Lead PMTCT Advisor at Health Systems Consult Limited (HSCL)

Project Background

• In collaboration with the Government of Nigeria (GoN), PEPFAR/USAID investments have led to the achievement of significant progress in the fight against the HIV epidemic in Kebbi, Sokoto, and Zamfara.
• However, the 2018 Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS) showed that epidemic control targets are yet to be achieved. Further, this progress is threatened by development challenges: limited financial resources, insufficient use of data for decision making, weak coordination mechanism across all levels of government and insecurity.
• The Accelerating Control of HIV Epidemic (ACE) project provides USAID with the opportunity to support the GoN, civil society groups, and private sector actors in the cluster 3 focus states to close gaps in reaching control targets, address critical challenges in implementing their HIV response and accelerate progress towards sustainable epidemic control.

Job Summary

• Lead, manage and coordinate the work of PMTCT, including but not limited to: overseeing development and monitoring of the PMTCT team's budget, strategy, and work plan; promoting and modeling excellence within the project; and managing and resolving problems in a timely manner.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead technical capacity building activities for PMTCT services and work with FMoH to coordinate the PMTCT national program in ACE3 states.
• Streamline linkage and retention strategies, in-service training approaches/curricula standard-operating procedures and job aids as needed to reduced vertical transmission of HIV.
• Lead the design and implementation of demand creation activities to raise awareness of the importance of adhering to ART treatment and the need for EID for HIV in HEI.
• Lead project Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) initiatives to scale up linkage to optimal ART for mothers and infants living with HIV
• Oversee development of integrated HIV/PMTCT/MNCH/FP facility interventions.
• Oversee the establishment of EID, CD4 and VL lab monitoring, ensuring timely collection of relevant samples for diagnosis and monitoring of treatment outcomes while ensuring results are received by providers in a timely manner to guide patient management
• Oversee the implementation of mother-baby pair retention in care through cohort monitoring as it is critical to the health of both mothers and infants, and in improving the success of of elimination of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) services.
• Monitor and analyze PMTCT related data to direct effective programing objectively. 
• Participate and represent the project at national and regional PMTCT Technical Working Groups (TWG), task teams, workshops, and campaigns particularly towards EMTCT.
• Ensure PMTCT activities effectively incorporate and consider gender and stigma reduction programming and are linked with prevention, care, treatment, and support activities.
• Undertake other activities as assigned by your supervisor. 

Education and/or Work Experience Requirements

• A Medical (MBBS) or Nursing Degree with experience working in HIV/AIDS programs and global health, or Master’s Degree in Public Health or equivalent Degree (MPH);  or PhD in Epidemiology / Public Health 

Desired competencies:

• At least 7 years’ experience in implementing HIV programs, with at least 5 years focused on PMTCT- including EID and Infant Feeding. 
• Experience in capacity building e.g. developing content, planning, and facilitating training and providing technical assistance for PMTCT services.
• Excellent personal communication skills in written and verbal English
• Familiarity with adult learning principles/techniques and demonstrated ability to design and facilitate learning opportunities for adults.
• Good experience of using Ms. Word, Excel or Power Point applicable software related to position
• Understanding of Hausa language is essential.