JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) is a public health management consulting and research organization dedicated to improving the health of individuals and communities throughout the world. JSI is currently seeking a Senior Technical Officer for the USAID-funded MOMENTUM (Moving Integrated, Quality Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health and Family Planning and Reproductive Health Services to Scale) Routine Immunization Transformation and Equity Project. The MOMENTUM awards seek to contribute to global technical leadership and evidence generation and dissemination around maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH), family planning (FP) and reproductive health (RH) services. The project’s overarching goal is to sustainably strengthen routine immunization programs to 1) overcome the entrenched obstacles contributing to stagnating and declining immunization rates in USAID-supported countries, and 2) address the barriers to reaching zero-dose and under-immunized children with life-saving vaccines and other health services. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the disruption of immunization services, the project will also support countries with the maintenance, adaptation, suspension, and/or reinstatement of immunization services.

SUMMARY:
The Senior Technical Officer (STO) will primarily support francophone countries in the project’s portfolio, providing expertise in the design, implementation, evaluation and documentation of interventions leading to sustainable and high quality routine immunization coverage and strategic roll-out of COVID-19 vaccine. This may include providing technical input to improve the planning, data analysis and use, management, coordination, training, monitoring, and/or evaluation of immunization services (linked also with primary health care, universal health coverage, and broader health systems, as appropriate). The STO will work with countries (MOH/EPIs and multi-agency partners) to support COVID-19 vaccination and immunization system strengthening as part of routine delivery systems. The STO will participate in global and regional working groups, and review and contribute to technical guidance documents. The STO will also support the project’s technical activities at global level, including the development of communication materials, report preparation, and internal capacity building. The STO will also be called upon to work with technical staff from other international partner organizations at country, regional and global levels to collaborate on key policies and program strategies.

The STO will report to the Immunization Technical Director and is based in any state where JSI is registered (AZ, AR, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, PN, RI, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WDC, WI, and US Virgin Islands). The salary for this position is $100,000 - $130,000 and will be set based on the candidate’s experience, education, and other qualifications. This position is open until filled and applicants will be interviewed on a rolling basis. Only qualified candidates will be contacted for an interview.

The project is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status.

The Senior Technical Officer will be responsible for the following:

Project Global/Country Technical Leadership:

• Participate in defining and implementing the project’s technical agenda to support routine immunization and COVID-19 vaccination.
• Contribute to development of core-funded and country work plans, designing activities that increase understanding of entrenched obstacles to immunization coverage and equity, and actively addresses those obstacles.
• Prepare technical documents, issue papers, guidelines, presentations and peer-reviewed articles on program strategies, findings and research results;
• Represent the project on international groups and at international forums for technical exchange, including technical advisory bodies, working groups, workshops and conferences.

Technical Support to Global and Country Activities

• Serve as a technical advisor or activity lead to assigned activities, providing inputs and technical guidance, and management oversight.
• Provide technical support with designing and implementing structured learning, assessments, and evaluations.
• Serve as a technical expert and key team member/lead for regional and country interventions related to routine immunization and system strengthening, introduction of new vaccines, accelerated disease control, and other aspects of quality immunization service delivery and equity approaches;
• Provide direct on-site technical assistance to country programs and identify other sources of technical assistance within the M-RITE consortium of partners, as appropriate;
• Contribute to country backstopping teams to ensure technical cohesion and quality in the development and monitoring of annual work plans, review and updates to budgets, and development of reports and technical deliverables;
• Participate in and train others in use of data at national and sub-national levels to strengthen planning, management and monitoring of progress towards achievement of new vaccine and/or routine immunization results.

Other Activities:

• Contribute to and help write regular reporting requirements such as quarterly and semiannual reports for country, globally and regionally-funded activities
• Participate in proposal development and client management, including design of technical implementation strategies, leading or contributing to technical writing and engaging with clients and partners.
• Participate in technical meetings of JSI Immunization Center.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

COMPETENCIES:

• Experience as an advisor to multiple ministries of health, international agencies and/or NGO public health programs with particular emphasis on francophone countries.
• Proven ability to assess routine immunization needs and to develop and implement successful program interventions, including prior experience with: 1) national or sub-national immunization planning; 2) capacity building for system strengthening; 3) design of community engagement and communication and behavioral strategies to increase coverage, equity, and sustainability; 4) use of immunization data for monitoring and decision making; 5) assessment of cold chain and logistics performance and needs; and, 6) other actions to sustain quality immunization services.
• Excellent interpersonal, supervisory skills, and demonstrated ability to build and manage professional relationships effectively with technical experts, other partners and donor agencies.
• Experience working with USAID rules and regulations is highly desirable.
• Experience and success working in complex environments, with teams whose members are physically located in different time zones and geographic areas.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze, assess and organize information and communicate to a diverse audience effectively.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple tasks concurrently, and meet deadlines with attention to detail and quality.
• Excellent written and oral communication and computer skills (including with various electronic platforms); technical writing experience (guidelines, publications)
• Strong initiative and self-motivation required, with a commitment to teamwork and effectiveness within a nonhierarchical, participatory management environment.

Education Master’s or other advanced degree in Public Health or related field.
Experience: Minimum ten years’ experience with seven years direct experience providing technical assistance on routine immunization at national or sub-national level in developing countries. Experience in wide range of countries is required; multi-country experience in Africa preferred.
Travel: Ability and willingness to travel internationally.
Languages: Written and oral professional fluency in English is required. Professional fluency in French is strongly preferred.