Organization: John Snow, Inc.

Country: Zimbabwe

City: Harare, Zimbabwe

Office: John Snow, Inc. Harare, Zimbabwe

Closing date: Monday, 22 February 2021

Senior Immunization Technical Officer

Location: Harare, Zimbabwe

Position Category: Local hire, paid in country

Posting Date: 02/08/2021

Deadline Date: 02/22/2021

Starting Date: 03/01/2021

Description

Immunization Center Overview

Through its Immunization Center, JSI seeks to strengthen global, regional and country efforts to improve routine immunization (RI) systems and increase coverage at scale in a sustainable and equitable way with attention to quality. JSI is a global leader known for its focus on strengthening routine immunization as an integral part of the broader health system. JSI works at scale with Ministries of Health and partners to support the multiple interrelated components of the immunization system, and to identify, design and spread promising new program approaches to sustainably overcome long-standing challenges. The technical support that JSI provides at global, regional and particularly country levels is customized to build capacity; reduce inequity; improve the availability, quality and use of data at all levels; partner with communities and civil society; introduce new life-saving vaccines; promote behaviors favorable to immunization; strengthen communications; and professionalize supply chain management and logistics systems.

The Center influences the global technical agenda for RI system strengthening in all immunization-related efforts through advocacy with partners and participation in international forums to share JSI's technical expertise and development perspective. In addition to this global technical leadership role, the Center serves as the hub for immunization technical activity within JSI, and manages a portfolio of immunization-related projects and new business opportunities, in collaboration with other JSI Centers and the organization's bilateral and centrally-funded projects.

Position Summary

The Senior Immunization Technical Officer will be based in Harare, Zimbabwe and provide assistance at national and sub-national levels to the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) and other units of the Ministry of Health and Child Care/Zimbabwe government departments and to their immunization inter-agency coordinating committee (ICC) and partners for planning, preparation and implementation of urban immunization activities. The Senior ITO will serve as the in-country immunization technical focal point for Gavi Partnership Engagement Framework (PEF) and Health Systems Strengthening (HSS) urban immunization and COVID-19 vaccine introduction activities and liaise with JSI/HQ and Gavi, as well as with other key partners (e.g. WHO, UNICEF, USAID, and others).

RESPONSIBILITIES

Responsibilities will include, but not be limited to, the following assigned duties:

Serve as the program's primary technical expert in immunization, representing JSI on national technical working groups and committees, as appropriate.

Serve as activity manager for JSI Zimbabwe urban immunization project, providing technical and operational management in Zimbabwe and liaising with the JSI Immunization Center

Collaborate with and serve as a technical resource to partner organizations (e.g., EPI, UNICEF, WHO, etc.) and country stakeholders in the areas of routine immunization and the control of vaccine-preventable disease;

Identify needs and provide technical support and backstopping for country interventions related to RI, urban immunization, introduction of new vaccines, accelerated disease control, and other aspects of quality immunization service delivery;

Provide technical guidance and oversight with Zimbabwe's upcoming Gavi PEF and HSS urban immunization activities, including inputs at national level with strategies, guidelines, job aids, etc. as well as implementation of urban immunization activities in selected cities at the sub-national levels.

Assist in organizing urban immunization situational assessment tools and conducting data collection in selected cities.

Support MOHCC and partners with urban immunization action planning in select cities.

Support development of technical content for and facilitate involvement of national and subnational stakeholders in urban immunization Community of Practice

Support the MOHCC and partners in identifying service delivery approaches for the introduction of COVID-19 vaccine with priority populations, as needed.

Promote sharing of lessons and experiences across countries and contribute to documentation of urban immunization and COVID-19 vaccine introduction program learning;

Collaborate with the JSI headquarters team in the preparation and implementation of work plans and budgets for the Gavi contract, and submit technical reports to the project, Gavi, and relevant partners, including monthly activity summaries and interim technical reports.

Tags cold chain covid data collection disease control health systems immunization logistics nursing oral communication supply chain

Maintain close contact (e.g. email, telephone, WhatsApp, Skype, etc.) with the JSI headquarters team and JSI in-country office, as well as with Gavi colleagues to ensure the smooth implementation of in-country activities, work plans, budgets and expenditures.

Supervise the JSI Community of Practice Program Officer

Perform other activities as appropriate and requested by the MOHCC National EPI Manager.

Perform other technical duties as assigned by JSI Immunization Center leadership team

Senior ITO will be based in the National EPI Office of the MOHCC in Harare and report to the HQ Technical Officer.

QUALIFICATIONS

Former national EPI manager or senior technical officer working in immunization, with up-to-date knowledge of global and national EPI guidelines and tools;

Nursing clinical degree, Community Nursing Diploma or MPH and more than 15 years of experience in the field of public health, with specialization in immunization and maternal/child health.

Experience as an advisor to ministries of health, international agencies and/or NGO public health programs at national, regional and global levels;

Proven ability to assess RI needs and to develop and implement successful program interventions, including experience with: 1) national or sub-national immunization planning; 2) capacity building for immunization and health system strengthening; 3) design of community-oriented strategies to increase immunization coverage; 4) use of immunization data for monitoring and decision making; 5) assessment of cold chain and logistics performance and needs; 6) design and use of adult learning methods for capacity building; and, 7) other actions to sustain quality immunization services;

Excellent interpersonal and team skills, including demonstrated ability to interact professionally with culturally and linguistically diverse staff, clients, and consultants

Ability to work independently, manage multiple tasks concurrently, and meet deadlines with attention to detail and quality;

Excellent written and oral communication in English, and knowledge of Shona and Ndebele languages is an added advantage;

Excellent computer skills;

Willingness to travel up to 35% of the time.

Salary commensurate with experience.

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