Regional Advisor, Chronic Severe NCDs in Southern Africa

Mass General Brigham•Boston, MA

1d•Remote

About The Position

PEN-Plus (the Package of Essential NCD Interventions - Plus) is an integrated service model for severe chronic diseases such as type 1 diabetes, sickle cell, and childhood-onset heart disease. At present PEN-Plus is being implemented in more than 14 countries across Africa, South Asia, and the Caribbean. The NCDI Poverty Network is looking for a Regional Advisor for the Southern African region to expand its clinical team to better respond to the large demand from countries to support initiation and expansion of PEN-Plus services. The Advisor will also provide frequent virtual support and consultations, create and revise training materials and other resources, contribute to strong communication and knowledge management systems, and participate in global forums and partnerships. This person will be passionate about social justice and think boldly about expanding care to rural and impoverished populations. This person will be excited to work in a rapidly evolving and creative environment with team members based in many different countries.

Requirements

Flexible disposition and able to work in complex environment while maintaining optimistic outlook and collaborative team-based approach
Commitment to social justice and health equity
Proven ability to build relationships with a range of stakeholders and drive immediate results.
Exemplary interpersonal communication skills, verbal and written, required to effectively engage with senior leadership, partners, and clinicians on sensitive political and confidential issues
Demonstrated ability to interact professionally with culturally diverse staff, clients, and consultants
Bachelor's degree in medicine with specialty in Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine or equivalent or an advanced degree in clinical nursing with clinical experience caring for complex NCDs including type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, and heart failure
5-7 years of experience in a rural and resource-limited setting in the health sector
Strong clinical background in rural health care settings; experience with management of non-communicable diseases is preferred
Experience in clinical teaching, training, and mentorship
Extensive experience in program management and implementation in rural settings
Strong English communication skills, both written and oral.
Impeccable communication skills in a virtual environment and ability to manage work in different time zones and across many teams and stakeholders
Experience in training, professional development and mentorship
Strong technical writer specifically for clinical training materials and protocols, with experience independently drafting and editing technical documents for various audiences
Ability to develop high-quality presentations

Nice To Haves

Master's in Public Health or related field an advantage
French or Portuguese skills highly desirable

Responsibilities

Provide routine technical support to PEN-Plus implementation teams and sites in Southern Africa as well as act as core member of PEN-Plus global leadership team
Provide direct implementation support for PEN-Plus through frequent travel to country sites to work in person and provide on-site support for clinics, staff, and teams which can include: Clinical mentoring and teaching Providing technical assistance on program design, clinic workflow, and other PEN-Plus activities Supporting data system design, implementation, and data quality Reviewing and adjusting budgets as needed Supporting medication, equipment, and supply chain issues as needed Reviewing results and data with program and clinical teams Ensuring implementation reflects PEN-Plus Programmatic Standards Providing written reports and action items after site visits Liaising with the Communications team as needed for updated content and stories to advocate for and fundraise for PEN-Plus
Identify, develop, and manage partnerships to support NCDI Poverty Network activities at national level
Engaging in national-level meetings with Ministries of Health, academic colleagues, and other stakeholders to support national operational planning for PEN-Plus
Engaging with other in-country partners and supporting uniform approaches to PEN-Plus and strong communication across teams, funders, and stakeholders
Providing coordination and technical support for National NCDI Poverty Commissions and PEN-Plus planning initiatives where PEN-Plus has not yet been established (may include meeting preparation, facilitation, and/or documentation, coordinating work across partners, and contributing to written reports and presentations)
Working closely with the Policy Team to support collaboration with key regional or global partners including WHO, UNICEF, Africa CDC, and others, with a focus on activities and partners impacting activities in the assigned countries
Contribute to technical and clinical work, support, and resources to strengthen the PEN-Plus model, resources, and partnerships
Engage with the technical teams and other Regional Advisors to support PEN-Plus standardization and sharing of best practices and contextual adaptations
Assist in grant reporting and other writing as needed
Represent the NCDI Poverty Network and PEN-Plus externally through presentations and in-person engagements as needed
Support ongoing codification and improvement of PEN-Plus by creating and/or modifying technical materials (e.g. training, protocols, program documents) and acting as a thought leader in identifying key themes, challenges, and solutions to implementation
Proactively participate in comprehensive and high-quality documentation to support all aspects of program implementation and technical support
Other duties as assigned