Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)

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Job Title: Program Officer – Catalyzing Pediatric Tuberculosis

Job openings: 01

Location: Yaoundé

Duration : Six months

Reports to: EGPAF UNITAID CaP-TB Implementation Manager

Terms of Offer: This is a consultant position, remunerated on local terms.

The Elizabeth Glaser Pe diatric AIDS Foundation is a global leader in the fight against pediatric HIV and AIDS, working in 15 countries and at over 5,500 sites around the world to prevent the transmission of HIV to children, and to help those already infected. Today, because of the highly successful work of the Foundation and its partners, pediatric AIDS has been virtually eliminated in the United States. With a growing global staff of over 1,000—nine of 10 who work in the field—the Foundation’s global mission is to implement HIV prevention, care, and treatment programs; further advance innovative research; and to execute strategic and targeted global advocacy activities to bring dramatic change to the lives of millions of women, children, and fa milies worldwide.

"Sometimes in life there is that moment when it's possible to make a change for the better. This is one of those moments."
- Elizabeth Glaser

Purpose of the consultancy

Through funding from UNITAID, EGPAF Cameroon hiring on consultant contract one (01) Program Officer for the Catalyzing Pediatric Tuberculosis program. This four-year project will contribute to the reduction in morbidity and mortality due to Pediatric TB by removing critical barriers to facilitate scale-up of pediatric TB in 9 sub-Saharan African countries: Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe, as well as in India. More specifically, this program aims at increase case detection 2-fold overall; providing TB treatment to 16,471 cases, including 12,353 children <25 kg treated with FL FDCs; initiate 52,317 children on latent TB (L T BI) treatment. Overall the project will result in 102,427 years of life saved and $36 million in cost savings and efficiencies.

CaP TB will include a study to document the impact of household-based TB contact tracing and initiation of preventative TB therapy versus the standard of care. This research will be implemented in Cameroon, within sites supported by EGPAF under CaP TB. The clinical staff at facility level will be the regular staff from the clinics (usually employees of the Ministry of Health), while the research staff, in charge of performing the study (study nurses, study coordinator, data manager etc.) will be employed by Epicentre, working on a sub-agreement with the French Institut de Recherche pour le Development (IRD).

Summary of the consultancy

The CaP TB Program Officer is responsible for providing support to the Country Implementation Manager to the monitoring of the timely implementation of the CaP-TB program activities and deliverables at sites where the program is implemented, as well as strengthening the interface between the program needs and the operations teams (procurement, supply chain, finance and accountant) as well as with the administration in general. In addition, s/ he will be a key member of the Cameroon CaP TB project team, and will work in close coordination with both EGPAF, IRD and Epicentre staff.

The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience supporting the implementation of complex health intervention implementation programs, good project management skills will be required, and knowledge of operational research. The CaP TB Implementation Officer will also work closely with the strategic information and evaluations manager for the project to monitor key project outcomes and ensure patient level data is collected as per the requirements both study and the routine CaP TB project implementation.

Regular communication and close collaboration with the EGPAF CaP TB Country Implementation Manager, the IRD Trial Manager and the Epicentre study coordinator is required. The ability to manage multiple competing priorities will be a key qualification for this role.

Essential Responsibilities

Support program implementation:

• Provide oversight and support to the health facility (site) staff to ensure on-time and effective project implementation, including programmatic, M&E and advocacy aspects;
• Maintain the monthly calendar of program planned activities and track progress on the implementation of CaP-TB activities at all sites and at the district level;
• Provide administrative support for national and regional level meetings and workshops;
• Coordinate the logistics for meetings, workshops and trainings: drafting budget preparation and purchase request, participants list… using the appropriate checklist;
• Maintain a physical and electronic database of workshops’ participants lists, minutes of meetings, and activity reports;
• Contribute in a timely fashion to monthly reports as well as project reports to donor

Liaison with the operations team:

• Work with the Finance team to ensure timely submission of budget request and availability of funding, as well as tracking expenditure and compare it to actuals; monitor management of program field advances;
• Liaise with the Procurement and Logistics/SCM team to ensure timely procurement of commodities and office supplies and their availability to the point of service, as well as their proper storage and utilization;

Liaison with the research team:

• Balance the needs of research activities and those of the project implementation, ensuring optimal outcomes for both; setting up coordination meeting and other facilitation processes as required
• Provide regular updates to the CaP TB Country Implementation Manager and the research team ;
• Any other business assigned by the line manager.

Required Qualifications

• Diploma in Public health and/or Management
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in coordinating programmatic implementation, preferably on TB;
• Experience in implementing community-based activities will be an advantage;
• A very good mastery of Microsoft package (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) is mandatory .
• Interest for operational research and evidence generation
• Solid judgment and leadership skills
• Ability to communicate with a range of colleagues across diverse cultures
• Problem solving attitude
• An individual who can handle a variety of constituencies, manage multiple tasks simultaneously and thrive in a complex environment with multiple priorities
• Very proactive and self-directed
• Strong analytical skills and common sense
• Strong work ethic
• Tactful, respectful, and keen diplomacy skills
• Ability to travel regularly, and at short notice, within Cameroon to all CaP TB implementation sites where the IRD-led study will be implemented
• Perfectly bilingual in English and French with both oral and written skills

How to apply

Qualified candidates should submit a CV and cover letter through the following link.

Applications will be considered until October 20, 2018.

Please note that only short-listed applicants meeting the above requirements will be contacted.

NB: EGPAF does not charge a fee in the recruitment process.