Senior Program Officer, Immunization at PATH

PATH’s Center for Vaccine Innovation and Access (CVIA) brings together our expertise across every stage of the long and complex process of vaccine research, development, and delivery to make lifesaving vaccines widely available to children and communities across the world. CVIA’s current portfolio encompasses more than two dozen vaccines either in development or already in use to protect against 15 different diseases. Our focus is on vaccines to address the leading diseases that claim children’s lives worldwide: pneumonia, diarrheal disease, and malaria; as well as other global health priorities, such as polio and meningitis. We work in partnership with national health ministries, pharmaceutical manufacturers, donors, international financing and regulatory organizations, and many others. PATH has led numerous global partnerships, including the award-winning Meningitis Vaccine Project and the Malaria Vaccine Initiative, which helped develop the first malaria vaccine candidate recommended for pilot implementation.

Policy, Access, and Introduction (PAI) supports the integration of vaccines for public health impact and disease control in developing countries. We focus on activities that facilitate vaccine introduction and widespread use in national immunization programs, such as determining disease burden, conducting clinical trials, establishing the health economics of vaccine use, raising awareness of disease burden and the impact of vaccination, increasing availability of technologies through licensing and commercialization, and advocating for appropriate policies. In addition, we implement activities that improve the accessibility of high-quality immunization services, including training, supervision, health information systems, and immunization safety, logistics, and communications.

PAI is currently recruiting for a Senior Program Officer to lead and support vaccine implementation programs across Africa and Asia. As a public health expert and vaccine implementation leader, the Officer will provide leadership to ongoing efforts within PATH’s current portfolio, as well as development and cultivation of new opportunities. The initial priorities include leadership of a global typhoid vaccine implementation program, and support for African regional immunization projects. The SPO will engage closely with all program stakeholders including ministries of health, partners, and PATH staff across the organization to ensure successful achievement of project and program goals.

We seek candidates with who are experts in immunization programs and systems to help design, implement and monitor strategies that protect children from vaccine-preventable diseases across some of the highest risk areas of Africa and Asia. Background and experience in epidemiology is highly desirable. The Senior Program Officer will work closely with project teams within PAI, as well as PATH’s country office staff across other programs. The position will be based in Africa and will require up to 30% domestic and international travel.

Responsibilities

Vaccine Implementation

• Lead PATH’s typhoid vaccine implementation team including:
• Management of activity leads for country introduction, health economics, and advocacy and communications sub-teams.
• Primary representative for PATH’s team within the Consortium partnership.
• Provide input to team on technical matters related to vaccine introduction and system preparedness for vaccine implementation.
• Assist team in preparing technical documents, reports, and manuscripts for self-publication, multimedia outlets, and peer-reviewed journals.
• Liaison to global stakeholders WHO, Gavi, UNICEF, and USCDC.
• Prepare and deliver scientific and programmatic presentations to NITAGs and other advisory groups to MOHs as needed for country introduction.
• Present findings from project work at international, regional, and national meetings as required.
• Provide technical and programmatic expertise for vaccine introduction work that may include Japanese encephalitis, rotavirus, meningitis, HPV, among others.
• Engage regularly with key stakeholders at global, regional and country levels, including health ministries, NGO partners, UN agencies, manufacturers and others as relevant.
• Assist vaccine teams in preparing technical documents, reports, and manuscripts for PATH materials, multimedia outlets, and peer-reviewed journals.
• Present project work and findings to local and international stakeholders.
• Regularly engage with other PATH project staff to discuss relevant program and country support activities.
• Leverage an understanding of the immunization landscape and trends to develop new opportunities for work that will have impact in low and middle-income countries (LMIC’s).

Immunization system strengthening

• Support Ministries of Health, WHO, and other partners to build capacity for delivering routine immunization, introducing new vaccines, and reaching vulnerable populations. Design and oversee monitoring and evaluation of vaccine programs, provide technical assistance and regional or country-based leadership for efforts that include a broad array of technologies and programmatic solutions for immunization programs.
• Incorporate routine immunization services and strategies into national and sub-national plans for primary health care services; includes strategic planning, M&E.
• Pandemic response: provide strategic guidance to PATH Country Directors, PAI staff, and others for supporting countries in planning, introducing and scaling-up COVID-19 vaccines.

Immunization systems and epidemiologic research

• Contribute to developing strategies for generating and synthesizing research evidence to support decision-making for vaccine introduction and implementation.
• Support the design and advancement of post-licensure clinical vaccine studies including those evaluating the field effectiveness, safety, and impact of vaccines.

Required Skills

Required Experience

• A minimum of an advanced degree (PhD or MD preferred) in public health, epidemiology, medicine, or related field with at least five (5) years of relevant work experience in public health; experience working in the field of immunization in developing countries is required. MPH/MSc/MSPH with a minimum of 10+ years of relevant work experience also acceptable. Direct experience working with governments, national policy makers, and international organizations, including the World Health Organization, Gavi, and/or UNICEF is required.
• Demonstrated leadership and project/program management skills as evidenced by planning, developing, and managing a complex vaccine implementation or research project.
• Ability to establish collaborative and working relationships with representatives/officials of government agencies, universities and other research institutions and organizations, professional groups, advocacy groups, volunteer organizations, the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry, etc.
• Experience conducting vaccine clinical or epidemiological research, particularly related to post-licensure evaluation, in low-income settings in Africa is preferred.
• Ability to apply a high degree of initiative and resourcefulness to resolve conflicts and remain effective in ambiguous situations in which little or no precedent has been set.
• Open, engaging, and transparent work style. Comfortable with differing opinions with the ability to express one's point of view, negotiate, and resolve conflict effectively.
• Able to work effectively within existing organizational structures and interact with individuals with diverse expertise.
• Global perspective and mindset; ability to work effectively with colleagues from a myriad of cultures, backgrounds, and geographies.
• Fluency in English required. Competency in French desirable.
• Demonstrated skills in writing scientific reports and evidence summaries for global or national policy making bodies, governments, stakeholders, and non-technical audiences.
• Highly effective communicator, excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong interpersonal and presentation skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and other information processing software.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally, up to 30% time.

Must have legal authorization to work in the United States.

PATH is dedicated to building an inclusive workforce where diversity is valued.

PATH is an equal opportunity employer. Every qualified applicant will be considered for employment. PATH does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, age, national origin, marital status, disability status, political ideology, military or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law