Technical Advisor, Maternal Child Health (Assessor Tecnica de programa SMI, HIV pediatrico)

Position Title: Technical Advisor, Maternal Child Health (Assessor Tecnica de programa SMI, HIV pediatrico)

Agency: Friends in Global Health (FGH), Mozambique

Open Period: August 23 – Sept 30, 2013

Position Duration: Full-time one year contract with opportunity for renewal during the remaining 4 years of the project (through September 29, 2017) – immediate start date

Location: Quelimane, Zambézia Province, Mozambique

Required Qualifications: Candidate must have an advanced medical degree (MD, Physician’s Assistant, Nursing, etc. plus a Masters in Public Health is preferred); must have a minimum of 5 years experience working in a clinical MCH and/or PMTCT setting within a developing country context; must have strong program planning and implementation skills, preferably working with PEPFAR funding. Fluency in Portuguese and a minimum of 2 year experience working in Lusophone Africa required (Mozambique experience preferred).

Background:

The Vanderbilt University Institute for Global Health (VIGH) and its affiliate Friends in Global Health (FGH) will continue supporting HIV/AIDS care and treatment programs (HIV adult and pediatric care and treatment, Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT), Counseling and Testing (CT) services, Tuberculosis (TB) program services and exposed child services (CCR)) in 10 rural districts within Zambézia Province (Alto Molócuè, Chinde, Gilé, Ile, Inhassunge, Maganja da Costa, Mopeia, Morrumbala, Namacurra, and Pebane). This support will be provided over a 5-year period through PEPFAR funding from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Vanderbilt University (VU) established FGH, an NGO in Mozambique, to provide technical assistance and capacity building as well as to facilitate and oversee fiscal and administrative matters in support of the Ministry of Health (MISAU). The program strives to develop and maintain effective and sustainable HIV care and anti-retroviral treatment (ART) programs in conjunction with provincial and district health authorities.

Position Description:

The MCH Technical Advisor will serve as the FGH clinical area expert to lead implementation of MCH strategies implementation in the frame of  supported clinical programs in Zambézia Province to: 1) Reduce new HIV infections, 2) Increase access and use of high quality HIV care and treatment in rural communities, 3) Improve linkages and integration of HIV and related primary health care services, 4) Support sustainable Mozambican systems and institutions and 5) Ensure care and support for pregnant women, adults and children affected by HIV/AIDS; 6) increase gender equity in HIV/AIDS MCH programs and services. 

He/She will work under coordination of the FGH Clinical Director to act as the technical advisor to:

1)      Provide technical assistance to FGH and DPS in the identification of appropriate strategies for the scaling up of MCH national protocols in the province of Zambézia. 

2)      In coordination with Technical Director, provide technical assistance at national level working groups for issues related to Ministry of Health and funding priorities in the areas of ANC, PMTCT, CCR, EID and pediatric HIV care and treatment, Family Planning and cervical cancer screening.

3)      He/She will participate in grant reporting processes as they relate to MCH programmatic reporting for submission of quality reports, planning and continuation applications required by the PEPFAR grant. 

4)      Provide provincial level technical assistance for issues related to FGH´s MCH support interventions and provide mentorship to the FGH provincial clinical team towards the following:

• Appropriate plans in place to incorporate B+ and option A expansion into the province acceleration plan in the districts supported by FGH.
• Implementation of one stop models for MCH PMTCT ART services in the FGH supported sites.
• Proactively identifying strategies to improve EID and pediatric care and treatment for HIV infected children including linkages with CCR, CCS, nutrition, use of ICT, linkages with CBOs, etc.
• In coordination with APSS/PP TA and Community Health Manager support the implementation of Mothers to Mothers, Fathers and Caretakers (Paes e Cuidadores) and other support groups.
• In coordination with Quality Improvement (QI) team and Clinical Director, support the implementation of QI strategies (QI MISAU/CDC pilot, HIV free survival partnership, etc.)
• Identification of mechanisms for optimal district health facility-level operations, i.e., appropriate follow-up of HIV positive pregnant women, HIV exposed and infected children, including: establishing routine patient flows, job aids, referral forms, community linkages, etc.
• In coordination with Clinical Director and Laboratory Technical Advisor, support the linkages, use and quality of specific laboratory techniques such as: PCR, CD4 count, Rapid Test, hematology and Biochemistry tests.
• In coordination with M&E Director, identify and support adequate systems for the documentation of MCH interventions at the sites.
• Monitor the results of regular and systematic observation of MCH interventions, and ongoing site level supportive supervision and instruction and guide FGH program direction appropriately. In other words: ensure that the MCH interventions are results-driven and adapted based on program successes and/or failures.
• The MCH Technical Advisor will support the Clinical Director to asses routine and annual performance evaluations for staff involved in the MCH strategies and Quality Improvement initiatives.

6)      The MCH Manager also collaborates with the M&E Director to define key indicators and routinely review data to ensure FGH meets MCH targets and remain within established budget parameters. 

7)      This position will require travel to FGH supported districts regularly to monitor quality of service, identify unmet needs and support program area coordinators.

To Apply:  Please submit CV/resume and cover letter to jobs@friendsinglobalhealth.org. Applications must reference “Technical Advisor - MCH” in the subject line of the email.