State Technical Advisor for COVID Vaccine Roll Out At Palladium in Sokoto State Nigeria

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Palladium is a global leader in the design, development and delivery of Positive Impact - the intentional creation of enduring social and economic value. We work with foundations, investors, governments, corporations, communities and civil society to formulate strategies and implement solutions that generate lasting social, environmental and financial benefits.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: State Technical Advisor for COVID Vaccine Roll Out

Locations: Abuja (FCT), Bauchi, Kebbi, Sokoto and Ebonyi

Project Overview and Role

• Palladium is seeking 5 consultants for the State Technical Advisor for COVID Vaccine Roll Out position for the USAID-funded Integrated Health Program.
• The Consultants will be based in Bauchi, Kebbi, Sokoto, Ebonyi and FCT. The period of performance will be 6-12 months.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead a small team of IHP state COVID Vaccine Roll Out consultants (Communications Advisor and Data Management Advisor) under the leadership of the IHP State Director, the IHP Deputy Chief of Party and the IHP Chief of Party.
• Provide technical, policy and strategic planning support to the leadership of state COVID Vaccine Task Force for the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines approved by the stringent regulatory authority.
• Provide technical support to the State Commissioner of Health, the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, and State Ministry of Health to strengthen coordination for the rollout of COVID-19 vaccine throughout the State. This will include provision of technical support for the development of financial and budgetary management, communication, and information system, of COVID-19 vaccine deployment plans.
• Participate in meetings of State Emergency Task Force for COVID Vaccine Roll Out Coordination and take lead in follow up actions for IHP as requested.
• Identify emerging priority policy and strategic issues from the COVID Vaccine Roll out Management meetings, and initiate follow up actions in consultation with the ES of the SPHCDA, ES of the SMOH and the Commissioner of Health, and other senior staff of SERICC, and provide feedback to the NPHCDA as requested.
• Provide expert support to strengthen coordination and synergy of the State Emergency Task Force for the COVID Vaccine Roll out activities with activities supported by donors, multilateral organizations, NGOs, and other key stakeholders at the state, LGA and ward levels.
• Participate in multi-stakeholder technical and policy working groups with a particular focus on planning and deployment of COVID-19 vaccine in the State.
• Strengthen system for exchange of technical information, providing expert technical guidance and identify opportunities for technical and programmatic partnerships and collaboration for effective implementation of the COVID-19 vaccination with focus on communication, information system, financial and budgetary management of vaccine deployment plan.
• Actively participate in the development of plans and approaches for the deployment of COVID-19 vaccine at the State, LGA and ward levels and keep the Commissioner of Health abreast of the progress made on priority topics especially those related with communication, information system and implementation areas.
• Review priority strategy documents for COVID-19 vaccine rollout and ensure that the Commissioner’s office is updated on the changes, revisions, and improvements in these documents. Support review of policy briefs and other priority technical documents.
• Review the vaccine deployment data and prepare short reports and executive summaries.
• Prepare weekly bullets, quarterly reports and an annual report of activities, achievements and challenges with solutions as per template provided by IHP leadership or USAID.
• Develop an annual IHP workplan with detailed implementation plans and budgets for COVID Vaccine Roll out as per IHP and USAID guidance.
• Provide technical support in collaboration with other key stakeholders to the ES of the SPHCDA on the next steps and decision making of the vaccine rollout plans at State, LGA and ward levels with special focus on communication, information system and implementation.
• Collaborate with relevant departments of SPHCDA, SMOH and SERICC and follow up to ensure high level inputs are incorporated in the policies and plans for deployment of COVID-19 vaccine.
• Monitor, collect, and collate information on international best practices in the deployment of COVID-19 vaccine and support its rapid adaptation to the local context in collaboration with relevant MDAs.
• Work closely with other IHP experts to support the SPHCDA and State Ministry of Health.

Required Qualifications

• Health professional at doctoral level such as Doctor of Medicine, PhD or equivalent, with a Master of Public Health, Public Health Policies or equivalent from recognized universities.
• At least 10 years of working at senior level with national or international organizations.
•  At least 3 years of working with vaccination programs or emergency response programs with similar scale and intensity.
• Demonstrated knowledge of the Nigerian health system and at least 3 years’ experience of working for or with the health system. Knowledge and expertise in epidemics, vaccines, planning, health management, health financing, health policy and working with the public sector highly desired.
• Prior experience with the policies and strategies of the NPHCDA, SPHCDA or State ministries of health.
• Demonstrated experience in senior level engagement with proven expertise, that can provide the Commissioner of Health, ES SPHCDA, and ES State Ministry of Health with advice on all the areas related to the vaccine plan, elaboration of technical documents to support the policy, planning and decision making around the national plan, and provide daily and weekly reports on the status of the plan advancement.
• Excellent English written and verbal communication skills.
• Bilingual English and Hausa (for Bauchi, Kebbi and Sokoto).

Key Result Areas:

• Improved coordination among departments and key stakeholders responsible for deployment of COVID-19 vaccine with emphasis on communication, risk management, information system, and implementation.  
• Increased alignment of Senior Management priorities with priorities reflected in policies, strategies and plans developed by the relevant departments.
• Share other state and global best practices in the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines.
• Keep USAID Nigeria well informed of the progress with the deployment of COVID-19 vaccines in the state.
• Essential coordination structures between key stakeholders in place and improved.

Key Deliverables:

• Weekly executive summary reports developed and submitted to the Commissioner, the ES SPHCDA and SERICC.
• Monthly and quarterly reports submitted on time on key activities the IHP COVID Vaccine team (the three state level consultants) have undertaken to support COVID vaccine roll out by the IHP COVID team to the SPHCDA, IHP and USAID.
• Trip reports submitted to IHP.
• Evidence (copy) of policy briefs, non-confidential high-level recommendations, and other senior level advice to IHP as part of the monthly report.
• Reports, policy briefs and presentations as requested.