Senior Global Health Security Advisor - Colombia

ZemiTek LLC•Washington, DC

20h•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Global Health Security (GHS) Advisor will support the Instituto Nacional de Salud (INS) in carrying out life-saving humanitarian assistance (LHA) in full alignment with U.S. Presidential Executive Order (EO) directives. The primary focus of the advisor will be strategic coordination and technical support with a special emphasis on preventing, detecting, and responding to infectious disease threats which impact public health. The Senior GHS Advisor will support INS and appropriate multi-sectoral Government Departments and Agencies—such as the Ministry of Health, Agriculture (ICA), and Environment (MADS)—for the effective adoption and implementation of life-saving interventions focusing on preventing, detecting, and responding to infectious disease threats with public health potential, such as zoonotic diseases. The Senior GHS Advisor will identify programmatic bottlenecks and facilitate solutions through coordinated technical support across the GHS portfolio, including engagement with the multilateral and other international cooperation mechanisms where applicable. The Senior GHS Advisor will be based within INS and will receive directions from INS leadership, who will serve as the onsite Manager/Supervisor. The Advisor will provide strategic oversight of GHS portfolio implementation at INS and in targeted subnational regions (Córdoba, Nariño, La Guajira, and Antioquia) as agreed upon by the U.S. Government (USG) and the Government of Colombia (GOC). Familiarity with USAID/Department of State programming and award management experience are highly desirable. The Advisor will report to the U.S. Department of State on a weekly and monthly basis.

Requirements

Advanced degree (master’s or PhD) in Public Health, Epidemiology, Health Policy, International Development, or related field.
Minimum of 10 years of progressive experience in global health security, infectious disease surveillance, emergency preparedness and response, or related fields.
Demonstrated experience in senior project management roles, including oversight of complex, multi-stakeholder health programs with budgets exceeding $2 million.
Strong knowledge of International Health Regulations (IHR), including experience with JEE, SPAR, NAPHS, or similar assessment and planning processes.
Proven experience in multi-sectoral coordination, particularly across human health, animal health, and environmental sectors (One Health approach).
Experience working with national public health institutes or ministries of health in low- and middle-income countries.
Excellent strategic planning, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with ability to identify bottlenecks and develop practical solutions.
Strong financial management and budget oversight experience, including donor compliance and reporting.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Spanish and English.
Demonstrated ability to build and maintain relationships with government officials, international partners, and technical experts.

Nice To Haves

Experience with USG Grant or Assistance award management, including familiarity with USG compliance requirements.
Previous experience working in Colombia or the Latin America region.
Experience with major international health financing mechanisms.
Technical expertise in laboratory systems strengthening, surveillance systems, or emergency operations centers.
Experience in capacity building, training, and mentoring of national and subnational health workforce.
Knowledge of biosafety and biosecurity standards and implementation.
Experience managing or coordinating outbreak response activities.

Responsibilities

Assist the INS with effective delivery of LHA GHS activities, including but not limited to: Disease and outbreak response, laboratory network strengthening, community surveillance and EWARS implementation, training frontline workers, biosafety and biosecurity, commodity procurement, and data systems.
Lead strategic coordination of the INS GHS portfolio, including articulation with international cooperation partners, ministries, and other key actors within the National Zoonotic Council (CNZ), National Public Health Surveillance System (SIVIGILA) stakeholders, and the National System for Preparedness and Response to Public Health Emergencies, as applicable.
Oversee implementation of GHS activities at INS and in targeted subnational regions, ensuring alignment with USG and GOC priorities, timelines, and deliverables.
Serve as the primary liaison between INS, USG partners, and multi-sectoral stakeholders to ensure coordinated approaches and avoid duplication of efforts.
Facilitate regular coordination meetings among multi-sectoral stakeholders and partners to ensure alignment of technical approaches across the GHS portfolio.
Provide project management oversight for all GHS activities funded by the USG, including work planning, risk management, budget monitoring, procurement coordination, and reporting.
Assist and provide information to State to prepare U.S. Government workplans and reports.
Provide technical support for strengthening and monitoring IHR core capacities, including support for processes that relate to potential external evaluations and National Action Plans, simulation exercises, and joint assessments.
Assist INS in achieving relevant GHS-related targets, including the Joint External Evaluation (JEE), IHR States Parties Self-Assessment (SPAR), which includes reporting on the 7-1-7 target (7 days to detect, 1 day to report, 7 days to complete the initial response).
Support the development and implementation of technical guidelines and documents that strengthen GHS governance within INS and across the national health security architecture.
Provide technical advisory support for the strengthening and modernization of epidemiological surveillance and laboratory systems, aligned with international standards and country priorities.
Support the implementation and expansion of best practices in GHS and outbreak response nationwide, including promotion of prioritized interventions in effective community-based active surveillance, strengthening systems capacity for detecting priority infectious diseases/threats, and data systems for monitoring, analyzing, and reporting on threats.
Facilitate inter-sectoral technical working groups for biological risks, zoonotic diseases, and other priority areas, particularly the CNZ, ensuring effective coordination across human health, animal health, and environmental sectors.
Oversee capacity building exercises in risk analysis, preparedness, and response to public health emergencies, including support for rapid response teams and emergency management structures.
Assist INS and relevant multi-sectoral agencies in emergency outbreak responses as needed, including mobilizing resources, coordinating efforts, and providing technical support for containment and response activities.
Provide technical support and accompaniment in the formulation and management of international cooperation projects and grant seeking opportunities.
Establish and maintain MEL frameworks to track progress against GHS indicators and objectives, ensuring data quality, timely reporting, and evidence-based decision-making.
Support INS in identification of performance gaps, potential barriers and bottlenecks, and facilitate consensus on targeted interventions to improve performance on key indicators.
Participate in regular conference calls with multi-sectoral stakeholders, U.S. Embassy, and GHSD Washington to review progress, discuss activities, and address emerging issues.
Submit recurring reports to the U.S. Department of State, weekly and monthly.