agencies involved in the fight against AIDS, such as the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Department of Defense (DOD), and Peace Corps.
The consultant for VMMC External Quality Assessment (EQA) / Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) will work with staff within the Biomedical Prevention Branch of the Prevention, Care, and treatment (PCT) Division.
Role and Responsibilities
To strengthen the quality and safety of the USAID VMMC programs, the consultant will provide EQA/CQI TA to a select number of countries, implementing partners and sites. Assistance will be prioritized in consultation of the OHA VMMC team and the field. The consultant will be responsible for the following:
- In collaboration with the OHA VMMC team, providing quality assurance/quality improvement technical guidance and support to VMMC priority countries
- Updating EQA/CQI toolkits and guides
- Provide virtual targeted support to countries through webinars, virtual learning networks
- If possible, conduct in-person trainings on EQA/CQI
- Lead EQA/CQI assessments including data collection, analysis and report writing
- Share best practices/lessons learned through webinars, conferences and journal manuscripts
Major Tasks and Activities
- Provide updates to EQA data collection tools (currently paper-based, but potential to update an existing mobile application (VMMC QUAL) for automatic data collection, analysis, and compilation of reports.
- Provide updates to CQI toolkits and training materials and lead in-person trainings on CQI including conducting assessments and development of site-level CQI teams
- If feasible, lead EQA teams comprised of members from USAID/W, Missions, PEPFAR, Ministries of Health, and VMMC Implementing Partners
- Plan webinars/virtual learning sessions for south-south learning
Qualifications
● Master’s degree or higher in public health, medicine, epidemiology, science or other relevant fields required.
● Have a minimum of five years of experience working with HIV issues and programs, with strong preference for experience with
field programs, with at least three-five years’ experience in an international or resource challenged setting.
● Clinical or medical degree with VMMC service delivery experience preferred.
● HIV background and expertise, with specific experience in voluntary male medical circumcision (VMMC) programs and service delivery
● Demonstrated knowledge of and experience with biomedical HIV prevention and clinical approaches, including leading quality
improvement and quality assurance activities.
● Experience in working with PEPFAR and/or USAID, USAID Missions, host country governments, implementing partners (preferably on
HIV), community-based organizations, and/or other bilateral donors internationally
● Understanding of USG processes and requirements as related to PEPFAR programming required
● Evidence of excellent interpersonal, facilitation and teambuilding skills/experience required
● Demonstrated ability in maintaining close counterpart relationships, both governmental and in the partner community is highly preferred
● Strong knowledge of USAID procedures and experience with USAID missions
● Demonstrated leadership skills in negotiating and managing diplomatically sensitive issues
● Demonstrated ability to apply policy directives to activity design, implementation and monitoring and evaluation
● Excellent written and oral communication skills
