Project Director / Regional Technical Advisor, PrEP

Jhpiego is a non-profit organization, operating in Lesotho since 2012 through supporting the government of Lesotho in delivering health services to the Basotho people. Jhpiego’s portfolio currently includes Khanya (VMMC and PrEP), Thebe (TB Contact Tracing and COVID Response), RISE (COVID Case Management and Vaccine Support), MOSAIC (Dapivirine Ring Introduction), CUT-TB (RCT) and various other small studies.

The Project Director /Regional Technical Advisor position is open to suitably qualified candidates and located in Maseru district.

Under the supervision of the Country Director, the MOSAIC Project Director/ Regional Technical Advisor for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PreP) provides vision, leadership and direction to ensure the strategic, programmatic, technical, and financial integrity of the MOSAIC project at country level. In collaboration with the US-based MOSAIC team and the Ministry of Health Lesotho, s/he guides the strategic planning, design and implementation of the project and is responsible for achieving the planned results set out for the program and serves as the primary point of contact for the USAID (In-country), MOH Lesotho government officials, stakeholders and partner. S/he also ensures timely and cost-effective project implementation, reporting of activities, and is responsible for all project deliverables. S/he supervises a team of highly qualified staff.

The Project Director / Regional Technical Advisor for PrEP will provide strategic leadership and technical guidance in the development and implementation of technical approaches and materials in the area of PrEP for HIV for Jhpiego. Working closely with field based and international technical and program staff, the Regional PrEP Advisor provides technical and programmatic guidance to programs throughout Southern Africa on a part time basis.

• Provide leadership and strategic direction to ensure technical, programmatic and financial integrity of the MOSAIC project and to achieve rapid and sustained project goals, objectives and targets
• Ensure that the implementation of MOSAIC is technically sound, evidence-based and responsive to the needs of the Lesotho
• Ensure compliance with the program agreement results and the oversight of MOSAIC activities to achieve the stated objectives
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships and alliances with the Lesotho MOH, DHMTs, as well as implementing partners, private sector partners and other key stakeholders to maximize resources and avoid duplication of effort
• Represent Jhpiego’s interests and present progress, achievements and lessons learned to the donor and key stakeholders in public and professional circles through meetings, conferences, and presentations
• Provide technical leadership in the design, analysis, and synthesis of MOSAIC interventions across the project workstreams including implementation research, program and policy support, demand generation, and local partner engagement.
• Ensure the quality and sustainability of interventions particularly in the areas of HIV testing and counseling; screening, initiation and management of PrEP, including needed clinical screening requirements and laboratory tests; combination prevention and capacity building
• Advise counterparts on technical issues and participate in relevant technical advisory groups with counterparts and partner institutions
• Lead the MOSAIC annual work planning process in close collaboration with the MOSAIC project leadership, MOH, project team and project partners
• Mentor, support, supervise and manage a team of highly qualified staff and align their efforts to ensure rapid and sustainable results
• Provide guidance, in collaboration with key staff specialists, to subcontractors and sub grantees and coordinate activities with other agencies
• Write and/or review technical components of routine and adhoc project reporting, technical materials, key country and global deliverables and publications related to the program
• Work with finance and project staff to develop and track project budgets
• Work with Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) staff to develop M&E frameworks and effectively track data/results
• Work closely with Jhpiego home office staff to ensure effective, timely and coordinated project implementation
• Ensure compliance with donor and Jhpiego operational policies and regulations
• Ensure that Jhpiego’s PrEP programs are safe, evidence-based and aligned with the priorities of host country governments, donors and program beneficiaries
• Mentor Jhpiego technical advisors in the areas of PrEP and align their efforts to ensure rapid and sustainable results 
• Lead and coordinate the revision and development of competency-based learning resource package on clinical and communication approaches of PrEP 
• Lead and coordinate the design of implementation scientific research that may promote new initiatives and innovations for future adoption 
• Contribute to increasing depth and strength of Jhpiego’s technical capacity by identifying consultants and potential new staff, including conducting training and providing technical assistance and mentoring as required 
• Identify and disseminate best practices and new technical strategies and approaches 
• Develop and maintain excellent relationships with colleagues and donors worldwide 
• Advocate on behalf of Jhpiego with traditional and new partners 
• As appropriate, provide technical input to country programs during the development of work-plans and/or long-term strategies 
• Support Jhpiego country programs with staff training, capacity building and materials development 
• Keep the Senior and Technical Directors and other TLO technical staff informed of successes, challenges, and lessons learned in implementing programs in areas of technical expertise 
• Identify and support new program development opportunities as appropriate 
• Provide analyses of new program development opportunities to the TLI Senior Director and other Jhpiego colleagues 
• Provide technical inputs to proposals as needed 
• Participate as requested in final review of technical and programmatic portions of proposals 
• Write, co-author and otherwise support the documentation of Jhpiego’s program results in international conferences and peer-reviewed journals and publications 
• Motivate and mentor assigned staff and consultants 
• Assist with identification of professional development needs for technical staff in the field 
• Represent Jhpiego in global, ESA regional, and national meetings and conferences.

• Advanced clinical degree and Master’s degree in public health
• Demonstrated ability to manage a small to mid-size public health project, with preference for experience in a leadership role on USAID-funded project
• Has 7+ years of professional, progressively more responsible management experience of international public health programs phases (design, implementation, monitor, reporting, and financial management).
• Experience collaborating with a multi-partner consortium (both international and local NGOs)
• Experience developing successful, replicable and sustainable HIV prevention projects in East Africa
• Experience designing and managing complex HIV prevention, care and treatment programs, including those focusing on key and vulnerable populations,
• Experience integrating gender equities and norms into programs
• Proven leadership skills and expertise in strategic program planning, implementation and management
• Ability to build capacity and collaboration between governmental and non-governmental partners and other project implementers
• Experience designing and supervising activities with a facility/community interface. Has experience building the capacity of community based organizations to implement project activities.
• Experience in leading annual work plans, incorporating national Technical Working Groups directives, and collaborating on local action plans.
• Ability to communicate effectively, instilling trust and confidence. Excellent interpersonal and written and oral presentation skills.
• Ability to work in a complex environment charged with multiple tasks, short deadlines and intense pressure to perform
• Capacity for analyzing technical problems and issues that impede efforts to provide improved health care to populations; developing technical solutions to these problems/issues and assisting in the design of operational research that could yield appropriate solutions
• A team player accustomed to building team capacity, delegating working teams, and developing communities of learning among host country partners and counterparts
• At least two years of experience scaling up PrEP in the ESA region
• Proven technical leadership skills including excellent clinical training skills
• Experience in implementation research design, implementation, and research utilization / learning dissemination and action
• Demonstrated ability to develop technical capacity in regional and national programs
• Familiarity with key Jhpiego cross-cutting approaches including pre-service education, in-service training and low dose high frequency learning
• Ability to work on a variety of projects concurrently in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities
• Ability to coach and mentor technical staff and strong skills in facilitation, team building and coordination
• Strong verbal, written and presentation skills
• Ability to develop productive working relationships with counterparts in other agencies and organizations worldwide
• Awareness of, sensitivity to, and experience in working in multiple socio-economic settings and with multi-cultural staff and groups
• Ability to travel up to 50%, primarily within Lesotho and other East and Southern Africa countries
• Strong track record of conference presentations and publications in the area of PrEP
• Fluency in English

Interested candidates should submit application letter, CVs, certified copies of certificates and transcripts, two reference letters, Certified identity document. All applications addressed for the attention of Human Resources Manager must be sent by email address to: [email protected] or hand deliver to Jhpiego Office, Dolphin House #2, ground floor,23 Motsoene Road, Industrial Area, Maseru by 12 pm on Friday, 26 November 2021.

• Additional language(s) spoken in East and Southern Africa a plus