East Africa Regional Technical Advisor I - Polio

About this role

The East Africa Regional Technical Advisor I (TAI), Polio will provide strategic and technical leadership for the Strengthening Infectious Disease Detection Systems(STRIDES) Activity with respect to polio eradication-related activities including surveillance, laboratory strengthening, and data analysis. The Advisor ensures alignment of STRIDES polio activities with global guidance, national policies, Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) norms, and donor regulations, while delivering high-quality technical assistance across participating countries. S/He will provide technical oversight of in-country implementation, working closely with global, regional and country teams to ensure fidelity to STRIDES’ technical approaches, troubleshoot implementation challenges, and adapt interventions to evolving epidemiologic and operational contexts. The Regional TA, Polio will play a central role in supporting capacity strengthening, mentoring, and technical assistance to the country level teams, local partners, and government counterparts across polio surveillance, biosafety/biosecurity, laboratory operations, specimen management, data quality, outbreak preparedness and response, and related domains, ensuring alignment with the United States Government’s global health security priorities.
The Regional TA I, Polio will contribute to FHI 360’s technical thought leadership by developing tools, guidance, learning products, and public goods that strengthen STRIDES’ polio portfolio and enhance the organization’s visibility and credibility in polio eradication and infectious disease surveillance. S/He will represent STRIDES’ polio equities with key donors and stakeholders, including the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD), UNICEF, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), national programs, and Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) technical groups, ensuring effective communication, strategic alignment, and strong positioning of STRIDES within the global polio architecture. Working closely with the STRIDES Technical Director, Polio; technical leads; MEL Director; and Program Implementation Director, the Regional TA, Polio will cascade and operationalize the Activity’s technical strategy and is accountable for the successful, timely, and compliant delivery of all polio-related technical components across assigned country-level work plans. S/He will collaborate across FHI 360, consortium and local partners to ensure coordinated implementation, responsive technical support, and rigorous reporting that meets or exceeds contractual, programmatic, and quality standards.
This Position will be regionally based in East Africa and work remotely to support STRIDES East Africa Polio activities with a focus on Anglophone Africa.
Accountabilities:
Technical Requirements:

• Works on problems of complex scope that require evaluation of variable factors.

• Demonstrates good judgment in selecting methods, techniques, and evaluation criteria for obtaining solutions, with little supervision.

• Networks with key internal and external personnel.

• Provides input to senior technical leadership on national guidelines and normative policies for subject matter areas of expertise.

• May interpret findings and make recommendations for improvements.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Project Design Implementation:

• Under the direction of the STRIDES Technical Director – Polio, leads the creation and implementation of the technical portion of the STRIDES - Polio Activity plan at regional level within the given resource and financial constraints.

• Leads day-to-day technical and operational activities related to the STRIDES - Polio regional portfolio design and implementation.

• Coordinates with technical and programmatic staff members at regional and country level to ensure that activities are performed as per contract requirements and consistent with FHI 360 policy.

• Lead and support country staff members to ensure technical quality.

• Provide technical directions to and/or monitor the quality of work performed by regional subcontractors engaged in polio activities.

• Work with STRIDES Finance and Operations teams to prepare subcontracts and budgets.

• Provides regional level technical leadership of the STRIDES – Polio program.

• Contributes to planning and making recommendations for STRIDES operations and implementation at regional and country level.

• Influences design and scope of STRIDES polio initiatives and programs.

• Develops strategies and tools for the design and implementation of specific technical components within the STRIDES – Polio and Global Health Security programs of work.

• Provides technical oversight and ensures high-quality implementation in line with global standards and best practices and meets contractual obligations for moderately complex technical units of a functional domain, directing other professional staff members.

• Coordinates with HQ, regional and country-level technical and programmatic staff members to ensure that activities are performed as per award requirements and consistent with policy.

• Coordinates with employees and consultants, on-site and in the field for situations that are less routine and more unusual.

Staff Leadership and Training:

• May supervise team members, monitor performance, and lead professional development efforts.

• Develops and implements training and competency systems at the regional and country level.

• Identifies strategies to address training gaps.

Activity Reporting:

• Reviews donor financial and technical reports specific to Polio for transmittal to HQ.

• Prepares and delivers presentations as requested to STRIDES donors on progress as needed.

• Develops Activity workplans and coordinates with sponsors and partners on activities.

Quality Assurance:

• Ensures technical deliverables and implementation are consistent with best practices.

• Proactively identifies risks…