Chief of Party - VectorLink at ABT Associates

Req Id: 53621
Location: Nigeria

Opportunity

• Abt Associates, a major American business and government research, technical assistance, and consulting company, manages the USAID-funded Vector Control Task Order 1. Task Order 1 will support the U.S. President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and USAID to plan and implement an integrated vector control approach with the overall goal of reducing the burden of malaria.
• Abt has implemented indoor residual spraying (IRS) for PMI since 2011, delivering high-quality IRS programs and gathering the most comprehensive vector control entomological data in the world. Under this contract, Abt will expand entomological monitoring to guide programs focused on malaria vector control and continue to assist PMI in reducing the burden of malaria through malaria vector control and capacity building in 22 African countries where malaria is endemic.
• Under the supervision of the VCTO1 Technical Program Manager, based in Bethesda, MD (USA), the COP/Medical Entomologist will provide leadership and management oversight to the PMI VectorLink Project in Nigeria.

Key Roles and Responsibilities

• Work with the subcontracting institution on entomological monitoring in selected sentinel sites in Nigeria.
• Help maintain a mosquito colony from a Kisumu strain and an animal house to feed the mosquito colony. Ensure the colony has enough mosquitoes to run all susceptibility tests and different experiments on adult mosquitoes as required by the NMEP. Where necessary, maintain a population of local field- collected mosquitoes for various tests as required.
• Train entomology technicians from the NMEP on mantaining mosquito colonies in an insectary, different sampling techniques for mosquitoes (both adult and larvae) in sentinel sites, train technicians on identification, storing and transport of mosquito samples from the field to the insectary,ensuring the transfer of technical skills to local institutions.
• In collboration with NMEP:
• Help to maintain and expand sentinel sites for the enhanced entomological monitoring in different states. In collaboration with the subcontracting institutions, ensure that field monthly collection of entomological data on vector bionomics, mosquito behavior, and insecticide resistance at the identified sentinel sites completed on time.
• Test the impact of vector control interventions, such as the efficacy and durability of long lasting insecticide treated nets and indoor residual spraying, and help establish a strong monitoring and evaluation system in order to establish the entomological and epidemiological impact of vector control interventions on malaria transmission.
• In collaboration with the NMEP and partners work on national entonmological monitoring plan  and any other vector control policy documents.
• Work on the annual budget, and manage the budget in collaboration with other Abt Associates partners.
• Conduct weekly phone calls with the Techncial Program Manager and VCTO1 team on the insectary and field entomological activities.
• Write a Progress Report and Final Report in English on all the field entomological activities activities, recommendations for the NMEP sentinel sites, and vector control.
• Work with the NMEP and VCTO1 on procurement of local and international entomology supplies and clearing the goods at arrival in country. Maintain an inventory list for VCTO1.  Serve as Abt’s representative in-country for donor meetings as needed.

Preferred Skills / Prerequisites

• Masters degree (minimum), Doctorate degree (desirable), in Medical Entomology.
• 7 to 10 years of relevant professional work experience with a Masters Degree, or 4 to 6 years with a Doctorate, including significant amounts of experience directly realted to establishing an insectary and mosquito colony.
• Experience in training entomology technicians on entomological monitoring and field activities.
• Strong management and planning skills of an insectary and sentinel sites.
• Experience working with National Malaria Control Programs
• Experience with USAID and donor projects is highly desirable.
• Demonstrates leadership and team work and produces high quality work in a timely, cost effective manner and has excellent writing skills.