Immunization Advisor at International Rescue Committee

Specific Responsibilities

The Immunization Advisor will be responsible to coordinate the technical program quality for the consortium in partnership with project management team, country program team and implementing partners. The Immunization Advisor’s specific responsibilities are as follows:

Influence

• Represent the health unit and the IRC in inter-agency working groups, various global/regional fora and conferences related to immunization
• Synthesize key findings of current literature related to expanding routine immunization coverage—particularly through ‘last mile’ and community engagement strategies—for program use in a timely manner.

Technical

• Identify and/or develop global tools/resources/curricula relevant for quality immunization programming and research.
• Conduct technical trainings and ongoing technical mentor for program staff on immunization programming quality improvement.
• Support design of program in project countries and ongoing monitoring of program quality
• Participate in analysis of program data with M&E and project staff to guide program adaptations to achieve targets
• Support country teams as a technical lead in immunization supply chain assessment, demand and supply side barrier analysis, as well as other identified assessments and project related research initiatives.
• Engage with stakeholders during visits to country programs
• Share cross-context learning with partners and country teams across the project
• Provide technical direction to IRC various TAs supporting the project both from IRC and partner organizations

Key Working Relationships:

• Position Reports to: Project Director
• Position directly supervises: N/A

Other Internal And/or External Contacts

• Internal: Regular communication with all technical advisors supporting project countries. Close relationships with regional and country program teams. Interacts with IRC internal departments, including business development, external relations and advocacy departments, to keep them aware of program activities.
• External: Serve as IRC program representative in outside regional meetings and global meetings and academic forums with donors, other non-governmental organizations, inter-agency groups and foundations. Provide leadership to consortium technical staff.

Job Qualifications

• Education: Masters in public health or related area.
• Work Experience: A minimum of two years as technical advisor supporting immunization programs, plus three years of international field experience in managerial/coordination positions with Non-Governmental Organizations in humanitarian or post-conflict settings. Experience in technical tools and materials development. Experience in strategy development and working across sectors or subject areas is desired.
• Skills and Proficiencies: Proven expertise in working with donors, project design, proposal development, coordination and monitoring and evaluation, with the ability to turn concepts and strategy into measurable action. Able to work with remote, multi-cultural and multi-disciplinary teams. Strong interpersonal verbal and written communication skills and skills to facilitate collaboration. Dedication to transfer technical knowledge and skills. Dedication to renewing and maintaining with current standard methodologies. Additional proficiencies include:
• Experience in coordination and providing strategic leadership to new thematic public health areas.
• Experience working with ministries of health, international agencies and/or NGO public health programs in Africa and other developing countries.
• Knowledge of vaccine preventable disease control initiatives (e.g., polio, measles, tetanus), Global Vaccine Action Plan and Gavi strategies for health systems strengthening.
• Experience to independently assess routine immunization needs and coordinate stakeholders in the development and implementation of successful program interventions, including prior experience with:

Language Skills: Proficiency in English required

• national or sub-national immunization planning;
• capacity building for system strengthening;
• design of community-focused strategies to increase coverage;
• use of immunization data for monitoring and decision making;
• assessment of cold chain and logistics performance and needs; and,
• other actions to sustain quality immunization services
• Dedication and ability to work independently with attention to detail and quality, delivering timely results.