HTS, Linkage and Laboratory Services Team Lead Full Time

Overview

Jhpiego is hiring the HTS, Linkage and Laboratory Services Team Lead to be based in Lilongwe. The HTS, Linkage, and Laboratory Services Team Lead will be responsible for the technical design, implementation and follow up of activities aiming to reduce the number of new HIV infections and other sexually transmitted diseases among members of the target communities. S/he will provide clinical guidance and direct technical assistance to health facilities and community services supported by the project on the HIV testing service component of the program. The HTS, Linkage, and Laboratory Services Team Lead will provide technical and program oversight in the areas of HIV testing and linkage to HIV Care and support, working in close collaboration with the HIV Care and Treatment Team Lead and other project staff, key stakeholders, and also liaising with MOH technical program personnel.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Management

• Support and strengthen the capacity of a partner organization to deliver high quality HTS services for adults and children.
• Lead implementation of all testing modalities in line with PEPFAR and Malawi government priorities, including but not limited to voluntary counseling and testing (VCT), provider-initiated testing and counseling (PITC), Index Testing, Mobile/community outreach, and Testing in ANC/PMTCT services.
• Provide mentoring and capacity building at the individual and organizational level in specific areas of expertise including but not limited to;
• provision of a minimum package of interventions for people accessing HTS services
• ensuring the quality of rapid HIV counseling and testing, including provider initiated testing and counseling in target facilities and communities
• strengthening the relationships between the community and the health facilities to enable successful linkage of all newly diagnosed HIV.
• Liaise with care and treatment team to facilitate active index testing approaches, as well as integrating couples counseling into the services.
• oversee the engagement of communities with regard to HTS as the entry point to HIV services
• enhancing laboratory diagnostic capacity including new diagnostic technologies, laboratory bio-safety, quality assurance procedures,

laboratory management and staffing issues for HTS services

• Develop new/Review evidence-based clinical training materials, job aids, algorithms, monitoring tools, clinical SOPs and curricula, supervisory systems and other training materials related to HTS program to meet the needs of the US government and the Government of Malawi
• Provide technical oversight, strategic direction and ensure appropriate support for the implementation of program activities around targeted HIV testing services (HTS), same day ART initiation for those clients who test positive.
• Support implementation of the technical priorities for the project, ensuring the use of the latest evidence in rapid scale up and maintenance of effective HIV Testing approaches such as index testing, HIV self-testing and recency testing
• Adapt evidence-based clinical materials, performance support tools, SOPs, supervisory systems and other learning materials related to HTS and linkage to meet the needs of the project in line with national guidelines
• Ensure close collaboration and consultation with, and capacity building for project and government staff involved in HTS and linkage in supported facilities.
• Identify learning and service delivery gaps in HTS and linkage and formulate, test and roll out sustainable solutions, utilizing cross-cutting approaches such as performance and quality improvement and training
• Reinforce the peer review process, including sharing lessons learned and best practices adopted, to continually bridge performance gaps in the HTS program
• Provide “train the trainer”, in-service and pre-service education, follow-up and supportive supervision to HDA supervisors, HDAs, and other cadres that support HTS
• Actively participate in relevant Technical Advisory Group Meetings, and represent Jhpiego in professional forums by participating and presenting in pertinent meetings and conferences on HTS
• Coordinate the HTS work of the project designated counterparts within the Malawi government as well as other key stakeholders in Malawi to ensure effective technical assistance and the smooth implementation of HTS activities
• Formulate and test sustainable solutions to HTS training and service delivery gaps, utilizing cross-cutting approaches such as performance and quality improvement
• Provide regular feedback to the project director and project technical staff, on successes, challenges and lessons learned in implementation of HTS
• Participate in the development of quarterly and annual plans and activity reports, in close liaison with the project manager.
• Ensure that HIV program at selected supported health facilities are in line with Malawi national HTS guidelines and Jhpiego standards.
• Document and maintain an inventory of successful tools and approaches for quality improvement in the HTS programming
• Work closely with MER team to ensure there is always high-quality verified data on HTS and linkages.
• Build MDF health systems and laboratory capacity to ensure laboratory services are available, timely, accurate, up to national and international standards, and uninterrupted.
• Author and co-author abstracts and presentations for journals and conference
• Participate in program evaluations as relevant and needed
• Participate in the preparation of donor reports and project report

Communication and Knowledge Management

• Represent the project in district and national level meetings, and other meetings as needed, and ensure collaboration with other partners/stakeholders; work closely with District management Team (DHMT), to ensure alignment with their priorities and guidance.
• Present progress, achievements and lessons learned to the donor;
• Represent Jhpiego’s interests and other key stakeholders in public, private sector and professional circles through networking, meetings, conferences, and presentations;
• Ensure proper consistent utilization of organization’s brand in relevant organizational supported programs activities in ensuring Jhpiego recognition and visibility
• Maintain effective internal communications to ensure that all relevant departments functions are kept informed of communications objectives;
• Author/co-author abstracts, presentations, manuscripts, and success stories; collaborate with the communications specialist to develop stories for internal/ external audiences;
• Ensure sharing of information and knowledge with other country programs, regionally and headquarters, and with the donor, and contribute to systems that support knowledge management.

New Program Development

• Identify strategic opportunities for the project and potential areas for expansion of existing projects in Jhpiego’s portfolio and make recommendations to pursue these opportunities;
• Facilitate the development of innovative project approaches and interventions;
• Support the development/review of strategies, including technical direction for achieving program goals as well as management effectiveness.
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor, which contribute, to meeting project deliverables.

Required Qualifications

• A clinical degree (medicine, nursing, pharmacy, laboratory technology or other) required; specialty training in medicine, infectious diseases, or other relevant advanced clinical degree preferred 7-8 years’ experience in implementing HIV testing services
• Experience training health workers and/or CBOs on HTS programming
• Experience building capacity at individual and organizational levels;
• The ability to liaise with senior officials of a partner organization and dignitaries, executives of NGOs, FBOs, CBOs, the for-profit business community, and senior members of the donor community;
• Demonstrated in-depth understanding of Malawi healthcare system; experience living and working in Malawi  preferred
• Fluent in English and Chichewa
• Strong oral and written communication and presentations skills in English;
• Strong skills in word processing, Excel spread sheets and PowerPoint;
• Familiarity with USG administrative, management and reporting procedures and systems;
• Proven track record managing a project team composed of several technical experts and fostering team work
• Ability to coach, mentor and develop technical capacity in national programs and technical staff in the areas
• Ability to travel up to 50% time within Malawi

Preferred Qualifications

Jhpiego offers competitive salaries and a comprehensive employee benefits package.

Please apply at www.jhpiego.org/careers

Applicants must submit a single document for upload to include cover letter, resume, and references.

For further information about Jhpiego, visit our website at www.jhpiego.org

Note: The successful candidate selected for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation.

Jhpiego is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to tough international child safeguarding standards.

Jhpiego, a Johns Hopkins University affiliate, is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, marital status, pregnancy, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, other legally protected characteristics or any other occupationally irrelevant criteria. Jhpiego promotes Affirmative Action for minorities, women, individuals who are disabled, and veterans.