Senior Global Fund Grant and MDR-TB Advisor At Sustaining Technical and Analytic Resources (STAR)

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FELLOWSHIP TITLE: Senior Global Fund Grant and MDR-TB Advisor
HOST ORGANIZATION: The National Tuberculosis Program, South African National Department of Health
LOCATION: Pretoria, South África
POSITION LEVEL: Senior Technical Advisor
STAR-P1-106

TRAVEL: 40-50% 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 implement 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 as part of its National TB Strategic Plan Objectives 2017-2022. USAID, as the lead United States Government agency for international TB, has developed a technical assistance model to ensure that Global Fund (GF) grants and TB Program are successfully implemented; to improve coordination between partners; to build country capacity; and to ensure that the greatest challenges in TB prevention and control are met.

Introduction:

The Senior Global Fund Grant and MDR-TB Advisor (Senior Advisor) will focus on critical areas of need for GF implementation in South Africa such as timely cash flows, tracking of key grant performance indicators, periodic preparations of progress updates and disbursement requests, commodities and drugs logistics management and other technical areas pertaining to TB prevention, care and control as needed in line with the National TB Strategic Plan Objectives. They will provide technical guidance and lead coordination of Global Fund Grant to the National TB Program. The Advisor will also work closely with NTP technical staff and support coordination with implementing partners, USAID, US Government agencies, WHO, and other donors. The Senior Advisor shall also support the MDR-TB Program with focus on development and review of policy guidelines; identifying areas of poor performance and assisting in the development of strategies to address the challenges; supporting data MDR-TB analysis and operational research associated with MDR-TB.

Reporting structure:

The Senior Advisor will be based at the South African National Department of Health, Tuberculosis Control Program in Pretoria, South Africa. They will work closely with and receive technical direction from the National TB Program (NTP) Director, who will serve as their Onsite Manager.

Essential Duties and Outcomes:

Enhanced technical oversight of the GF implementation in South Africa

In coordination with the GF Project Management Unit, NTP, Local Funding Agency, South African Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) and other partners, provide technical support and guidance for the smooth implementation of GF activities.
Conduct field visits; review and analyze GF grant data and performance reports submitted to the GF and other partners; identify any issues that may lead to disbursement delays and suggest appropriate solutions.
Work with National Health Laboratory Services and other stakeholders in strengthening quality assurance for TB diagnosis (GXP, culture and DST) and monitoring the use of WHO approved diagnostic tools.

Build the capacity of NTP to effectively monitor the implementation of TB and MDR-TB activities and implement new strategies

Provide guidance to the TB/HIV National Program to monitor the implementation of TB/HIV collaborative activities with the National HIV/AIDS teams.
Mentor the MDR-TB manager in implementing the drug resistant TB strategies, strengthening pharmacovigilance management and decentralizing the MDR-TB Care.
Provide technical support in all aspects of TB, TB/HIV and MDR-TB to the National TB Program.
Identify any TB- or GF-related technical assistance needs that the NTP may have, and work with USAID, USAID partners and other stakeholders to fill these needs.
Provide strategic advice and improve analytic capacity of NTP through strengthened supportive supervision system, regular and timely in-depth analysis of epidemiological/surveillance data.
Provide technical assistance to the NTP in adoption/adaptation and implementation of new global strategies and new policies in close collaboration with WHO country office and the South African TB Think Tank.

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 Public Health.
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.
Minimum 5 years of experience in supporting the NTP with implementation of the GF grants at the country level (PR, NTP, SR, CCM etc) and minimum of 3 years of experience providing short-or-long term TB technical assistance in resource limited settings.
Experience in GF NFM concept notes preparation, review and provide technical assistance to the NTP in the process.
Extensive TB Control experience in clinical and public health settings, including experience in PMDT and TB/HIV.
Demonstrable extensive experience in provision of strategic guidance to NTPs on new Global strategies, policies and guidelines.
Experience in the development and review of national TB Strategic plans, policy guidelines and external program reviews is essential.
Good understanding of the South African Health system preferably through supporting the NTP in the past is an asset.
Demonstrated ability to work in a multi-site and multidisciplinary team-based organizational structure, including partners and other collaborators.
High degree of judgement, ingenuity and originality to interpret strategy, to analyze, develop and present work and to monitor and evaluate implementation of programs.
Strong interpersonal communication and excellent oral communication and writing skills necessary in the interaction with implementing partners, Ministry of Health and USG colleagues including the ability to exercise judgement in balancing technical, administrative, bureaucratic and political considerations.
Demonstrated flexibility and openness in responding to changing work priorities and environment.
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 the WHO systems in TB programming in the African Region is desirable.

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 filled by 5:00 pm Eastern time.