GHS Specialist

Job Description

Panagora Group seeks a full-time Global Health Security (GHS) Specialist based in Zambia for USAID Localize Global Health Security (LGHS) Project. LGHS supports local partners to address gaps in health security as identified in national health security capacity assessments. The project complements the multisectoral cross-technical approaches of other GHS programs to move countries closer to achieving Global Health Security Agenda targets. As a result of this support, local partners will be able to address critical gaps in health security through grants and technical assistance in prioritized technical areas, strengthen the organizational capacity of local entities to effectively manage the implementation of health security technical interventions and expand global knowledge base on approaches and best practices for local entities conducting global health security interventions. In Zambia, LGHS will do this by establishing and managing a grants program that finances local organizations to address sub-national gaps in zoonotic disease prevention, detection, and response—including risk communication and community engagement, community-based surveillance, and human resource development—using a One Health approach that aligns with the country’s public health security priorities.

Position Description:

The GHS Specialist will serve as the project’s main in-country focal point for GHS, lead GHS technical capacity strengthening, and ensure quality implementation for LGHS grantees. The GHS Specialist is responsible for understanding and addressing grantees’ needs and supporting development of their capacity strengthening plan. The GHS Specialist will also oversee implementation of the capacity strengthening plans, monitoring and evaluation of grantee performance, and support learning and adaptive management. Where the GHS specialist does not have the expertise to provide direct support to grantees, they will identify and coordinate the locally- and regionally- sourced technical assistance providers (staff and consultants) enlisted to build grantees’ capacity to implement health security activities and provide essential end-to-end quality assurance of all GHS technical activities delivered through the project in Zambia. As the GHS focal point for the project in-country, the GHS Specialist will need to liaise closely and effectively with the USAID Mission, other GHS partners and stakeholders at the national, provincial and district levels, including government as well as other implementing partners. The GHS Specialist will report to the LGHS Zambia Country Lead, and work in close collaboration with the LGHS technical team, and Country Support Manager, who are based in the US and in the region.

Responsibilities will include:

Contribute to the coordination of the grant solicitation process.
Support the onboarding and orientation of grantees to the technical components of the LGHS project and lifecycle.
Facilitate “buy-in” from organizations’ leadership and mobilize internal change champions to support organizational development in health security.
Support the grantees in the operational planning, budgeting, regular monitoring, and adaptive management of the GHS components of their activities.
Coordinate the assessment of grantees’ technical health security capacity, facilitate the identification of their technical needs and priorities, and support the development of their GHS technical capacity strengthening plans.
Support and coordinate training, mentorship, and technical assistance to grantees to enhance program implementation and performance, in line with LGHS’s capacity strengthening approach.
Ensure the provision of high-quality GHS technical assistance and capacity strengthening by evaluating technical support providers prior to engaging them; orienting and training selected providers in USAID/Zambia’s GHS priorities and approaches; supervising and monitoring providers throughout the delivery of technical services to grantees; evaluating grantees’ technical feedback and performance; and course-correcting during implementation, as needed.
Where it is within the Specialists’ area of expertise, deliver GHS technical support and training.
Collaborate with grantee staff, local/district government, implementing partners, USAID Mission, and other stakeholders to foster effective communication and coordination.
Support and coordinate the regular monitoring of grantees to ensure that the technical activities are implemented in accordance with USAID policies and standards.
Collaborate with the project’s GHS Technical and Organizational Capacity Strengthening teams to foster effective communication and coordination.
Support the preparation and timely submission of reports, including programmatic/technical reports.
Support the development of indicators and performance monitoring plan related to the GHS technical areas implemented by the grantees.
Maintain comprehensive documentation of all grantees’ technical activities and communications for audit purposes.
Contribute to the evaluation of GHS capacity strengthening interventions and support activities, capturing lessons learned and best practices for future projects.
Other duties as requested.

Requirements

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree and a minimum of 7 years of professional experience in public health, international development, veterinary medicine, or environmental sciences, a Master’s degree and a minimum of 5 years of professional experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Demonstrated experience in global health security and One Health programs in Zambia is required. Experience in zoonotic diseases and risk communication and community engagement strongly preferred.
Demonstrated experience providing technical assistance or building technical capacity for organizations through training, mentorship, coaching, and other capacity strengthening approaches.
Experience working with USAID projects required.
Experience with grant programs preferred.
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
Confident with interpersonal and facilitation skills, and ability to work collaboratively in a team-oriented setting and remotely.
Self-motivated and able to manage time and meet deadlines working independently.
Prior experience in training, coaching or mentoring organizations or staff preferred.
Proven ability to work under pressure, and with multiple concurrent demands.
Excellent writing and communication skills in English; proficiency in one or more local languages is strongly preferred.
Proficient in Microsoft Office and SharePoint.
Ability to travel to grantee sites in select districts of the target province (TBD) approximately 25% of the time.