Senior Childhood TB Advisor, DOS LEAP Global - Zimbabwe

ZemiTek LLC•Washington, DC

About The Position

Childhood and adolescent tuberculosis remain under-diagnosed in Zimbabwe, with additional vulnerabilities among key and vulnerable populations (KVPs) including people living with HIV (PLHIV), the malnourished, migrants, urban poor populations, and those in congregate or hard-to-reach settings. Zimbabwe is implementing WHO-recommended approaches for childhood and adolescent TB, including contact investigation, TB preventive treatment (TPT), child-friendly formulations, stool for diagnosis’ and integration with HIV, nutrition, and MNCAH services. The Department of State will second a Senior Childhood TB Advisor to provide specialized technical assistance to the NTP to strengthen prevention, detection, treatment, and care of TB among children, adolescents, and KVPs, while supporting grant implementation, partner coordination, and data-driven program improvement. The Advisor will support the NTP in carrying out life-saving humanitarian assistance (LHA) service delivery in full alignment with the new Presidential Executive Order (EO) directives. The Senior Childhood TB Advisor will provide strategic and operational technical leadership to strengthen standardized, high-quality, and equitable TB services for children, adolescents, and key and vulnerable populations. The Advisor will support capacity building, community and partner engagement, operationalization of WHO and national guidance, and effective monitoring and reporting to improve childhood TB case detection, prevention coverage, and treatment outcomes.

Requirements

Medical degree required (e.g., MBChB, MBBS, MD, or equivalent)
Minimum of ten (10) years of experience in infectious diseases control, particularly childhood TB and HIV
Demonstrated technical leadership, and problem-solving skills
Understanding of USG rules and regulations preferred.
Ability to work effectively with a broad range of local and USG personnel and partners and have demonstrated skills in donor coordination and collaboration.
Ability to work both independently and in a team environment to achieve consensus on policy, program and administrative matters is a must.
Ability to work effectively with a broad range of MoH and USG personnel and partners and have demonstrated skills in donor coordination and collaboration.
Ability to work effectively in a team environment and communicate information to both health and non-health audiences, and achieve consensus on policy, project, research, and administrative matters.
Proven ability to communicate clearly and concisely in English – both orally and in writing is essential.
Excellent verbal communication skills, tact and diplomacy are required to establish and develop sustainable working relationships at the highest level and a high level of trust with public/private organizations. Verbal communication skills are also used to negotiate activity plans and resolve activity implementation issues with counterparts, partners and team members.
Excellent written communication skills are required to prepare regular and ad hoc reports, activity documentation and briefing papers.
Good computer skills are required to implement, analyse, and monitor, and manage activity goals, inputs, outcomes, and achievements.
Experience in teaching/training and capacity building.
Experience working with the key stakeholders in TB program, preferably the national stakeholders and international donors.

Nice To Haves

Masters Level Preferred-Master of Medicine (Paediatric, Infectious diseases or other related disciplines), Master of Public Health.
Understanding of USG rules and regulations preferred.

Responsibilities

Support implementation of national and WHO guidance on childhood and adolescent TB prevention, screening, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up.
Strengthen standardized management of childhood and adolescent TB, including use of child-friendly formulations and age-appropriate dosing.
Support scale-up of TB Preventive Treatment (TPT) among eligible child and adolescent contacts and children living with HIV.
Promote integration of childhood TB services within HIV, nutrition, MNCAH, and adolescent health platforms.
Support identification of service delivery gaps and development of innovative solutions to improve childhood TB outcomes.
Support the scale up of use of stool for children below 10 years of age.
Provide technical assistance to strengthen TB prevention, screening, case detection, and care among key and vulnerable populations, including:
PLHIV
Prisoners
Healthcare workers
Migrants and mobile populations
Urban poor and informal settlements
Congregate and hard-to-reach populations
Miners and ex miners
Support development and implementation of targeted, differentiated, and risk-based TB interventions for KVPs.
Strengthen linkages between facility-based TB services and community-based platforms serving KVPs.
Support capacity building among health care workers on pediatric and adolescent TB prevention, screening, case detection, and case management.
Support targeted facility-based capacity building and mentorship to improve quality of care.
Support updating, dissemination, and adherence to SOPs related to childhood TB and TB among KVPs.
Develop a childhood TB implementation plan.
Forge and maintain effective relationships with community leaders, community health workers, civil society organizations, and partners working in childhood TB, HIV, nutrition, and KVP programming.
Support coordination of childhood TB (TWG) and KVP activities at national and sub-national levels.
Monitor progress of childhood TB and KVP interventions against set targets and make programmatic adjustments based on M&E data.
Support inclusion of childhood TB and KVP indicators in routine program reviews, supportive supervision, and performance monitoring.
Spearhead documentation and dissemination of lessons learned, best practices, and innovations through technical reports, conference abstracts, presentations, and manuscripts.
Support TB program reviews, surveys, and evaluations related to childhood TB and KVPs.
Promote stigma-free, rights-based, and gender-responsive TB services for children, adolescents, and vulnerable populations.