Technical Advisor - Surveillance and Epidemiology at Jhpiego

Jhpiego, an Affiliate of Johns Hopkins University, is a global leader in improving healthcare services for women and their families.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Technical Advisor - Surveillance and Epidemiology

Job ID: 2022-4784
Location: Abuja
Employment Status Full-Time
Category: International Positions

Overview

• The Technical Advisor- Surveillance & Epidemiology will work with NCDC team to support surge testing and active case finding at subnational level. Provide TA on National testing strategy, integration of COVID-19 testing across disease programs, expansion of testing among key populations and COVID-19 case identification and monitoring. This position will strengthen integrated disease surveillance, accelerate improvement and implementation of syndrome and/or event-based surveillance systems through the IDSR framework and strengthen surveillance systems to transmit standardized electronic surveillance data from LGA State and community levels to a central national hub. He/She will support community-based surveillance (CBS) implementations and coordination activities, foster coordination and collaborations, expand IDSR training across subnational region etc.

Responsibilities

• Support surge testing, leading to improved sub-national contact tracing and active case search in 12 priority states (subnational)
• Provide TA in the Implementation and scale up of National testing strategy
• Support and provide TA in the integration to COVID19 testing across disease programs, integration of data management systems for testing numbers and improved data interoperability
• Provide TA in expansion of testing amongst health care workers, HIV/TB/other immunocompromised persons, leverage established disease programs such as HIV TB and Malaria to scale up testing and other target population such as drivers- road transport workers, traders, IDP camps, prisons, NYSC camps and tertiary institutions across the country
• Provide TA in COVID19 cases identification and monitor to ensure early detection of new cases and clusters of COVID-19 and reduce transmission dynamics across the 12 priority States and LGAs.
• Strengthen integrated disease surveillance, with real time availability of actionable, high quality surveillance data that can be used to guide decision making.
• Collaborate with partner countries, FAO, OIE, WHO and other relevant partner organizations to adopt and implement agreed upon standards for surveillance data.
• Accelerate improvement and implementation of syndrome- and/or event-based surveillance systems through the IDSR framework.
• Sustain surveillance activities through training workshops, development of guidelines, provision of expert trainers, materials, and curricula, or other contributions in kind.
• Strengthen surveillance systems that reach across all levels of government (national and subnational to transmit standardized electronic surveillance data from LGA, State and community levels to a central national hub
• Support to implement IHR surveillance requirements using IDSR as a driving tool, support to improve JEE surveillance scores by implementing surveillance activities
• Support community-based surveillance (CBS) implementations and coordination activities; CBS training roll out to different regions, improvement on CBS reporting strategy and SOP’s and development of National Community Based Surveillance Strategic Plan
• Support to foster coordination’s and collaborations with ministries of agriculture and animal health to improve one health disease surveillance strategy
• Support to expand in country IDSR training across subnational region and provide technical support to the state’s surveillance team on the use of surveillance data for data driven decision making
• Exercise tact and diplomacy in organizational setting, transparent, direct with substance, self-starter, self-disciplined, be innovative and creative. Ability to intervene with staff with diplomacy and firmness.
• Demonstrate management, supervision, networking and leadership skills working with large, complex programs and ability to multi-task, communicate clearly and represent the organization at various platforms.
• Lead and manage by motivating employees to remain optimistic even when faced with challenges and encouraging good performance and values to work.
• Collaborate with existing emergency preparedness programs in different state infusing surveillance as part of their IMS and EOC programs by supporting coordination of outbreak response and providing technical surveillance support in EOC’s and TWG’s meetings
• Support strategy to implement a subnational/state surveillance communication network to enhance disease surveillance and information sharing at all levels.
• Provide TA in review and updating of guidelines, travel regulations and standard operation procedures for NCDC.
• Develop a manuscript for publication in a scientific journal to document lessons learnt on the implementation process Event-based surveillance and community-based strategic (CBS) plan at the sub-nations.
• Diplomatic; demonstrate experience in undertaking high-level policy dialogue with different stakeholders - Well-developed written and oral communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications such as MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Undertake any other tasks assigned by the NCDC Director of Surveillance

Required Qualifications

• Master's Degree in Epidemiology, Strategic Information, International Development or other related fields.
• 7-8 years of experience working in epidemiology and a minimum of 5 years of work experience in developing countries,
• Experience in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data and in the calculation of demographic and epidemiological indicators,
• Experience in the design of protocols for epidemiological surveys, their implementation and dissemination of results,
• Experience in word processing, use of spreadsheets (including graphing), database use, e-mail communication and Internet research,
• Possess a range of computer skills (including Word Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access), which may need to be acquired through very quick learning.
• Experience working on USG funded projects and familiarity with international donor policies.
• Experience in training and mentoring government staff at the NRL and subnational.
• Fluency in verbal, written and interpersonal communication in English.
• Fluency in any local language in the project State will be an advantage
• Proficiency in writing and editing letters, reports, and documents.
• Experience in collecting data analysis and interpretation and calculating indicators for specific disease prevention and control programs,
• Experience in identifying and analyzing trends and risk factors by area and population group,
• Experience in collecting data analysis and interpretation and calculating indicators of availability of resources, effectiveness, utilization and hospital income,
• Experience in transferring knowledge and skills through seminars, brainstorms and workshops,

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Ability to work in a complex environment with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform.
• Excellent presentation skills and verbal and written communications skills.
• Previous experience working in INGO.
• Proficiency in word processing, Microsoft Office and data software.
• Ability to travel 25% of time.

Salary Range and Benefits

• Monthly Gross Salary Range: (NGN875,000 - NGN960,000)
• Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits package including: medical and dental plans; paid vacation, holidays and sick leave; personal accident insurance; 403(b) retirement plan; life and disability insurance; travel insurance; education assistance plan and more.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply

Note

• Nigerian nationals are strongly encouraged to apply.
• The successful candidate selected for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation