Technical Advisor, Digital Health (SORMAS) at Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)

The Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH (German Agency for International Cooperation) is an international enterprise owned by the German Federal government, operating in many fields across more than 130 countries.

In Nigeria, GIZ's portfolio includes among others, a programme to support the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in its regional integration goals. The programme aims to strengthen sector-specific capacities in the areas of Peace and Security, Customs and Trade as weir as Strategic Management and Organizational Development in the ECOWAS Commission.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Technical Advisor, Digital Health (SORMAS)

Vacancy No: 095
Location: Abuja
Organization: GIZ Nigeria, RPPP 3 Programme

Background
GIZ. Solutions that work.

• As a service provider in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development and international education work, we are dedicated to shaping a future worth living around the world. GIZ has over 50 years of experience in a wide variety of areas, including economic development and employment promotion, energy and the environment, and peace and security.
• The diverse expertise of our federal enterprise is in demand around the globe – from the German Government, European Union institutions, the United Nations, the private sector, and governments of other countries. We work with businesses, civil society actors and research institutions, fostering successful interaction between development policy and other policy fields and areas of activity. Our main commissioning party is the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
• The registered offices of GIZ are in Bonn and Eschborn. Our approximately 23,500 employees, almost 70 percent of whom are national personnel, work in around 120 countries (July 2020) GIZ has worked in Nigeria since 1974. Since 2004, GIZ has maintained a country office in the capital city Abuja. Currently 466 national and 63 international employees, 37 regional staff, 4 integrated specialists and 3 development workers are working in the country (January 2025).

The Project
ECOWAS Regional Pandemic Preparedness Programme (RPPP)

• The third phase of the Regional Pandemic Preparedness Project Phase III (RPPP3) is commissioned by BMZ and implemented by GIZ on behalf of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), through the Regional Centre for Surveillance and Disease Control (RCSDC), and in collaboration with the West African Health Organization (WAHO) and national public health institutes. RPPP3 supports ECOWAS Member States in implementing the core capacities of the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005).
• Advancing One Health collaboration, and enhancing digital surveillance and response systems for improved pandemic preparedness and resilience.
• Within this framework, the project provides technical and institutional support for the Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS), an open-source digital platform for case-based disease surveillance and outbreak response.
• Working in close collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Ghana Health Service (GHS), SORMAS Foundation (Germany), and other regional partners, RPPP strengthens the sustainability, governance, and capacity of SORMAS at both national and regional levels.
• The project also promotes interoperability with other health information systems (e.g., DHIS2), encourages cross-border data sharing, and facilitates the institutionalization of digital public goods within ECOWAS health systems.
  As SORMAS achieves wide-scale deployment across West Africa, the key challenge now lies in ensuring long-term sustainability, ownership, and regional alignment. To this end, GIZ is seeking a Technical Advisor (SORMAS) with in-depth expertise in advising governments on digital health implementation, policy, and strategy, as well as demonstrated experience in managing or supervising health- related IT projects. Knowledge of pandemic preparedness, digital transformation, and One Health systems will be a strong asset.

Responsibilities and Tasks
Responsibilities:

• The Technical Advisor supports the implementation of RPPP activities related to digital surveillance and pandemic preparedness, with a focus on strengthening the implementation of Surveillance Outbreak Response Management and Analysis System (SORMAS) in Nigeria and across West Africa.

The Advisor is responsible for:

• Providing technical leadership and coordination for SORMAS and other digital-health related activities in Nigeria and the Gambia, in close collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), Gambia Ministry of Health (MOH), RCSDC, SORMAS Foundation and other relevant partners.
• Overseeing project management and coordination of technical assistance, consultancies, and implementation grants to national and regional partners.
• Supporting the national/regional digital health governance and sustainability agenda, including SORMAS institutionalization, interoperability with DHIS2, and alignment with national digital health strategies.
• Advising partners on digital health implementation, policy, and system strengthening, ensuring alignment with One Health and pandemic preparedness objectives.
• Facilitating South-South cooperation and knowledge exchange through the SORMAS Community of Practice (COP) and other regional mechanisms.
• Supporting monitoring, learning, and communication for RPPP's digital health outputs, including documentation of good practices, technical lessons, and regional coordination outcomes.

Tasks:
Management and Coordination:

• Coordinate the planning, implementation, and follow-up of SORMAS and other digital health related activities in Nigeria and at the ECOWAS level.
• Liaise closely with NCDC, Gambia MOH, RCSDC, and GHS counterparts to harmonize priorities, ensure technical coherence, and align with the broader RPPP interventions. Oversee and manage the technical and financial aspects of cooperation with implementing partners, consultants, and service providers (e.g., SORMAS Foundation, software developers, event firms).
• Support the design and execution of training programmes, workshops, and peer-learning events on digital surveillance, system maintenance, and data management.
• Ensure that all technical and administrative processes comply with GIZ's quality assurance, documentation, and reporting standards.

Communication and Networking:

• Maintain strong working relationships with government institutions, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), development partners, and other GIZ projects supporting digital health.
• Represent RPPP in relevant national and regional digital health fora, technical working groups, and coordination platforms.
• Promote structured information sharing and knowledge management through documentation, newsletters, and the SORMAS Community of Practice.
• Support communication and visibility activities highlighting RPPP's contributions to regional digital health strengthening.

Professional Advisory Services:

• Provide high-level technical advice to government and regional institutions on the implementation, governance, and sustainability of digital surveillance systems.
• Contributes to the development of strategic and operational documents such as digital health roadmaps, sustainability frameworks, and capacity-building plans.
• Develop and review Terms of Reference (ToRs), supervise consultancies, and assess deliverables to ensure quality and technical relevance.
• Provide inputs to regional SORMAS strategy, interoperability frameworks, and One Health data integration initiatives. Contribute to RPPP3's Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) framework, including data collection, indicator tracking, and results reporting for Output 4 (Digital Health).

Other Duties/Additional Tasks:

• Support cross-component collaboration within RPPP (e.g., One Health, coordination, logistics, communication).
• Perform other duties assigned by the supervisor, particularly those that contribute to the overall achievement of RPPP objectives in West Africa.

Required qualifications, competences and Experience
Qualifications:

• Master's degree in Health Informatics, Digital Health, Public Health, Epidemiology, Health Policy or a related field with demonstrated experience and expertise in digital transformation.

Professional Experience:

• At least 8-10 years of progressive experience in digital health, public health informatics, or eHealth project implementation.
• Proven experience advising national or regional bodies on digital health policy, governance, and system implementation. Strong understanding of digital global goods, open-source systems, and interoperability frameworks (e.g., DHIS2, OpenMRS, FHIR).
• Demonstrated experience in strategy development, system sustainability planning, and capacity-building for digital health teams.
• Experience with SORMAS is a strong advantage.
• Prior experience working with NCDC, WAHO, RCSDC or similar regional cooperation contexts an added advantage.
• Experience in pandemic preparedness, IHR core capacities, and One Health approaches will be an asset.

Other knowledge and competencies:

• Excellent analytical, coordination, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong communication and facilitation abilities across multicultural and interdisciplinary teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office tools and familiarity with project management software.
• Professional proficiency in English. French an added advantage.
• Willingness to travel regularly within Nigeria and ECOWAS Member States.
• Willingness to upskill as required by the tasks to be performed - corresponding measures are agreed with management.

Salary
According to GIZ Salary Scale for Band 4.

Application Closing Date
3rd December, 2025.