Senior Technical Advisor at Jhpiego - John Hopkins University

The Senior Technical Advisor (STA) will provide technical oversight and direction for a CDC-funded HIV prevention, care and treatment (comprehensive services) project in Nigeria. The STA, who we anticipate will be based in Abuja, will lead the overall design of technical interventions to integrate HIV in the health care system and assist the government to bring it to scale. The STA will design and oversee the annual phasing in of activities in the work plan and will coordinate technical implementation of all program activities, including capacity building, monitoring and evaluation and quality improvement. The STA will work in close collaboration with CDC/Nigeria, relevant ministries, PEPFAR implementing partners and other stakeholders working in HIV in Nigeria. The STA will represent the organization or delegate representation to other members of the technical team in key technical working groups.  This position is contingent upon award. Nigerian nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.

• Provide technical oversight, strategic direction and ensure appropriate support for the implementation of project activities in the project to achieve project goals, objectives and targets.
• Contribute technical leadership to the development of HTC activities for the project strategic plan, work plan, and project monitoring, in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, CDC and other stakeholders.
• Identify appropriate facility- and community-based strategies to address health systems bottlenecks that act as an impediment to effective HIV service delivery.
• Collaborate with all local stakeholders and implementing partners, especially the Ministry of Health and other US and international implementing partners, in order to ensure that all activities conform to the requirements and regulations.
• Refine evidence-based training materials, job aids, and curricula, supervisory systems and other training materials to meet the needs of the project.
• Identify relevant training needs and assist in the design and implementation of measures to address those capacity building needs.
• Provide technical and clinical guidance to the project team.
• Supervise and mentor technical staff.
• Implement activities and ensure that the project is technically sound, evidence-based and responsive to the project targets.
• Ensure timely implementation of all project activities, including planning and implementing assessments, site strengthening, follow-up and supervision, advocacy, demand creation, policy support, capacity-building and M&E across project sites, consistent with Nigeria’s national health protocols and in line with best practices and protocols, in close coordination and collaboration with CDC and Federal Ministry of Health.
• Strengthen the relationships between the community and the health facilities.
• Draft, adapt, edit and proofread HIV technical documents and learning materials, as needed.
• Actively participate in all relevant Technical Advisory Group Meetings, and represent Jhpiego in professional forums by participating and presenting in pertinent meetings and conferences, as well as technical working groups.
• Guide Federal Ministry of Health, professional associations, other national stakeholders in the revision/development of evidence-based standards for HIV competencies.
• Mobilize international level clinical/technical expertise to resolve clinical issues that shape or effect local public policy or project design.
• Work collaboratively with other project team members to ensure that necessary project planning, development, resource availability and management activities function smoothly and efficiently.
• Conduct regular reporting to the Project Director, and project and technical staff, of successes, challenges and lessons learned in implementation related to areas of technical expertise.
• Contribute to documenting project activities, results and best practices to the donor, including progress and annual reports.
• Work with M&E staff to design, implement and track data/results for project performance monitoring plan; develop of conclusions and recommendations to further strengthen project implementation.
• Ensure compliance with CDC operational policies and regulations.
• Provide technical guidance and oversight of quality improvement approaches.

• Medical degree with post-graduate level training in public health
• Demonstrated experience in implementing public health projects of more than US$5M per year in developing countries, with an emphasis on HIV projects.
• Demonstrated understanding of Nigeria’s healthcare system, particularly the public health system.
• A minimum of 5 (five) years of mid- to senior-level experience in designing and implementing HIV prevention, care and treatment projects.
• Proven track record managing a project team composed of several technical experts.
  Strong management, results-oriented and decision-making skills.
• Strong leadership and technical capacity to support service delivery.
• Technical expertise in comprehensive HIV prevention, care and treatment services.
• Demonstrated expertise working in a leadership capacity with international donors, senior government officials and policymakers.
• Proven leadership skills, as well as skills in facilitation, team building and coordination.
• Experience and understanding of the PEPFAR framework.
• Excellent interpersonal, writing and oral presentation skills.
• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform.
• Ability to travel unrestricted within Nigeria and internationally.