PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity. With more than 40 years of experience forging multisector partnerships, and with expertise in science, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales up innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing health challenges.

We accelerate innovation across five platforms—vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, devices, and system and service innovations—that harness our entrepreneurial insight, scientific and public health expertise, and passion for health equity. By mobilizing partners around the world, we take innovation to scale, working alongside countries primarily in Africa and Asia to tackle their greatest health needs. Together, we deliver measurable results that disrupt the cycle of poor health. Since 2007, PATH has collaborated with Ethiopia’s Federal Ministry of Health (MoH), Regional Health Bureaus (RHBs), community groups, and other partners to strengthen the country’s public health systems and address the most pressing health threats, including malaria, tuberculosis, and vaccine-preventable disease. We implement high-impact, evidence-based, sustainable programs to support those most at risk.

PATH Ethiopia office in collaboration with the Global Policy, Access and Introduction team is now looking for Regional Technical Advisor for Oromia region. The person in this position will provide technical assistance to PATH colleagues, Oromia Regional Health Bureau (ORHB), and other stakeholders to advance a portfolio of vaccine introduction-related projects related to Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines.

The Regional Technical Advisor will report to the Senior Technical Advisor based in Addis Ababa office and expected to work closely with the global HPV and regional immunization teams. The Regional Technical Advisor is expected to mainly provide technical support to ORHB on the regional scale up and rollout of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) effort and hand in hand provide technical assistance for the introduction of other new vaccines as per the national and regional plan.

Major Duties of the Senior Technical Officer

• Provide Technical Assistance to the Oromia regional Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) to support implementation, improvements, and routinization of HPV vaccinations in the regional program.
• Support the integration of HPV vaccination program with Education and youth and adolescent sexual and reproductive health services in the HFs
• In collaboration with the Oromia EPI program and other partners in the region, provide trainings, capacity building, and technical support in areas of infection prevention and control, immunization practices, service provision, data reporting, risk communication, demand generation, and other activities that facilitate high coverage of HPV vaccine.
• Provide technical assistance to the planning and activities in Oromia region necessary for the Ethiopia multi-age cohort vaccination campaign (MAC), in collaboration with CHAI.
• Provide comment and content on drafts of the landscape analysis relevant to Ethiopia for the HPV Vaccine Acceleration Program Partners Initiative (HAPPI) phase 2 proposal.
• Serve as a focal person for PATH’s HPV vaccine-related work in the region.
• Ensure close and complementary coordination with key EPI partners, such as CHAI, JSI, CDC, and UNICEF, at regional, zonal and woreda levels to improve HPV uptake and coverage routine immunization performance.
• Coordinate the regional support provided by PATH to EPI in close consultation with the ARHB.
• Work closely and collaboratively with other EPI partners in the region in providing support for HPV vaccine delivery.
• Actively engage in internal and external team meetings and teleconferences to provide regional updates, discuss on issues, and identify solutions.
• Stay current with latest technical knowledge/experience regarding HPV vaccine introduction, and other new vaccines of the investment portfolio of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
• Properly communicate/report results of technical assistance to the senior technical advisor and global HPV team.
• Participate in the PATH-wide HPV Technical Assistance (TA) team activities, such as regular teleconferences, email collaborations, face to face meetings, sharing of experiences and information, etc.
• Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor.
• Travel domestically, regionally and/or internationally, as required.

 Contract Duration 1 year

Required Experience

• First degree with health sciences (public health, Nursing, or Environmental Health) and master’s degree in Public Health, Nursing, or Social Sciences or related field, from a reputed institute.
• Minimum 5 years of relevant work experience in vaccines and immunization with demonstrated skills in new vaccine introduction & implementation.
• Demonstrated experience in employing epidemiological and operational skills in planning and programing rollout of health program with particular emphasis to immunization and new vaccine implementation.
• In-depth knowledge of immunization systems and country immunization programs.
• Specific knowledge of the structure and operations of the Expanded Program on Immunization desirable.
• Knowledge of HPV and cervical cancer epidemiology, HPV vaccines, and reproductive health in developing country contexts.
• Demonstrated ability to conduct support program planning and evaluation preferably with vaccination programs.
• Excellent analytical, communication, presentation and report writing skills.
• Excellent skills in facilitation, team building and coordination.
• Fluency in English and local regional language.
• Proficiency in MS Office suite, Word, PowerPoint, and SharePoint.
• Strong interpersonal and organizational skills.