The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to our mission of saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries. We work at the invitation of governments to support them and the private sector to create and sustain high-quality health systems.
CHAI was founded in 2002 in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic with the goal of dramatically reducing the price of life-saving drugs and increasing access to these medicines in the countries with the highest burden of the disease. Over the following two decades, CHAI has expanded its focus. Today, along with HIV, we work in conjunction with our partners to prevent and treat infectious diseases such as COVID-19, malaria, tuberculosis, and hepatitis. Our work has also expanded into cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases, and we work to accelerate the rollout of lifesaving vaccines, reduce maternal and child mortality, combat chronic malnutrition, and increase access to assistive technology. We are investing in horizontal approaches to strengthen health systems through programs in human resources for health, digital health, and health financing. With each new and innovative program, our strategy is grounded in maximizing sustainable impact at scale, ensuring that governments lead the solutions, that programs are designed to scale nationally, and learnings are shared globally.
At CHAI, our people are our greatest asset, and none of this work would be possible without their talent, time, dedication and passion for our mission and values. We are a highly diverse team of enthusiastic individuals across 40 countries with a broad range of skillsets and life experiences. CHAI is deeply grounded in the countries we work in, with majority of our staff based in program countries. Learn more about our exciting work: http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org
CHAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to providing an environment of fairness, and mutual respect where all applicants have access to equal employment opportunities. CHAI values diversity and inclusion, and recognizes that our mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people with diverse experience, backgrounds, and culture.
Program Overview
In 2019, CHAI Sierra Leone began assisting Sierra Leone's Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) to address essential challenges concerning data quality, supply chain enhancement, and the introduction of the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine. Over the span of 2019 to 2022, with funding from Gavi and other donors, CHAI Sierra Leone provided crucial technical support to enhance data-driven decision-making within EPI. This included the improvement of data accuracy, identification of key performance metrics, tool reviews, and data workflow analysis, culminating in the establishment of a review and response system in all districts. This effort led to tangible outcomes, notably a substantial increase in stock reporting within the DHIS2 at the PHU level, which in turn enhanced vaccine stock visibility and reduced vaccine stock-outs in numerous health facilities.
In response to the global pandemic, CHAI pioneered the creation of the 'COVID-19 Impact Tracker Dashboard.' This innovative tool was instrumental in comprehending the ramifications of COVID-19 on immunization services at various administrative levels, from districts to individual facilities. The insights gathered from this dashboard empowered EPI to act swiftly, implementing measures to mitigate the adverse impacts of the pandemic on immunization efforts. Additionally, CHAI Sierra Leone has been a leading partner in the introduction of the HPV vaccine. The HPV introduction involvement spanned a range of activities including the identification of the HPV age cohort, coordination at both national and district levels, resource mobilization, and even on-ground efforts like readiness assessments, vaccine quantification, and community outreach programs.
In 2023, Gavi extended support to Sierra Leone to roll out the malaria vaccine in response to the country's significant health challenges posed by malaria. Malaria disease is the primary cause of morbidity and mortality among children under five and contributes to high outpatient morbidity rates across all age groups. In alignment with the Sierra Leone National Malaria Elimination Strategic Plan 2021-2025, the Government of Sierra Leone proposed introducing the malaria vaccine for children under 2 years.
CHAI will extend Technical Assistance to the Expanded Programme for Immunization and the National Malaria Control Programme (NMCP) on the malaria vaccine introduction covering planning, readiness assessment, vaccine introduction, and post-introduction phases.
Position Overview
Based in Freetown, the Associate will be embedded within MOH, and closely collaborate with the team responsible for the coordination of malaria vaccine introduction activities. The primary role will be to coordinate activities leading to the Malaria Vaccine Introduction and take on tasks assigned by the Program Manager. This involves conducting comprehensive reviews, engaging with key stakeholders to assess and document the current national immunization commitments, evaluating their implementation status, and identifying any existing gaps, particularly in the context of introducing the new malaria vaccine into the EPI.
CHAI seeks an individual who demonstrates exceptional analytical prowess, coupled with stellar communication capabilities. The individual should possess the capability to operate autonomously and demonstrate adaptability. Key attributes sought in the ideal candidate are alignment with CHAIโs foundational values: resourcefulness, entrepreneurialism, flexibility, independence, humility, and a steadfast work ethic. The candidate should exhibit superior technical and analytical competencies, paired with a fervent aspiration to apply these skills to devise pragmatic solutions in demanding settings.
Responsibilities
Support the establishment of CHAI operations across districts as it relates to the EPI program.Liaise with stakeholders to evaluate national immunization commitments, workplan specifically focusing on the introduction of the new malaria vaccine into the immunization schedule.Collaborate with the EPI and NMCP national and district team to pinpoint and delineate the strategy for the district, crafting a precise operations plan for vaccine introduction.Support and engage in advocacy efforts targeting political and traditional leaders at national and local levels to promote awareness and support for the malaria vaccine introductionSupport the establish and sustenance of DHMT TWGs across all districts to facilitate the successful implementation of the malaria vaccine introduction initiative until the 4th dose.Support formative research on Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) regarding malaria and immunization, and disseminate findings to inform vaccine deployment strategies.Support the DHMT team in liaising with National EPI and NMCP to ensure that required commodities, especially those pertinent to the malaria vaccine introduction, including data tools, vaccines and readiness assessment are available.Support microplanning at selected district including validation at the national level.Organize and manage logistics for training sessions, including Training of Trainers (ToT) and cascade trainings, printing training materials, and coordinating participant accommodations.Draft agendas, budget, and determine overall travel schedules and logistics for meetings across district.Lead efforts to address gaps in service delivery and bolster access to immunization services.Engage with the government to ensure a smooth transfer of skills, fostering government ownership.Develop and maintain robust working relationships with government entities, internal partners, donors, and INGOs, ensuring optimal coordination of resources and endeavors within the district and at national level.Develop high quality presentations and reports for program updates.Qualifications
Minimum 3 years of experience in a demanding result driven environment in the private or public sector, with increasing levels of responsibility and leadership.MBBS, bachelorโs degree in public health, Epidemiology, Statistics, or other technical disciplines, or a masterโs degree in public health, Epidemiology, Econometrics or other technical disciplines.Ability to work independently and to develop and execute plans to achieve specified impact with limited guidance and a high level of uncertainty, including an ability to multi-task and be effective in high-pressure situations.Excellent report writing skills.Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the capacity to synthesize data into an effective presentation of results and recommendations to guide program implementation.Exceptional diplomatic, strategic-thinking, and interpersonal skills, and an ability to build durable relationships.Excellent leadership and team management abilities.Advantages
Experience working in EPI, newborn, child and adolescent health.Experience in conducting data analysis.Experience in facilitating and coordinating meetings.Experience working in a developing country and/or with bureaucratic and government organizations.Proficiency in Krio.#jobreference2 #region4