Surveillance Specialist Consultancy At FHI 360

Background

FHI 360 is a non-profit human development organization dedicated to improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions. Our staff includes experts in Health, Education, Nutrition, Environment, Economic Development, Civil Society, Gender, Youth, Research, and Technology; creating a unique mix of capabilities to address today’s interrelated development challenges. FHI 360 serves more than 60 countries.

Overview

FHI 360, through the CDC- funded Enhancing Global Health Security (EGHS) project, is planning to provide technical assistance to GFTAM C19RM recipients and host country governments to strengthen COVID-19 responses, develop future pandemic preparedness and response capacity, and mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on HIV, TB, and malaria programs. EGHS will work closely with C19RM recipients and government agencies to develop a scope of work for technical assistance based on country priorities. Technical assistance may include strengthening the capacity of national laboratory systems to detect and characterize epidemic-prone pathogens and to improve the use of appropriate diagnostic tests, including support to strengthen specimen referral and transport systems; laboratory quality standards; testing capacity modalities; and/or effective national diagnostic networks.

Scope of Work

The primary function of this position is to provide technical assistance to the recipients of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tubercolosis, and Malaria’s COVID-19 response Mechanism (GFATM C19RM) to strengthen national surveillance systems and drive strategies to prevent, detect, and respond to outbreaks

Key Responsibilities of the consultant

The consultant will collaborate closely with the EGHS project management team including project management, and technical leads, the FHI 360 Tajikistan country office, appropriate ministry staff and stakeholders, and data collectors to:

1. Carry out an assessment of the surveillance system in Tajikistan; and
2. Support the HQ team to conduct a diagnostic network optimization activity.

Additional responsibilities

• Collaborates with health officials, national and regional institutions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international donors to design, implement, monitor and evaluate surveillance strengthening activities.
• Serves as point person for EGHS work in country including leading planning, development, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of project surveillance activities.
• Provides technical assistance to project partners to implement surveillance activities.
• Identifies challenges and develops strategies for effective implementation of surveillance related activities.
• Provides support to review and update existing surveillance systems and toolkits
• Provides technical assistance to strengthen national expertise to manage health management information system platforms, analyze data and produce surveillance reports and other visualizations aligned with evidence-based practices and international standards.
• Represents the project on national technical working groups, as appropriate, and maintain contacts with other organizations engaged in GHSA activities.
• Contributes to the preparation of required reports.

Expected Deliverables

• Rapid assessment tools developed
• Validation of assessment tools and workshop conducted
• Established technical working group (TWG) for data analys and validation
• Monthly/quarterly/bi-annually/annually data collection and analysis and report
• Validation assessment workshop with document outcomes and recommendation
• Develop reports for workshops, tools, data analysis, supervision visits
• Database for data collected
• Field monitoring reports as conducted
• Training completion reports as delivered
• Monthly report of works performed
• Onboard Project Coordinator
• End of assignment report

Qualifications and experience

The consultant should have the knowledge and skills, and extensive experience to implement the scope of work and meet at least the following criteria:

• Master’s degree or international equivalent in medicine, public health, or related field
• At least 6 years of relevant experience in infectious disease surveillance.
• Demonstrated experience implementing field-based surveillance methodology including analysis of epidemiologic investigation data
• Demonstrated report writing and presentation skills
• Experience working effectively with government counterparts at national and regional levels.
• Proven interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in a team.
• Experience collaborating on projects and coordinating efforts with other program staff, other international health agencies, and private and non-profit organizations
• Must be able to read, write and speak fluent Russian and Tajik. Basic or advanced English is an asset.
• Legally authorized to work in Tajikistan.

Location of work

The consultant will be based at the FHI 360 office in Dushanbe and operate under the guidance of the Program Coordinator and EGHS project management team. Possible travels stakeholder and partner offices to provide technical assistance, data extraction, training, or troubleshooting.

Travel

20-35%, within cities and districts of the Republic of Tajikistan.

Procedure for payment of rendered services

Payment of rendered services is carried out upon the fact of their provision, in Tajik Somoni (TJS), minus taxes, according to the agreement.

Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria: ‘candidate’s education and relevant experience and competency; fluency in Russian, Tajik and proposed daily rate.

FHI 360 Disclaimers

• FHI 360 may perform a background check on any selected Consultant candidates
• FHI 360 may cancel the solicitation and not award
• FHI 360 may reject any or all responses received
• Issuance of the solicitation does not constitute an award commitment by FHI 360
• FHI 360 reserves the right to disqualify any offer based on failure of the offeror to follow solicitation instructions
• FHI 360 will not compensate any offeror for responding to solicitation
• FHI 360 reserves the right to issue award based on initial evaluation of offers without further discussion
• FHI 360 may choose to award only part of the activities in the solicitation, or issue multiple awards based on the solicitation activities
• FHI 360 reserves the right to waive minor proposal deficiencies that can be corrected prior to award determination to promote competition.