BACKGROUND

Over the past few years, the John Snow Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) has provided technical assistance to Ethiopia's Ministry of Health (MoH) to strengthen the national and sub-national immunization systems, with a focus on identifying and reaching zero-dose and under-immunized communities in hard-to-reach areas. With technical support from JSI and other immunization partners, the MoH has developed supportive guidelines to identify and reach zero-dose children and catch-up guidelines for routine immunization. Additionally, the MoH has identified a need for ongoing technical assistance in the Afar region to plan and coordinate routine immunization, focusing on identifying high zero-dose woredas and organizing catch-up sessions in insecure and drought-affected areas.

Through funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, JSI will provide technical assistance on routine immunization to MoH at national level and Afar and Somali RHBs at regional level. JSI is looking to hire a regional immunization specialist (RIS) to be based in the regional health bureau (RHB) of Afar and provide technical assistance to the RHB. 

OVERALL RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION:

The RIS will provide TA to the RHB in mapping and identifying woredas and kebeles with high numbers of zero-dose and under-immunized children. Based on identified areas, the RIS will support the RHB to organize catch-up sessions of immunizations in woredas affected with insecurity and/or having high numbers of zero-dose children in addition to the ongoing technical assistance to the RHB on routine immunization. He/she will be seconded to the Afar RHB. The RIS will provide day-to-day support to the Afar RHB EPI team for the responsibilities described below.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES: 

1. Work with the Afar RHB to identify their needs, develop a joint plan, and provide ongoing technical assistance based on those needs related with routine immunization.
2. Provide cascaded orientations and action planning in the Afar region to support the national rollout of catch-up guidelines.
3. Offer regional technical assistance to Afar RHB in planning and coordinating routine immunization, with a focus on identifying, mapping and reaching woredas with high numbers of zero-dose children.
4. Assist Afar RHB in organizing catch-up sessions for immunizations in woredas affected by insecurity and/or having high numbers of zero-dose children.
5. Actively participate in key regional technical meetings, such as regional technical working group meetings, to stay informed and provide input on regional immunization efforts.
6. Provide ongoing technical support to RHB and sub-regional level including leading and participating in supportive supervisions, review meetings, use of immunization data for timely decision making, support in micro-planning and provision of training and other capacity building activities.
7. Coordinate regularly with Addis Ababa and US-based JSI staff to facilitate project implementation and provide progress updates
8. Regularly provide update and reports on performance
9. Contribute to donor or MoH-required project reports or other information requests
10. Perform other assignments and responsibilities as assigned by RHB and/or JSI

●      Master of public health (MPH) or other equivalent qualifications with first degree in health related areas

●      Minimum of eight years working experience in immunization and public health. Should have at least five years of experience on routine immunization experience

●      Demonstrated experience working within the Afar region and familiarity with the region

●      Proven ability to use adult learning techniques to facilitate trainings, supportive supervision and technical assistance 

●      Strong organizational, management and communication skills to influence partners and decision makers at the national, regional, zonal and woreda level

●      Demonstrated ability to be a team player, to lead teams, and to organize multiple activities simultaneously; ability to communicate and negotiate competing demands on time from managers and work effectively with distributed teams. 

●      Computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, and familiarity with DHIS2

●      Fluency in English and Amharic; Fluency in the Afar language is a strong asset 

●      Willingness and ability to travel up to 30% of the time to regions, zones, and woredas