Senior TB Prevention, Treatment and Care Advisor, DOS LEAP Global - Zimbabwe

ZemiTek•Washington, DC

About The Position

Zimbabwe remains a high TB and TB/HIV burden country and is implementing a comprehensive national response guided by the National TB Strategic Plan (NSP) and aligned with global commitments to end TB. To accelerate progress towards ending TB, the NTP is introducing new diagnostic, treatment, preventive, and digital innovations to improve TB case detection, treatment outcomes, and patient-centered care. The Department of State will second a Senior TB Prevention, Treatment and Care Advisor to provide targeted technical assistance to the NTP, while being administratively based at an Implementing Partner. The Advisor will strengthen TB treatment and care delivery, support grant implementation, and accelerate the uptake and scale-up of innovations within the Zimbabwe TB program. 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 TB Prevention, Treatment and Care Advisor will provide strategic and operational technical assistance to the NTP to improve the quality, coverage, and effectiveness of TB treatment, care, and prevention services. The position will support capacity strengthening, training and mentoring systems, adoption of new tools and digital technologies, and effective implementation of TB grants, while addressing cross-cutting health system and programmatic challenges.

Requirements

Master’s degree or local equivalent from an accredited program in Public Health, International Development, Health, Social or Behavioral Sciences, Epidemiology, Biology, Infectious Disease, Medicine, Pharmacy, Immunization or relevant qualification required
At least ten (10) years of progressively responsible clinical experience including designing, implementing and managing TB programs and Programmatic Management of Drug-Resistant TB (PMDT).
Experience with managing USG-funded public health programs and understanding 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.
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.
Demonstrated experience in teaching/training and capacity building.
Experience working with the key stakeholders in TB programs, preferably the national stakeholders and international donors.
Knowledge of Zimbabwe’s public health system, TB policies, and relevant legislation.
Ability to travel domestically as required and work effectively in team environments with diverse stakeholders.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

Nice To Haves

Medical degree preferred but not required (e.g., MBChB, MBBS, MD, or equivalent).
Experience with USG, DOS and/or USG funded TB projects is an advantage.
Knowledge of local culture is a plus
Experience with DOS-funded public health programs.
Relevant technical experience obtained in Zimbabwe is preferred.

Responsibilities

TB Treatment, Care, and Prevention Support systematic screening, diagnosis and management of TB-related comorbidities, including HIV, diabetes mellitus, malnutrition, substance use disorders, and mental health conditions, in line with national policies.
Provide technical support to the NTP to strengthen delivery of standardized TB treatment and care services for drug-susceptible TB, and TB/HIV collaborative activities.
Support implementation of evidence-based strategies to improve treatment adherence, retention in care, and treatment outcomes.
Support scale-up of TB prevention interventions, including systematic contact investigation and provision of TB Preventive Treatment (TPT).
Support development and implementation of differentiated and patient-centered care models that address clinical, psychosocial, and socioeconomic barriers to treatment adherence and completion.
Provide technical input into national guidelines, SOPs, and service delivery tools to ensure integration of TB and comorbidity management across levels of care.
Support implementation and expansion of the TB & HIV Public–Private Mix (PPM), including engagement of private providers in DR-TB detection, referral, and care.
Contribute to the development, review, and dissemination of national TB policies, guidelines, SOPs, and operational tools.
Innovations, Diagnostics, and Digital Technologies Provide technical assistance for the introduction, uptake, and scale-up of new TB tools and innovations, including near point-of-care diagnostic technologies.
Support deployment and scale-up of Computer-Aided Detection (CAD) using artificial intelligence for chest X-ray screening, in line with national policies.
Support adoption and scale-up of digital health technologies that enhance TB case finding, treatment adherence, patient follow-up, and program monitoring.
Design and support implementation of technically sound, context-appropriate TB case-finding strategies, including differentiated and targeted approaches.
Training, Mentorship, and Capacity Strengthening Support development, implementation, and monitoring a comprehensive annual national TB training and mentoring plan aligned with the NSP and Global Fund TB grant priorities.
Facilitate review, harmonization, and updating of standardized TB training curricula and materials.
Conduct annual TB training needs assessments.
Supportive Supervision, Quality Improvement, and Monitoring Support regular review and updating of supportive supervision and mentoring tools.
Conduct and document supportive supervision and mentoring visits at provincial, district, and facility levels.
Provide technical support to National TB Program Officers and other designated staff.
Support use of routine data for performance monitoring, quality improvement, and decision-making.
Program Reviews, Reporting, and Grant Support Provide technical support to TB program reviews, surveys, operational research, and evaluations.
Support implementation and monitoring of TB grants, ensuring alignment with approved workplans and performance indicators.
Contribute to preparation of high-quality technical reports and presentations for NTP, DoS, and partners.
Coordination and Representation Represent the NTP at meetings, technical working groups, and partner forums as assigned by the Deputy Director – TB Prevention and Control.
Strengthen coordination between NTP, Implementing Partners, development partners, and other MoHCC departments.
Regular conference calls with NTP, partners, U.S. Department of State /US Embassy and U.S. Department of State /Washington to review progress, discuss activities and address emerging issues.
The Advisor should provide information and avail him/herself for calls/meetings with the U.S. Department of State as requested.
The Advisor will provide monthly reports to U.S. Department of State