Early Infant Diagnosis (EID) Coordinator Job at The Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF)

EGPAF Kenya is looking to recruit a National EID Coordinator to be based in Nairobi and who will work closely with NASCOP. The EID coordinator will be stationed 50% of the time at EGPAF/Kenya and 50% at NASCOP in order to ensure close collaboration and alignment between the two entities.

Job Summary

Through a grant from UNITAID, EGPAF will introduce and scale-up innovative point-of-care (POC) early infant diagnosis (EID) in 9 countries, including Kenya. The project will result in increased pediatric HIV diagnosis and early initiation of ART for HIV-infected infants, increased pediatric ARV coverage, and improved survival of HIV-positive infants. At the country level, this project is led by the Country Implementation Lead working under the Country Director. The overall project is coordinated by the global team based in Geneva and Washington, DC.

POC EID is a new technology that has not yet been scaled up for wind scale program use in Kenya. As part of EGPAF’s UNITAID-funded project, EGPAF will generate evidence on the impact, effectiveness, and costs associated with the utilization of POC EID. A critical part of this project will be to study the impact of POC EID on patient outcomes. This evidence will be critical to informing future scale-up of POC EID in the nine countries and beyond.

Reporting to the UNITAID Project Country Implementation Manager and a dotted line to the PMTCT program manager at NASCOP, the National EID Coordinator will be responsible for providing coordination, technical, leadership and management support to implementation of EID services at National level. S/he will be responsible for monitoring the early infant diagnosis (ED) scale up and implementation strategy at national level, s/he will also be participating in EID impact study activities. S/he will also supervise and direct appropriate EID monitoring and evaluation activities to assure quality implementation to the project.

Key Responsibilities.

• Provide technical support to the Ministry of Health to assess and map the existing EID network in country;

• Identify appropriate facilities for the introduction of POC EID, as part of the effort to optimize the pediatric cascade;

• Assist the Ministry of Health in the development of POC testing policies and National implementation plans, and the creation of operational systems to support the wide-scale implementation of new POC diagnostic products, such as training, quality assurance, and data management

• Support human resource planning, annual work plan and budget planning and monitoring, use of data for decision making and ensuring achievement of program results;

• Ensure ongoing programmatic excellence by providing, facilitating or coordinating high quality technical, programmatic, and management support to national partners

• Support development of appropriate country specific systems to ensure consistent, high-quality project management;

• Represent EGPAF Kenya in national and county POC TWGs to further implementation and roll out of POC platforms

• Assist in the data collection, analysis and preparation of reports, Assist in monitoring and evaluationactivitiesas needed, assist in development of work plans and proposal preparations.

• Liaise and develop strong working relationships with key stakeholders in government and technical partners to ensure coordination and sustainability of resources and efforts.

• Lead the development and implementation of transition plans for the UNITAID-funded point-of-care EID project.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience: 

• The candidate should hold a Bachelor Degree in Nursing or Diploma in Clinical Medicine. A Master’s degree in a relevant degree will be an added advantage

• A minimum of 5 years’ experience in a demanding, results-oriented environment managing large PMTCT/ EID programs.

• Knowledge and experience working with the MOH (NASCOP) and the County Government

• Excellent problem solving, analytical and quantitative skills, including proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint

• Possess the ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, set priorities, and work independently

• Willingness to travel in 60% of time.