SUSTAINING TECHNICAL AND ANALYTIC RESOURCES

FELLOWSHIP TITLE: Senior TB and Global Fund Grant Advisor

HOST ORGANIZATION: Ministry of Health, National TB Program Office

LOCATION: Tashkent, Uzbekistan

POSITION LEVEL: Senior Advisor

STAR-P2-113

TRAVEL: 30%% estimated travel

STAR PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

Sustaining Technical and Analytic Resources (STAR) is a project of the Public Health Institute (PHI) supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) Global Health (GH) Bureau. Its purpose is twofold: (1) Through individual fellowships, STAR will help strengthen the capacity of diverse American and low-and-middle-income country (LMIC) health professionals at all levels to make innovative contributions to global health (GH); and (2) STAR will create ground-breaking opportunities for both US and LMIC GH academic institutions and other groups, including professional associations, to create systems for open-access knowledge sharing, resulting in effective partnerships. STAR’s individual and institutional participants are contributing to the development of self-sustaining systems and tools that will produce global citizens with the full spectrum of relevant health competencies. STAR is managed by the Public Health Institute and implemented in partnership with Johns Hopkins University (JHU), the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH).

ABOUT THE FELLOWSHIP

The STAR Fellowship is a two-year global health and learning opportunity with:

  • Individualized, tailored support to enhance the fellow’s achievement personal and professional goals

  • Personalized learning plans and access to learning resources (courses, conferences, mentoring) based on fellow’s learning style and preferences.

  • Access to broad professional networks to enhance peer learning and knowledge sharing.

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

Background:

STAR is a key component of the USAID’s Accelerator to Stop TB to reach the UN General Assembly TB Declaration targets as well as build the capacity and commitment of the host governments to ensure TB self-reliance through evidence-based TB programs.

At the 2018 UN General Assembly, the member states agreed to identify and treat 40 million new TB patients and place 30 million at-risk people on preventive TB Treatment by 2022. Each country has aggressive individual goals to meet this ambitious target. For example, the Government of Uzbekistan (GOU) will need to increase DR-TB detection and treatment from 2,200 cases to 3.850 by 2022. To achieve this goal, the NTP is required to strengthen a reliable real-time TB data collection and monitoring system.

As part of the Global Accelerator to End TB, USAID signed an MoU with the Ministry of Health in March 2019 and has embedded a first TB Advisor in the National TB Program, aiming to introduce the most effective TB prevention, detection, and treatment approaches, especially to stop the spread of drug-resistant types of TB (DTB), a global public health threat. At the same time, USAID TB program investment leverages Uzbekistan's Global Fund (GF) TB grant, which supports vital supplies of anti-TB medicines, diagnostic equipment, and lab reagents. Without effective data collection and analysis, the USAID and Global Fund programs won't effectively track their progress, evaluate impact, and sustain proven interventions.

By improving the introduction of robust monitoring and evaluation system and coordination with the Global Fund and other DR-TB projects and stakeholders, the Advisor, will support Uzbekistan to reach these ambitious targets and will also support the GOU in their journey to self-reliance by providing technical assistance to the NTP to use the improved data monitoring and evaluation system for the evidence-based decision making to combat TB and DR-TB.

Introduction:

The Senior TB Global Fund Grant Advisor (Senior Advisor) will provide technical expertise and guidance to the Uzbekistan Ministry of Health's National TB Program (NTP) in Uzbekistan related to the implementation of the USAID's Accelerator to Stop TB, and, particular, M/XDR-TB activities. in close coordination with GF grant implementation, and TB data monitoring and evaluation activities to drive evidence-based decision making.

The Senior Advisor will play a critical role in achieving, measuring, and documenting progress towards TB programs implementation, 1) provide technical leadership in the use of TB data for decision making and monitoring and evaluation of the USAID programming, and 2) support local stakeholders, including NTP, GF, WHO, other ministries, and other key players on building sustainable TB data collection and analysis systems. The Senior Advisor will provide technical guidance to ensure that USAID's projects employ sound data management and analysis techniques to measure progress toward combating TB in Uzbekistan effectively. Additionally, the Senior Advisor will identify programmatic bottlenecks and facilitate solutions through coordinated technical assistance, as well as support the country to leverage additional resources for TB prevention and care.

Reporting structure:

The Senior Advisor will be based at the NTP within the Ministry of Health (MoH) in Uzbekistan. S/he will receive technical direction from the NTP Director, who will serve as the onsite manager.

Essential Duties and Outcomes:

Improve coordination and relationships of STOP TB activities with stakeholders:

  • Liaise with USAID, GF and other donors and international partners on planning and implementing USAID TB Accelerator Roadmap to Stop TB.

  • Organize regular discussions among the NTP, GF, and USAID to ensure alignment of technical approaches in the respective TB portfolios.

  • Provide targeted TA to the NTP and other partners to effectively support USAID TB Accelerator activities implementation.

  • Advise the NTP on the coordination of TB activities among program partners.

  • Provide technical guidance to the NTP in engaging with domestic and international partners.

  • Lead the development of quarterly and annual programmatic narrative reports.

  • Assist NTP to conduct regular (at least quarterly) partners meetings.

  • Participate in regular conference calls/meetings with USAID staff as needed.

  • Contribute to monthly reporting to USAID.

Enhance MOH/ NTP monitoring and evaluation systems to improve data quality and support use of data for program improvement and decision making in order to achieve goals and objectives across all USAID TB programming:

Build capacity of the NTP to implement of Global Fund TB activities:

  • Provide continuous, in-country day-to-day coordination support on the NTP on National Strategic Program (NSP) and Global Fund grant implementation, assisting in addressing bottlenecks to its implementation and facilitate solutions through coordinated technical assistance.

  • Provide targeted technical assistance to the NTP and other partners to effectively support implementation of TB activities with the Global Fund country team, USAID, and country stakeholders to ensure alignment of technical approaches in the respective TB portfolios.

  • Provide technical advice to NTP for Global Fund grant implementation to ensure its accountability and efficiency.

  • Contribute to improving to develop a mechanism for the efficient and timely supply of quality TB medications and consumables for TB facilities/laboratories across all regions procured by Global Fund, other donors, and domestic funding.

Anticipated learning outcomes: * Required 10% time

  • Demonstrate proficiency across the core global health competencies defined as development practice, cross cultural awareness, communication, capacity strengthening, ethics of public health, health equity, gender equality and global burden of disease that is necessary for persons practicing in global health.

  • Cultivate mentorship skills based on the STAR GH mentorship curriculum to more effectively support and improve knowledge transfer and skills acquisition of staff, incoming fellows and interns.

  • Advance leadership skills to successful support capacity building and knowledge sharing activities, and mentor develop junior staff.

  • Apply leadership skills and technical expertise to support programmatic growth and scale up within TB programming.

FELLOWSHIP REQUIREMENTS

Required:

  • Advanced degree (Masters, PhD, or MD) in a field of health systems strengthening including data analysis, health information systems management, using advanced monitoring and evaluation systems is required.

  • Minimum 13 years of relevant technical experience with master's degree or a minimum of 15 years of relevant technical experience with bachelor's degree.

  • At least 7 years of progressively responsible experience in designing, implementing and managing TB and Drug-Resistant TB (DR-TB) projects in developing countries, with a preference given to candidates with Central Asia experience.

  • At least five years of experience with or good knowledge of Global Fund operating procedures and financial management processes (proposal development and submission, monitoring and evaluation, PSM plan and reporting).

  • Knowledge of biostatistics, health information systems, GIS project management, research methodologies, and TB epidemiology and current strategies for treatment, care, and prevention.

  • Advanced knowledge of data collection, utilization, and validation systems.

  • Ability to present and communicate technical information, analyses, and recommendations in clear written and oral formats.

  • Knowledge of biostatistics, health information systems, GIS project management, research methodologies, and TB epidemiology and current strategies for treatment, care, and prevention.

  • Advanced knowledge of data collection, utilization, and validation systems and ability to present and communicate technical information, analyses, and recommendations in clear written and oral formats.

  • Demonstrated experience managing successful teams composed of experienced professionals.

  • Demonstrated technical leadership, program management, strategic planning, policy experience and problem-solving skills working on complex projects in a highly sensitive environment are required.

  • Experience with USAID-funded public health programs preferred; demonstrated technical capacity in financial management required.

  • Ability to work effectively with a broad range of Uzbekistani and USG personnel and partners and have demonstrated skills in donor coordination and collaboration. Ability to work both independently and in a team environment to achieve consensus on policy, program and administrative matters is required.

  • Ability to work effectively in a team environment and communicate information to both health and non-health audiences, and achieve consensus on policy, project, research, and administrative matters.

  • Proven ability to communicate clearly and concisely in English and Russian – both orally and in writing is essential.

  • Excellent verbal communication skills, tact and diplomacy are required to establish and develop sustainable working relationships at the highest level and a high level of trust with public/private organizations. Verbal communication skills are also used to negotiate activity plans and resolve activity implementation issues with counterparts, partners and team members.

  • Excellent written communication skills are required to prepare regular and ad hoc reports, activity documentation and briefing papers.

  • Excellent computer skills (MS Word, Excel, Power Point, and Outlook, Access, SPSS and other statistical and other relevant software) are required for effectively operating in this position. Good computer skills are required to implement, analyze, and monitor, and manage activity goals, inputs, outcomes, and achievements.

  • Fluency in English and Russian.

This vacancy is archived.

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