Pneumonia Advisor at Targeted States High Impact Project (TSHIP)

TSHIP (Targeted States High Impact Projects) is a five-year program focused on the improvement of Health Systems and the Management of Health Systems for higher quality Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health, Family Planning, and Reproductive Health service delivery in Nigeria.

TSHIP is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and implemented by a group of foreign and local non-govemmental organizations consisting of John Snow Research & Training lnstute, Inc. (JSl). Center for Development & Populabon Activities (CEDPA), Futures Group Intemational LLC, JHPIEGO, and Management Strategies for Africa (MSA).

The Targeted States High Impact Project (TSHIP) Nigeria is recruiting to fill the below position of:

Job Title: Pneumonia Advisor

Job opening ID 78
Location: Abuja

Roles and responsibilities
Demand

• Work with partners conducting consumer focus group research targeting caregivers and health providers to better understand the levels of knowledge of child pneumonia, care seeking behaviors, treatment preferences and other attitudes and behaviors;
• Engage leading advertising and behavior change communications agencies to increase caregiver awareness of the danger signs of pneumonia, understanding of the importance of antibiotic treatment and timely care seeking behavior;
• Mobilize leading organizations who work directly with caregivers most at risk of losing children in the most vulnerable communities (e.g. community empowerment groups, women’s groups, faith groups);
• Support FMOH and NPHCDA to empower, train and equip public sector frontline health workers to diagnose, refer (where necessary) and treat children with pneumonia, including with dispersible amoxicillin tablets for children;
• Support the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria, NAPPMED and SFH to empower, train and equip private sector frontline health workers to diagnose, refer (where necessary) and treat children with pneumonia, including with dispersible amoxicillin tablets for children; and
• Ensure that pneumonia diagnosis and treatment with amoxicillin is integrated into all relevant child survival training programs (e.g. IMCI, ICCM, polio, ACT, vaccines etc).

Supply

• Work with the FMOH to announce national policy and implementation guidelines on dispersible amoxicillin tablets as the first-line antibiotic treatment for child pneumonia;
• Engage at least two local manufacturing companies in the local production, marketing and wide distribution of quality, affordable amoxicillin, preferably in dispersible tablet form for children;
• Contribute to initiatives to remove regulatory barriers to local pharmaceutical production of amoxicillin;
• Work with NAFDAC to develop specific guidelines for registration of dispersible amoxicillin tablets for children;
• Support the FMOH, NPHCDA and other partners including at the state and local levels to incorporate dispersible amoxicillin tablets into the Essential Medicines List, State drug lists and into all relevant government policies and guidelines;
• Improve forecasting, procurement and supply of quality amoxicillin in public sector;
• In partnership with key stakeholders (e.g. pediatricians), explore responsible strategies for community-based distribution of amoxicillin dispersible tablets for children, including through private health care providers, focusing on those areas where public provision is weakest and children are most at risk; and
• Work with NAFDAC to monitor post market surveillance to assess the availability and quality of dispersible amoxicillin tablets in circulation.

Resource Mobilization & Advocacy

• Work with all major donors globally and locally to mobilize new resources for pneumonia prevention and treatment, including SURE-P MCH, MDG grant, CIDA, GAVI, Global Fund, UN Commodities Commission, the World Bank and the Nigeria Private Sector Health Alliance; and
• Mobilize partners to increase awareness of child pneumonia prevention and treatment on World Pneumonia Day (November 12th) and encourage National pneumonia stakeholders to join the Global Coalition Against Child Pneumonia.
• Innovation
• Build support and mobilize resources for the Pneumonia Best Practice Demonstration Projects in several high burden states (see attached proposal);
• Identify options for the diagnosis of pneumonia that are suitable for implementation in the high burden states; and
• Work with partners to document and disseminate best practices and new innovations in the prevention and treatment of child pneumonia.

Leadership and Coordination

• Participate in all stakeholder working groups related to child pneumonia prevention and treatment in Nigeria and relevant global meetings where pneumonia will be a focus;
• Better coordinate pneumonia prevention and treatment initiatives with other big impact child survival efforts, including the scale-up of ORS and zinc, the rollout of malaria bed nets and rapid diagnostic tests, polio campaigns, Chlorhexidine for cord care and 2013 Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Weeks; and
• Convene pneumonia stakeholders when necessary to accelerate achievement of this work program.
• Other duties as assigned by the Chief of Party

Skill set
Competencies

• A proven track record in government, NGO or the private sector to contribute to both national and global child health goals.
• Knowledge of child health and particularly pneumonia prevention, diagnosis and treatment will be an advantage.
• Previous experience working with other donors and multilateral agencies
• Candidates are expected to demonstrate an ability to build and maintain multi-stakeholder partnerships,
• Ability to work well and communicate effectively with others; role requires serving multiple constituencies and moving initiatives forward.
• A proven ability to work as part of a team and to be self-managing
• Excellent relationship building skills; ability to work in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.
• Display cultural, gender, religion and age sensitivity and adaptability.
• Ability to maintain a professional approach and confidentiality
• Proficiency in MS Office applications, data management and analysis software packages such as MS Excel, MS Access, SPSS, STATA, Epi Info.
• Ability and willingness to travel in the field
• This job description may be modified from time to time at the discretion of management.

Recruitment Qualifications:
Education:

• Master's Degree in Public Health, Science, Social Science, Management or related field

Experience:

• Minimum of five years of professional experience in implementing, managing or monitoring clinical/public health programs, preferably in maternal and child health
• Specific experience in Child Health and MNCH is strongly desired
• Proven experience in forging results-oriented partnerships and alliances, as well as work with the private sector is strongly desired
• Demonstrated ability to monitor, supervise, and train in health service programs
• Demonstrated ability to write and publish papers
• Strong leadership, analytical and problem solving skills

Language Requirements:

• Excellent technical writing and oral presentation skills highly desired

Application Closing Date
19th July, 2013

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online