Program Officer, Expanded Program in Immunization (EPI)

The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to our mission of saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries. We work at the invitation of governments to support them and the private sector to create and sustain high-quality health systems. 

CHAI was founded in 2002 in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic with the goal of dramatically reducing the price of life-saving drugs and increasing access to these medicines in the countries with the highest burden of the disease. Over the following two decades, CHAI has expanded its focus. Today, along with HIV, we work in conjunction with our partners to prevent and treat infectious diseases such as COVID-19, malaria, tuberculosis, and hepatitis. Our work has also expanded into cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases, and we work to accelerate the rollout of lifesaving vaccines, reduce maternal and child mortality, combat chronic malnutrition, and increase access to assistive technology. We are investing in horizontal approaches to strengthen health systems through programs in human resources for health, digital health, and health financing. With each new and innovative program, our strategy is grounded in maximizing sustainable impact at scale, ensuring that governments lead the solutions, that programs are designed to scale nationally, and learnings are shared globally.  

At CHAI, our people are our greatest asset, and none of this work would be possible without their talent, time, dedication and passion for our mission and values. We are a highly diverse team of enthusiastic individuals across 40 countries with a broad range of skillsets and life experiences. CHAI is deeply grounded in the countries we work in, with majority of our staff based in program countries. Learn more about our exciting work: http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org

CHAI is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and is committed to providing an environment of fairness, and mutual respect where all applicants have access to equal employment opportunities. CHAI values diversity and inclusion, and recognizes that our mission is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people with diverse experience, backgrounds, and culture.

Position Description

The Program Officer - EPI position is a secondment position to National Expanded Program on Immunization – EPI under Population and Family Health Service branch, National Department of Health. The Program Officer - EPI will oversee and coordinate Vaccine cold chain management and  ensure an effective Vaccine Management system is maintained throughout PNG through procurement, training and supporting staff that are provincially based and located in area medical stores in standard guidelines and routine maintenance  and to provide capacity building support including planning, logistics, guidance, advice and technical support to regional, provincial and district based health staff in order to build their capacity to implement and monitor routine immunization and supplementary immunization activities (SIA).

The position requires a high level of self-direction, coordinating internal and external teams and will be reporting to the CHAI Vaccine Program Manager and National EPI Manager. The Program Officer - EPI will be accountable and responsible for the key functions listed below:

• Support and participate in planning, setting of targets and budgeting for EPI activities.
• Support in monitoring of EPI performance at the national and sub national level.
• Support EPI program in vaccines forecasting and quantification, ordering, procurement, and distribution across the country.
• Support the EPI program in writing proposals for vaccine introductions and other sustainable immunization financing concepts.
• Participate in building capacity of health workers in knowledge and skills, developing/updating EPI standards, supervision, data management.
• Ensure all EPI policies, guidelines; training and IEC materials are current and consistent with international standards of effective delivery of services.
• Ensure all reporting from Program Officers are submitted to a professional standard and finalize reports for CHAI, WHO, UNICEF, NDoH and other parties in a timely manner.

• Develop an Annual Activity Plan along with budget for submission and implement program of effort in a timely manner.
• Drive internal strategic planning and oversee the development and implementation of the Vaccines program work plans and program operations and administration of multi-million-dollar grant funding including planning, monitoring and reporting progress to national and global stakeholders.
• Build capacity of provincial and district-based health worker on EPI standards and guidelines with a focus on cold chain management and overall vaccine management.
• Support the EPI program manager in managing the day-to-day EPI operations as needed.
• Manage relationships with a network of other partners operating in the vaccines space in PNG, providing strategic and technical input, proactively identifying opportunities and synergies with CHAI work.
• Work closely with the EPI Program Manager to gather input and ensure alignment and buy in across all programmatic activities, as well as coaching and providing input across a broader range of vaccines issues.
• Work directly with the PNG NMS Vaccines Manager on all vaccine supplies related programmatic activities, ensuring alignment and collaboration with EPI as well as providing broader advice and input on EVM.
• Identify strategic areas for expansion or redirection and guide strategic planning, proposal development for fundraising opportunities as needed.
• Undertake any additional work as directed by the National EPI Manager and provide regular feedback and updates as required.

Performance Outcomes include:

• Quarterly review of performance against the outlined roles and responsibilities with the National EPI Manager and CHAI Vaccine Program Manager.
• Well updated Vaccine Management System at National and Provincial level.
• Feedback provided regularly to PHAs through report on immunization coverage and recommendation for improvement.

• Masters’ degree with a minimum of 2 years of work experience or Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 4 years of work experience in public health and health systems strengthening
• Experience in planning and implementation of large-scale projects, including strategy development, budgeting and activities planning and prioritization
• Able to think strategically, handle ambiguity, and problem solve in a fast-paced, limited-structure and multicultural environment
• Managing numerous work streams simultaneously in fluid, high-pressure environments
• Building and maintaining collaborative, senior-level relationships in a cross-cultural context; working and achieving consensus among multiple stakeholders
• Experience working with government bodies
• Excellent analytical (qualitative and quantitative) skills, including attention to detail
• Excellent communication (written and verbal) skills, including the ability to prepare and present compelling presentations and program planning and memo documents
• Knowledge and experience in promoting the use of rigorous data for decision making
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, proficiency in other software for data collection, analysis and/or visualization  an asset
• Fluency in English

Advantages:

• Experience in vaccines, maternal and child health and/or health financing
• Experience working in resource-limited settings

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