Global Fund Project Stellar Consultant at Solina Group

Solina Health is seeking to engage suitable and qualified candidates as Consultants to provide full-time on the ground technical support to increase testing coverage in areas with insufficient community testing for over twenty-one (21) months on the Global Fund Project Stellar. The Consultants will work with our experts and resource teams to support the country. The priorities will include engaging relevant country stakeholders, conducting a needs assessment, and developing a detailed workplan to guide implementation work areas. The consultants must be conversant with the country’s health context, have established relationships in the Government, be resident in the country of work and be willing to travel within the regions/provinces as required.

Technical Responsibilities

The Consultant will provide technical assistance to the MoH and TWG to achieve the following:

a. Needs assessment development

• Review country-specific documents and reports to develop a perspective of the country’s COVID-19 context, weaknesses, and opportunities
• Assess existing systemic and individual capacities for COVID-19 management

b. Strengthen diagnostic governance and leadership at the national level

• Development and adoption of diagnostics policies supportive of diagnostic testing enacted and key barriers eliminated
• Development, deployment, and implementation of testing strategies and algorithms for COVID-19 and multi-disease testing
• Socialization of the benefits of decentralized and community-based testing with the MOH and TWG
• Support the MOH and TWG to institutionalize best practices based on standards for coordination forums and ensure effective meeting preparation, meeting facilitation, and follow up on action points;
• Support the MOH, TWG, and partners in the coordination and planning of financial resource allocation for the COVID-19 vaccine testing and treatment
• Support the MoPH and TWG in the preparation and timely submission of reports and other documents to Stakeholders, including using performance dashboards to guide decision making;
• Support and participate in supervisory activities at the national and site level

c. Site activations for a broad expansion of antigen testing into all regions and decentralized to lower-level health facilities

• Development and deployment of site selection criteria for antigen testing expansion
• Support site identification and activation for testing scale-up and upscale implementation
• Support the delivery of devices and test kits to selected testing sites
• Support the activities of testing facilities on COVID-19 and other diseases of interest per the Global Fund Project framework

d. Task shifting to lower-level cadres

• Support the development, review, enaction, and implementation of policies to guide testing by non-laboratory professionals such as Community health workers and or Lay cadres
• Guide management team on non-laboratory personnel recruitment, engagement, training, and performance management

e. Expanding the use cases accessible to testing at the health facilities**

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives that focus on processes, workflow, and throughput so the lab can efficiently and effectively handle growth while maintaining high-quality standards

f. Scaling up community-based testing deployment, developing strategies and monitoring implementation

• Provide technical support to the MOH, TWG, and other relevant stakeholders for proper implementation of project initiatives, including community-based testing, capacity building, and compliance with testing algorithms and procedures.
• Provide technical support in the delivery of high-quality testing services for COVID-19 and other priority diseases, laboratory quality assurance, data and waste management
• Develop and adherence to national testing algorithm and maintain continuous learning and updating testing strategies

Required competencies

i. Demonstrated strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and thought leadership abilities;

ii. Excellent oral and written communication skills in French and English are required. Communication skills include active listening, negotiation, and influence, giving and receiving critical feedback and public speaking;

iii. Excellent skills and experience in collaborative working relationships with senior-level government leadership within host-country ministries and with donor colleagues in the country

iv. Advanced computer usage skills with proficiency in Microsoft® Word, Excel, PowerPoint;

v. Fast learner, open to learning from peers, subordinates, and supervisors collaboratively and at a rapid pace;

vi. Results-oriented performer, experienced in developing and tracking self and team with clear KPIs;

Required Education and Experience

i. Master’s Degree or higher in Public Health, Social Sciences, Epidemiology, Development, Policy and Strategy Development, or related field;

ii. Minimum of eight (8) years of progressive experience implementing development programs, with a good understanding of the operations of the Government and other development organizations in programs involving COVID-19, HIV/AIDS, TB, Malaria, or others. Established relationships with the Ministry of Health is a plus

iii. Experience in developing tools and national strategies for testing, project management, data management, electronic reporting systems, data use for decision making and capacity building in strategic information

Terms of Engagement

The Consultant will be engaged for a 21-month period over which s/he will support the Solina team in implementing the program deliverables. The work will mostly be executed in the Ministry of Health in the city. Travel to regions will be undertaken during the quarterly monitoring visits to vaccination sites and, if necessary, in line with the Consultant’s workplan. Solina will directly cover the cost of all logistics expenses incurred due to the execution of this body of work. These will include travel, hotel accommodation, communication, and other related costs. The Consultant will receive a fixed monthly fee/salary for their effort.