JSI is a US-based public health nonprofit organization committed to delivering high-quality technical and managerial assistance programs worldwide. With over 25 years of experience in Ethiopia, JSI has implemented over 60 projects, focusing on improving health outcomes, quality, and equity in access to reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCAH) services. JSI has actively contributed to various areas, including primary health care, community health programs, digital health, health information systems (HIS), supply chain management, public health emergency responses, and social and behavior change.

Overview

Over the past years, John Snow Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) has provided technical assistance to Ethiopia's Ministry of Health (MoH) to strengthen the national and sub-national immunization systems, with a focus on identifying and reaching zero-dose and under-immunized children, reaching more eligible populations with life course vaccines especially in hard to reach populations and introduction of new vaccines. With technical support from JSI and other immunization partners, the MoH has been implementing various strategies to identify and reach zero dose and under-immunized children, provided vaccines that are administered in the second year of life and beyond childhood vaccinations (MCV 2, HPV and COVID vaccines) and introduced new vaccines that contribute to the prevention of high burden diseases in the country. Special strategies are needed to provide these services to eligible populations, including integration of services, in order to reach more communities. MoH identified a need for ongoing technical assistance at the national level to support new vaccine introduction, provision of vaccines administered in the second year of life and beyond, and reduce the number of zero dose and under-immunized children through the delivery of integrated services to improve efficiency, regularity and/or reliability of planned immunization activities and reduce gender

Through funding from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, JSI will provide technical assistance on routine immunization to Central Ethiopia and South West Ethiopia RHBs. JSI is hiring a Regional Immunization Advisor (RIA) to be based in the Regional Health Bureau (RHB) of South Ethiopia and Central Ethiopia regions to provide technical assistance on immunization to the RHB. 

Activity Overview

The RIA will provide TA to the RHB to Improve service quality and user experience of immunization services, including bringing a strong gender lens. The RIA will provide support and technical assistance for South Ethiopia and Central Ethiopia regional health Bureaus on the identification of zero doses and under-immunized children, reaching and monitoring children in prioritized woredas with high numbers of zero-dose children. He /she will be seconded to the CE or SE RHB. The RIA will provide day-to-day support to the RHBs EPI team for the responsibilities described below.

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Work with the RHB to analyze their situation and identify the needs relating to Zero dose children and under-vaccinated children

• Develop an integrated RI plan to address the identified needs in consultation with the RHBs and other partners. 

• Provide technical support to catch up vaccination planning and implementation through community-based approaches

• Provide technical assistance to the mapping of zero-dose, under-immunized children and missed communities

• Support during Micro-planning in selected high-priority woredas

• Provide technical assistance to data analysis to monitor the zero-dose children reached in each priority woredas and provide regular feedback.

• provide technical support in any demand creation activities especially advocacy by designing tailored materials to the context using local data, and awareness creation to address barriers for RI, including gender-related barriers

•  Provide support for the planning, implementation, and monitoring of any new vaccine introduction and switch (IPV2, Rotasiil, Yellow fever, and scale up of Hep B BD)

• Provide technical support in the micro plan, implementation, conducting rapid convince survey during Measles SIA campaigns

• Support planning, implementation, and monitoring of COVID-19 and HPV vaccinations in the low performed areas and other places  

• Support and monitor vaccine stock availability in woredas and health facilities  

• Support the preparation and cofacilitation of TWG meetings regularly 

• Provide technical support for measles SIA RCS activities and RI 

• Cofacilitate capacity-building activities related to immunization service through trainings, mentorship and advocacy meetings

• Provide ongoing technical support to RHB and sub-regional level in monitoring of immunization service delivery and catch up through supportive supervisory visits, review meetings and use of immunization data for timely decision making.

• Coordinate regularly with JSI national and regional staff to facilitate project implementation and provide progress updates

• Regularly provide updates and reports on performance 

• Contribute to RHB, MoH and JSI-required project reports or other information required

• Perform other assignments and responsibilities as assigned by RHB and JSI

Job Requirements

• Master of public health (MPH) or other equivalent qualifications with first degree in health related areas

• Minimum of eight years working experience in immunization and public health. Should have at least five years of experience on routine immunization and other RMNCH experience 

• Demonstrated experience working within the region and familiarity with the region

• Proven ability to use adult learning techniques to facilitate trainings, supportive supervision and technical assistance 

• Strong organizational, management and communication skills to collaborate partners and decision makers at the national, regional, zonal and woreda level

• Demonstrated ability to be a team player, to lead teams, and to organize multiple activities simultaneously; ability to communicate and negotiate competing demands on time from managers and work effectively with distributed teams. 

• Computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power point, and familiarity with DHIS2

• Fluency in English and Amharic; Fluency in the regional language is a strong asset 

• Willingness and ability to travel up to 40% of the time to regions, zones, and woredas

How to Apply

Interested applicants who met the minimum requirements should send and apply using THIS LINK. Please submit your application letter with your CV in English detailing your experience and skills that are relevant to the post.

Please do not attach copies of your transcripts, academic degrees or recommendation letters with the application. You will provide them upon request.

JSI/WEI is a child-safe organization, and the safety and well-being of children is a priority of our organization. We have robust recruitment procedures to ensure that all staff are suited to work with the children served by our programs.

JSI/WEI is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer committed to workplace divejorsity. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified applicants and employees without regard to age, race, color, national origin, ancestry, creed, religion, gender, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, sexual preference, genetic information, political affiliation, or protected veteran status in any employment decisions. M/F/V/D