Opportunity in Dhaka, Bangladesh
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has contracted through CAMRIS International partnered withIAPWorld Services Inc, (IAPWS), to recruit and hire qualified individuals for the following position:
Title: Infectious Disease Advisor
USAID/Bangladesh, Office of Population, Health, Nutrition and Education
United States Agency for International Development
Application Deadline: June 4, 2012
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Infectious Disease Advisor will provide technical, programmatic and results-oriented leadership to strengthen the quality and effectiveness of USAID/Bangladesh’s programming related to TB and other ID. S/he will provide technical and programmatic support to USAID and its implementing partners to design, manage and monitor activities, integrating those related to the control of TB and other ID into the larger GHI portfolio. S/he will provide policy, strategic, technical, programming and budgetary guidance to USAID/Bangladesh, other USG agencies, GOB counterparts, and implementing partners and other stakeholders (e.g., civil society, private sector) to strengthen programming related to TB and other ID. S/he will work within the Office of Population, Health, Nutrition Education (OPHNE) team and will collaborate with implementing and donor partners to ensure that maximum program synergies and targeted results are achieved.
The Advisor will be based in Dhaka, Bangladesh. S/he will receive programmatic direction for Bangladesh-specific activities by the Director of the Population, Health, and Nutrition Office in USAID/Bangladesh and will liaise with the technical experts within USAID/Washington’s Health, Infectious Disease Nutrition (HIDN) Division in the Bureau for Global Health. S/he will ensure that the Mission’s planning and response to ID is carried out in accordance with Agency directives.
A. Technical Leadership: S/he will:
- Provide technical and administrative oversight of the Mission’s interventions related to TB, particularly in the following areas:
- Increasing the coverage and quality of TB diagnosis and treatment services in the public, private and NGO sector by strengthening health systems and increasing case detection rates
- Improving diagnostic capacity and programmatic management of MDR-TB
- Preventing the further development of MDR-TB
- Strengthening the integration of TB-HIV co-management
- Increasing public and private sector collaboration on TB control
- Provide technical support to the GOB’s National TB Control Program and represent USAID at national forums and policy dialogues related to TB
- Provide technical expertise on malaria in national/regional forums and for the integration of malaria diagnosis and treatment services into programs located within endemic areas
- Provide technical support to the Mission to implement state-of-the art interventions for HIV prevention, care and support, and to demonstrate technical leadership in coordinating efforts to respond to HIV in Bangladesh
- Provide strategic direction to develop pandemic preparedness plans and to expand disease surveillance programs in cooperation with other USG agencies, GOB, other donors and UN agencies (e.g., World Health Organization, Food and Agriculture Organization)
- Provide technical expertise on a wide range of other ID (e.g., NTDs, cholera, dengue fever) in national forums and for specific programs
- Stay current with and review literature and ongoing research activities related to ID epidemiology, trends and needs
- Liaise regularly with USAID/Washington, Bureau for Global Health colleagues to share lessons and technical information and to apply lessons learned from research and evidence-based best practices in USAID/Bangladesh programs
B. Programming: S/he will:
- Liaise and coordinate with GOB, donors, USG agencies and international and local partners on issues related to TB and other ID
- Develop strategies and detailed implementation plans for improving TB and other ID services and systems to improve health outcomes under USAID/Bangladesh’s Operational Plan
- Undertake technical reviews of implementing partners’ annual work plans to identify opportunities for application of evidence-based best practices and partner synergies and to avoid duplication of efforts and missed opportunities to integrate TB and other ID into their activities
- Perform other duties as required that support the overall goal of the health office
- Make recommendations on how TB and other ID control and prevention will link with and complement ongoing USAID activities related to family planning; maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH); nutrition and health system strengthening
- Provide leadership in overall ID performance monitoring, including the development of performance monitoring plans, the review of implementing partner technical reports, and the preparation of relevant Mission’s reports (e.g., Program Performance Reports, portfolio reviews)
- Participate in the design of performance and impact evaluations related to USAID’s OPHNE program, and ensure that findings are used in decisions related to ongoing programming
- Work with USAID staff to monitor USAID-funded and non USAID- funded Bangladesh research related to TB and other IDs
CERTIFICATIONS, LICENSE, PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS OR OTHER
EXPERTISE REQUIRED. The contractor must have:
Education:
- Medical Doctor preferred, with a Master’s in Public Health (MPH), or graduate degree in a closely related health field, required
Experience:
- Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in designing and implementing ID programs is required, of which at least 3 years, particularly in South Asia/South-East Asia, preferred. Extensive experience working on TB control programs is strongly preferred. Demonstrated broad technical knowledge and experience in results-oriented TB and other ID program planning and implementation required. Demonstrated broad technical knowledge and experience in planning, designing, implementing and evaluating public health programs required
- Experience working on TB and other ID issues with international and national working groups with a variety of stakeholders including, host country government, program managers, policy makers and donors
- Experience in analyzing/synthesizing/using reporting and surveillance data and effectively communicate results and policy implications through oral and written presentations to various types of stakeholders
- Experience working with personnel from different USG agencies, host country governments, donors as well as USG contractors and/or grantees in a cross-cultural environment
- Experience with USAID programs, procedures and systems for program design, procurement, logistics, management and monitoring is strongly preferred.
Language Proficiency and Communication Skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skill in English is required. Proven ability to communicate complex and technical issues, orally and in writing in a clear and organized manner is also required. Ability to communicate technical health information to both health and non-health audiences is essential
- Demonstrated ability to make verbal and written presentations logically and persuasively to a wide variety of stakeholders, for example to senior USG officials, host country government policy makers, public and non-public health program professionals, donors, researchers, civil society members and the media
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Comprehensive knowledge of Bangladesh’s health, cultural, social, economic and political setting desired
- Thorough knowledge of issues and current evidence related to TB and other ID and links with family planning, MNCH, nutrition and health system strengthening in order to advise the host country government and USAID Mission on effective programming
- Excellent analytical skills and understanding of the current ID concepts, priorities and state of the art ID programming to shape the USAID new learning agenda. Ability to monitor USAID ID program performance and provide evidence based policy and program guidance to implementing partners to achieve desired results
- Excellent leadership, communications and interpersonal skills to work effectively with a broad range of USG personnel, host-country high level policy makers, health program managers, international and national partners and donors
- Demonstrated flexibility and openness in responding to changing work priorities and environment
- High degree of judgment, maturity, ingenuity and originality to interpret strategies, and to analyze, develop and present work results
- Ability to use various computer packages (MS Word, Excel spreadsheet, PowerPoint, other data analysis statistical package)
- Excellent interpersonal, facilitation and teambuilding skills
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
- Applicants required to obtain employment authorization.
This is an opportunity for employment or a contract, but we reserve the right to make no selection or award.
CAMRIS International and IAP World Services Inc. offer competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits. Please submit your resume online at www.iapws.com. Candidates meeting the requirements for the position will be required to provide a USAID 1420-17 Contractor Employee Biographical Data Sheet to document employment and salary history.
CAMRIS and IAP are Equal Opportunity Employers EOE M/F/D/V