LEAP Program Description

Global Solutions Ventures (GSV) – a joint-venture partnership between ZemiTek, LLC and Dexis Consulting Group – is implementing the Long-term Exceptional Technical Assistance Project (LEAP Global), a mechanism originally used by USAID to battle against infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, and pandemic influenza. As of July 1, 2025, LEAP Global transitioned to the U.S. Department of State (DOS). This initiative aims to address the complex human resource challenges faced by national infectious disease programs in the USA-supported countries.

The intervention of this project is to hire and embed technical expert advisors and subject matter experts within government entities. By directly embedding the technical expertise within the national programs, LEAP provides long-term, sustainable lifesaving support to empower host governments to lead and manage key aspects of their infectious disease portfolios and improve coordination between the U.S. Government and the host country.

About the Position

The Senior Public Health HIV Technical Advisor will be based at the Benin National AIDS Control Program within the Ministry of Health (MOH). This position will also provide support to neighboring Togo and will accommodate up to 20% Level of Effort (LOE) for Togo. Periodic travel to Togo may be required.

The Senior Public Health HIV Technical Advisor will support the Ministry of Health (MOH) through the National AIDS Control Program (NACP) in carrying out life-saving humanitarian assistance (LHA) service delivery in full alignment with the new Presidential Executive Order (EO) directives.  The primary focus of the Advisor will be to provide technical leadership and strategic guidance in the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of HIV/AIDS carrying out life-saving health assistance (LHA) in full alignment with Presidential Executive Order (EO) directives and the America First Global Health Strategy. The primary focus of the Advisor will be technical leadership to ensure the successful implementation of cost-effective, lifesaving direct service delivery for HIV prevention, care and treatment.  The Advisor will serve as a liaison for the Department of State and USG in engagements with the Benin NACP, international organizations, and donor agencies to ensure coordinated and effective program delivery.

Overall Objective of Assignment:

The Senior Public Health HIV Technical Advisor will serve as a technical advisor in strategic planning, budgeting, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of HIV/AIDS portfolio. The Advisor will serve as an in-house subject matter leader on HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Treatment and serve as a liaison for the Department of State and USG in policy, strategic, and technical engagements with the host-country Ministry of Health (MOH)/ National AIDS Control Program (NACP) amongst others, U.S. Government (USG) interagency, international, and bilateral organizations, and donor agencies to address technical issues and coordinate efforts in implementation of  HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Treatment activities. Work may include serving as a Project Manager for significant and targeted interventions, providing technical assistance to the appropriate host-country Ministry in the development of host-country policies, design and implementation plans. The Advisor will work with the host government and other donors to ensure a well-coordinated approach to HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Treatment.

Responsibilities

Support to the Ministry of Health (MoH)/National AIDS Control Program (NACP) (35%)

Program Planning and Implementation

• Lead the development, review, and dissemination of key programmatic documents, including the National HIV & AIDS Strategic Plan, ensuring alignment with national health objectives.
• Support the coordination of HIV services across the service delivery continuum at national and subnational level
• Provide technical support to scale up interventions by participating in fieldwork and supportive supervision of healthcare workers to improve delivery of programmatic and clinical HIV interventions at national and sub-national levels.
• Offer clinical HIV Care and Treatment recommendations to MoH/ NACP, ensuring evidence-based practices are adopted ensuring alignment with host Governments, US and broader global health best practices.
• Provide technical and programmatic leadership to strengthen the design, implementation and scale up of integrated HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Treatment service delivery strategies across primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities with a focus on decentralization, task shifting and continuity of comprehensive care.

Performance Monitoring and Evaluation

• Monitor and analyze program implementation against established indicators, identifying performance gaps and barriers. Provide actionable recommendations to improve service delivery and patient outcomes.
• Collaborate with technical advisors and MOH staff to institutionalize and scale up quality improvement initiatives for HIV/AIDS Prevention, Care and Treatment services.
• Facilitate routine reviews, including service delivery processes, program reviews, and Data Quality Assessments, ensuring evidence-based adjustments to strategies and operational plans.
• Promote the integration and effective use of routine HIV/AIDS data systems inclusive of the effective harmonization across the continuum of care to strengthen evidence-based decision and system strengthening activities.

Partner Coordination and Resource Management

• Serve as the technical liaison for DoS to NACP, MoH, Global Fund, and other stakeholders to harmonize technical approaches and health systems performance across the HIV/AIDS portfolio.
• Contribute to the joint planning, reviews and coordination platforms to ensure harmonized implementation across the health sector to enhance patient centered and integrated care and reduced duplication of efforts.
• Strengthen resource mobilization by supporting Global Fund grant applications, workplans, and implementation reviews, ensuring alignment with grant objectives.
• Document and disseminate best practices and innovations to expand the impact of successful HIV/AIDS strategies nationwide.
• Collaborate with national and subnational stakeholders to strengthen pre-service and in service training curricula, job aids and standard operating procedures that promote integration of HIV/AIDS services.

Support to the Department of State (DoS) Health Assistance Office (65%)

Technical Assistance for Effective HIV/AIDS Project Implementation

• Provide technical guidance for the HIV/AIDS portfolio, ensuring alignment with U.S. government global health strategy and Benin and Togo’s National HIV/AIDS Program strategies.
• Shape program design by developing performance frameworks and budgets that prioritize life-saving HIV services.
• Review implementing partners’ workplans and progress reports to ensure compliance with program strategies and optimize service delivery.
• Monitor program performance (identifying gap and bottle necks) and support continuous quality improvements to strengthen data driven solutions to strengthen integrated delivery of HIV/AIDS services.
• Conduct site visits and field assessments to verify programmatic data and observe project implementation, providing direct feedback to the DoS office.
• Produce high-quality documentation, including briefing notes, portfolio summaries, and technical reports, to synthesize progress, highlight achievements, and outline challenges with actionable recommendations.

Technical Assistance to the DoS Team

• Provide strategic guidance on HIV/AIDS prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and programmatic management, ensuring alignment with evolving policies and regulatory environments.
• Mentor and support the DoS team and implementing partners in program design and results-based management to enhance decision-making.
• Monitor national HIV/AIDS policy developments, ensuring U.S. government investments remain consistent with NASCP priorities, the National Strategic Plan, and global 95-95-95 goals.
• Facilitate stakeholder engagement with NACP/MOH, Global Fund, civil society, and other partners to harmonize programming and strengthen collaboration.
• Serve as liaison for DOS to strengthen efficiency and expand the capacity of Benin and Togo’s health systems (governance, coordination, logistics and data use) to improve and deliver sustainable health systems improvements for comprehensive and integrated HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment.

DELIVERABLES:

1. Meeting Reports: Submit detailed reports from key meetings with MOH, interagency groups, technical working groups (TWGs), donors, and implementing partners. Reports should include actionable recommendations and follow-up plans.
2. Weekly Updates: Provide concise weekly updates to the DoS Team Lead or designee, summarizing key activities, progress, and challenges.
3. Monthly Performance Reports: Deliver comprehensive monthly reports summarizing program achievements, challenges, and data-driven recommendations for improvement. Include quantitative metrics such as the number of patients reached, interventions scaled, or quality improvement initiatives implemented.
4. Field Visit Reports: Conduct and document at least two field visits per month, providing detailed assessments of program implementation, data quality, and service delivery outcomes.
5. Technical Guidance Documents: Develop and submit at least three technical guidance documents or policy briefs per quarter, addressing critical gaps or emerging issues in HIV/AIDS programming.
6. Knowledge Sharing Outputs: Document and disseminate at least five best practices, innovations, or effective models annually to enhance program impact and inform stakeholders.

REPORTING:

The Senior Public Health HIV Technical Advisor will provide a detailed monthly report to the U.S. Department of State, submitted by the 5th day of the following month. Additionally, the Advisor will submit a weekly progress report to the U.S. Department of State (and participate in weekly calls) to include a short paragraph about main successes for that week. The format for reporting may be adjusted with concurrence from the COR.

SUPERVISION:

In addition to your LEAP Global supervisors and POCs, Senior Public Health HIV Advisor will report to the Senior Project Management Specialist in Benin and his/her designee and has no formal supervisory responsibility.  Incumbents may also have an onsite manager/supervisor, the NACP Coordinator, department and or agency who will provide day-to-day direction defined in the roles and responsibilities above.   

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or local equivalent from an accredited program in Public Health, International Development, Health, Social or Behavioral Sciences, Epidemiology, Biology, Infectious Disease, Medicine, Pharmacy, or immunization.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive progressively responsible experience in the field of public health programming in developing or middle-income countries, with a preferred focus on HIV/AIDS and other public health disease management, or public health program management in Benin or similar contexts.
• Minimum 2 years’ direct experience providing strategic direction or managing field and or USG PEPFAR/HIV prevention, testing, diagnosis, treatment, initiation, retention, and viral suppression programs.
• Fluency in French and professional proficiency in English.
• Proven leadership in designing, implementing, and evaluating HIV programs at scale.
• Strong experience engaging with Ministry of Health, with or for bilateral or multilateral donors/stakeholders such as the Global Fund, UN agencies, or national-level public sector projects and ensuring compliance with U.S. Government rules and regulations.
• Knowledge of disease control initiatives and HIV interventions.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and team management skills.
• Excellent written and oral communication in English; proficiency in relevant local language(s) is an advantage.
• Good computer skills, including familiarity with Microsoft Office programs is preferred.
• Prior experience working in Benin.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with DOS and/or PEPFAR projects is an advantage.
• Experience with DOS-funded public health programs
• Relevant technical experience working in Benin/Togo and knowledge of local culture is a plus.

LEAP Program Description

Global Solutions Ventures (GSV) – a joint-venture partnership between ZemiTek, LLC and Dexis Consulting Group – is implementing the Long-term Exceptional Technical Assistance Project (LEAP Global), a mechanism originally used by USAID to battle against infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, and pandemic influenza. As of July 1, 2025, LEAP Global transitioned to the U.S. Department of State (DOS). This initiative aims to address the complex human resource challenges faced by national infectious disease programs in the USA-supported countries.

The intervention of this project is to hire and embed technical expert advisors and subject matter experts within government entities. By directly embedding the technical expertise within the national programs, LEAP provides long-term, sustainable lifesaving support to empower host governments to lead and manage key aspects of their infectious disease portfolios and improve coordination between the U.S. Government and the host country.

About the Position

The Senior Malaria Advisor will support the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) in carrying out life-saving humanitarian assistance (LHA) service delivery in full alignment with the new Presidential Executive Order (EO) directives.  The primary focus of the Advisor will be technical leadership to ensure the successful implementation of cost-effective, lifesaving direct service delivery for malaria prevention and treatment.

The Senior Malaria Advisor will provide expert malaria technical guidance to the National Malaria Control Program (NMCP) and the Ministry of Health in the design and management of in-country programs/projects/activities and in the development of host-country policies, reflecting best practices in malaria prevention and control. The jobholder will identify programmatic bottlenecks and facilitate solutions through coordinated technical expertise in support of the cooperating country’s development objectives. The Senior Malaria Advisor will be based at the NMCP within the Ministry of Health (MOH). The Advisor will receive day-to-day direction from the National Malaria Control Program Coordinator, who will serve as the onsite Manager/Supervisor. The Advisor will report to the U.S. Department of State on a weekly and monthly basis, as described below.

Responsibilities

Technical Leadership:

• Provide expert malaria technical guidance to advance planning and implementation of malaria control interventions.
• Support the development of national malaria program strategies and work plans.
• Coordinate the design, planning and implementation of malaria prevention and control activities consistent with the US government’s strategy and with the NMP. This will include but is not limited to vector control, case management at facility and community level, chemoprevention, support for malaria vaccine implementation, malaria in pregnancy, procurement and delivery of life-saving commodities, and associated monitoring and surveillance to ensure accountability and track progress.
• Together with the host country partners, provide the technical and managerial expertise to MOH health districts and local communities to strengthen institutional capacity.
• Keep abreast of current developments and successful interventions via regular engagement with malaria experts (domestic and international) and NMP officials, ensuring proven strategies and interventions are integrated in national malaria programming.

Management of Program/Activity Implementation:

• Ensure that U.S. government resources are maximized towards achievement of sustained results in malaria in line with U.S. government laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to prevent fraud, waste and abuse.
• Provide technical support to the Department of State implementing partners and managerial support as needed during the planning, design and implementation phases to ensure the quality of interventions and programmatic targets are met.
• Recommend changes in strategic and/or implementation approaches, using analysis of program performance.
• Work with partners (in country and global, as relevant) to ensure that programmatic commodities are purchased in a timely and cost-effective manner; and that absorptive capacity exists in implementation sites to receive, manage and distribute these items effectively. Participate in forecasting and quantification meetings to inform malaria commodity quantifications that will guide donor procurements. Troubleshoot bottlenecks in the ordering and delivery process.
• Provide expert advice and practical experience in helping the MoH, the NMCP and other partners to monitor inputs, outputs and outcomes, and report on the program’s overall impact.
• If it does not exist, work with the NMCP and other partners to develop and maintain a monitoring and evaluation plan to be implemented through existing MoH systems and existing USG supported mechanisms. Carry out monitoring and evaluation visits to implementation sites to ascertain all quantitative and qualitative data is collected properly, and programmatic quality and value for money are maintained.

Coordination of Malaria Partners:

• Ensure effective communication and coordination between the NMCP, MoH and other partners related to malaria prevention and control; Global Fund partners including other departments in the host country; donor agencies; and other stakeholders working on malaria control in the host country, as appropriate.
• Ensure malaria activities are integrated into overall U.S. Department of State-supported health activities and coordinate these activities with the NMCP and MoH to avoid duplication of effort and programming gaps.
• Coordinate with other partners and support efforts to address malaria control delivery gaps and help build technical and managerial capacity within the NMCP at the national, departmental, Health zone and Community levels.
• Participate in and contribute to malaria related service delivery meetings hosted by the NMCP and others.

Communications:

• Regular conference calls with NMCP, partners, US Embassy and Washington to review progress, discuss activities and address emerging issues.
• The Senior Malaria Advisor should provide information and avail him/herself for calls/meetings with the US Embassy as requested.
• The Advisor will provide monthly reports to the US Embassy/U.S. Department of State.

REPORTING

The Senior Advisor will provide a detailed monthly report to the U.S. Department of State, submitted by the 5th day of the following month. Additionally, the Advisor will submit a weekly progress report to the U.S. Department of State (and participate in weekly calls) to include a short paragraph about main successes for that week. The format for reporting may be adjusted with concurrence from the Grant Officer Representative (GOR).

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or local equivalent from an accredited program in Entomology, Public Health, International Development, Health, Social or Behavioral Sciences, Epidemiology, Biology, Infectious Disease, Medicine, Pharmacy, or immunization.
• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in public health, with a strong focus on malaria, preferably in a similar setting.
• Prior experience working with or for bilateral or multilateral donors/stakeholders such as the World Bank, the Global Fund, or national-level public sector projects and ensuring compliance with U.S. Government rules and regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to review, analyze and advise all aspects of malaria programming at national and state level.
• Up to date knowledge of ongoing and emerging issues in malaria, like epidemiology, international policy, evidence development and malaria control strategies, new drugs and new diagnostics.
• Experience working with key stakeholders in malaria programming, preferably the national stakeholders and international donors.
• Ability to manage a complex portfolio of laboratory network strengthening.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work in a cross-cultural work environment.
• Excellent written and oral communication in English and French and report writing skills.
• Good computer skills and familiarity with Microsoft Office Programs.
• Excellent organizational, planning, negotiating and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with US Government funded public health programs.