MRITE Senior Immunization Technical Advisor at John Snow Inc - JSI

Position Description General Information

• The MOMENTUM Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity (M-RITE) project is part of a suite of innovative awards funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to holistically improve family planning and maternal and child health in partner countries around the world.
• The project applies best practices and explores innovations to increase equitable immunization coverage in USAID-supported countries around the globe. It works to build countries’ capacity to identify and overcome barriers to reaching zero-dose and underimmunized children and older populations with life-saving vaccines and other integrated health services.
• M-RITE works at multiple levels and in alignment with global strategies such as the Immunization Agenda 2030 and Gavi 5.0.   The project also contributes to ongoing global efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on immunization services and support countries to prepare for and introduce vaccines against COVID-19 once they are available.
• In Nigeria M-RITE works to strengthen routine immunization (RI) services in M-RITE-supported states. and supports COVID-19 vaccine rollout at the national level and sub national levels.

Overview

• MRITE Senior Immunization Technical Advisor will provide technical expertise in immunization to ensure delivery of high-quality technical approaches to support JSI/MRITE’s global and country immunization portfolio. This may include new vaccine introductions, life-course vaccines in infancy, adolescence and adulthood, innovations in routine approaches to immunization service delivery, and community engagement to promote vaccine uptake.
• Technical themes will emphasize life-course vaccines from the new-born period onwards, including adolescence, pregnancy and adulthood; integration with other primary health care, and prevention of specific infections such as human papillomavirus (HPV), and malaria.
• MRITE Senior Immunization Technical Advisor will lead or support specific areas within this portfolio, as designated by the Country Director, MRITE. They will work with JSI/MRITE’s global and country project teams, to institutionalize good practice, ensure high quality implementation of projects, and develop and apply innovations.
• They will support JSI’s global positioning and reputation in immunization by representing the organization externally and will support the development of new strategic partnerships.
• MRITE Senior Immunization Technical Advisor will mentor, build capacity, identify learning, design technical approaches for new business opportunities and will lead the development and implementation of workplan priorities. 

Responsibilities
Technical Assistance & Quality Programming:

• Provides senior level, high-quality technical assistance by combining industry knowledge and best practices with strategic program expertise, guidance and advice for country programs. This may include:
• Draft or review, in consultation with other MRITE staff, workplans, evaluation reports, and similar documents to support new and existing MRITE immunization programs
• Develop, in consultation with other Advisors, evidence reviews, technical briefs, policy briefs, and guidance documents to support global and country immunization initiatives
• Support in coordination and day-to-day management of learning networks and other platforms for immunization.
• Support the development and implementation of other maternal, newborn health technical and program content as delegated by the Nigeria Country Director, MRITE.
• Contribute direct technical advice to country activities, under the direction of MRITE technical and program management teams:
• Provide direct technical assistance to MRITE country programs, NPHCDAand partners in developing, implementing and strengthening high impact interventions to achieve increased coverage, use, and quality of immunization programs; this includes participation in regular online and in-country meetings;
• Provide technical support to review and update country level plans, protocols, job aids, formative assessments, and technical guidelines.
• Support country staff in developing training materials and capacity building efforts.
• Work with M&E staff to design, implement a plan to track data/results to inform adjustments in project implementation.
• Ensures cohesive and integrated technical approach across project components to maximize impact.
• Leads the development of new solutions to extend program reach and achieve program objectives.
• Leads the development of guidance and learning resources as well as the lead for defining and testing new tools and innovations for accelerating achievement of results.
• Assesses and analyses data and identifies trends. Addresses complex programmatic and technical challenges by working across project and partner staff to develop or adapt technical interventions or approaches to accelerate progress.
• Obtains buy in from donors, partners and government stakeholders to ensure programming and technical approach is responsive to needs and priorities

Technical Strategy Development, Implementation and Internal Capacity Development:

• Provides thought leadership for development of MRITE’s global technical strategy and approaches for technical area based on knowledge of donor trends, stakeholder needs, and priorities across the organization.
• Leads implementation of priorities identified in global technical strategy and workplan
• Builds technical capacity within MRITE and coaches and mentors staff accordingly, including developing and implementing training plans, learning activities, and materials.

New Program Development:

• Supports business development activities including identifying and supporting new opportunities and leading the technical design of new projects with the new business development team.
• Negotiates complex partner and stakeholder relationships to design high-quality and feasible technical approaches responsive to donor requirements and stakeholder needs.

Organizational Representation:

• Identifies opportunities to demonstrate MRITE’s technical excellence in external fora.
• Positions the organization as an insightful thought leader through participation in external advisory or working groups, global meetings, events and international conferences. Specifically, this may include:
• Collaborate with other international implementing partners such as USAID awards, Gavi, WHO, UNICEF and others, to ensure that activities are responsive to country needs and conform to the donor and government requirements.
• Author/co-author abstracts, presentations, and articles for journals and conferences.

Knowledge Management & Learning:

• Provides support to the realization of external communication priorities including supporting the development of success stories, blogs, and other program and technical related communication materials that demonstrate MRITE’s technical expertise, results, and programming excellence
• Supports field staff to present and disseminate learning from country implementation, including successes and challenges
• Assist the Country Director, MRITE staff  and other Advisors to design and carry out annual program reviews and synthesize the findings.
• Contributes to the development of peer-reviewed publications

Qualifications

• Advanced Degree in Public Health required; additional medical, nursing or health science degree preferred
• 10+ years’ experience in health programs and policy relevant to immunization, including immunization program management, disease control, surveillance, child health, adolescent health or related health programs
• 5+ years’ experience of work in low- or lower-middle-income country settings in program and research activities in immunization or related health domains
• Demonstrated capability in clinical or public health research or program innovation, and ability to think critically and strategically
• Demonstrated capability in social and behavior change communications
• Demonstrated capability for technical writing addressing a mix of policy and practice audiences at global and country levels
• Demonstrated experience with a mix of practical technical skills necessary for strengthening integrated health services delivery and uptake, at the regional, national, sub-national and community-levels, in both the public and/or private sectors
• Experience with new business development, including writing and reviewing proposals and contributing to technical design
• Familiarity with Gavi, USAID, WHO, UNICEF or similar administrative, management and reporting procedures and systems or other relevant development assistance environments
• Comprehensive understanding of current global immunization funding priorities and players
• Excellent interpersonal and cross-cultural skills including the ability to communicate technical content verbally, in writing and through dynamic presentations
• Excellent diplomacy skills and a proven ability to establish and maintain interpersonal and professional relationships with USAID, host-country counterparts and representatives from other key stakeholders such as NGOs, CSOs, and the private sector
• Proficient oral and written English strongly preferred
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite of software
• Ability to travel internationally up to 30% of the time

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. and/or Master’s degree in Public Health, Epidemiology, Health Economics, Policy and Strategic Management or other fields of study relevant to immunization in resource-constrained settings.
• Experience working with NPHCDA, NCDC and strengthening strategic partnerships at the national level.