Senior Drug-Resistant TB Technical Advisor At Sustaining Technical and Analytic Resources (STAR)

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Opportunity closing date:Sunday, 28 June, 2020Opportunity type:Employment

FELLOWSHIP TITLE: Senior Drug-Resistant TB Technical Advisor
HOST ORGANIZATION: Provincial TB Program, National Department of Health
LOCATION: eThekwini, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
POSITION LEVEL: Senior Technical Advisor
STAR-P1-068

TRAVEL: 50% 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 Administrator’s TB Accelerator 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, 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 South Africa (GoSA) will need to reach 54 000 people with drug resistant TB (DR-TB) detection and treatment cumulatively from 2018 to 2022. By improving the enabling environment and strengthening Drug-Resistant (DR)-TB policy implementation, the Senior Drug-Resistant TB Technical Advisor will support the GoSA to reach these ambitious targets and support their journey to self-reliance by providing technical assistance in the province with the largest TB and DR-TB burden in South Africa.

Introduction:

The Senior Drug-Resistant TB Technical Advisor (Senior Advisor) will provide technical expertise and guidance to the KwaZulu Natal Provincial TB Program on improving access to high quality, person centered DR-TB services. Additionally, the Senior Advisor will support the Provincial TB Program to fast track implementation of the revised DR-TB management guidelines to rapidly scale up implementation of shorter-term regimens and ensure roll-out of efficient DR-TB treatment models in line with the National DR-TB decentralization policy. Finally, the Senior Advisor will identify programmatic bottlenecks and facilitate solutions through coordinated technical assistance and engagement with relevant stakeholders.

Reporting structure:

The Senior Advisor will be based at the Provincial TB Program in eThekwini, KwaZulu Natal. They will work closely with and receive technical direction from the Provincial TB Manager who will serve as their Onsite Manager, and they will work in close collaboration and maintain communications with the USAID Mission and USAID/Washington TB Team.

Essential Duties and Outcomes:

Improved access to high quality, person centered DR-TB services:

• Provide technical assistance to rapidly scale-up decentralized and deinstitutionalized management of DR-TB in the province.
• Provide clinical mentoring including the use of innovative models to provide virtual support to clinicians in DR-TB sites for improved quality of DR-TB care.
• Provide expert guidance for rapid scale-up of shorter-term regimens in line with National DR-TB guidelines.
• Lead training on the revised DR-TB guidelines and support early adoption of new diagnostics and treatment regimens.
• Document and share best practices and effective models of care to inform changes in DR-TB program implementation.
• Assist with identification, or introduction of other new technical and clinical developments to improve the RR/MDR, Pre-XDR and XDR-TB treatment outcomes.
• Support the development and implementation of a TB adherence assessment tool to improve case holding and treatment success rates.

Strengthen active TB drug safety monitoring (aDSM):

• Ensure that all DR-TB sites in the province have electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring machines on site and provide training to clinicians on patient monitoring and aDSM.
• Provide support for early adoption and use of the National Department of Health aDSM system and work with DR-TB sites to improve reporting of Adverse events (AEs).
• Provide technical assistance to assess/determine the proportion of various drugs toxicity profile among the current RR/MDR-TB cohort and use this information to improve patient management.

Improved coordination across implementing partners and other parties:

• Liaise with USAID, GF and PEPFAR partners on planning and provision of well-coordinated DR-TB technical assistance (TA).
• Provide expert guidance to clinicians, DoH TB Program Managers and Implementing Partners during quarterly TB meetings.
• Participate in regular conference calls/meetings with USAID staff as needed.
• Contribute to monthly and quarterly reporting to USAID.
• Participate in relevant technical working groups and other fora on progress toward improving access and quality of care for DR-TB clients.

Build the capacity of the Provincial TB Program to effectively use data to enhance and support program decision making:

• Provide expert guidance to ensure improved analysis and use of data to identify and address gaps in the DR-TB care cascade.
• Provide technical assistance to improve the quality of data in the EDR-web in all DR-TB sites.
• Contribute to improving overall monitoring and evaluation systems by assisting the Provincial TB Program in improving the data quality assurance mechanisms, effective supportive supervision, and use of digital solutions.
• Support the development of quarterly and annual programmatic narrative reports.

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:

• Medical doctor with an advanced degree (Masters or PhD) in a public health related field 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 13 years of progressively responsible experience in designing, implementing and managing TB and Drug-Resistant TB (DR-TB) in developing countries, with a preference given to candidates with South African experience.
• Demonstrated experience leading and mentoring teams comprised 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.
• Demonstrated technical capacity in clinical DR-TB management required.
• Ability to work effectively with a broad range of South African and USG personnel and partners and have demonstrated skills in partner coordination and collaboration.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and in a team environment, communicate information to both health and non-health audiences, and achieve consensus on policy, project, research, and administrative matters is required.
• 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.
• Proven ability to communicate clearly and concisely in English – both orally and in writing is essential.
• South African citizenship required.

Additional skills (preferred)

• Experience with USAID-funded public health programs preferred.

TO APPLY:

All applicants are required to apply for this position through STAR’s online recruitment system at https://www.ghstar.org/, which allows you to store your CV/resume and separate cover letter describing your qualifications and experience, interest and familiarity with issues relating to this position, and how this position relates to your career goals is required for each application. All applications will be reviewed until position is filled

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