The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and reducing the burden of disease in low-and middle-income countries, while strengthening the capabilities of governments and the private sector in those countries to create and sustain high-quality health systems that can succeed without our assistance. For more information, please visit: http://www.clintonhealthaccess.org

Program Summary

The country team has been engaged in Sierra Leone since 2015, initially supporting the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) and the health sector’s recovery post-Ebola. In recent years, CHAI has expanded its support to the MoHS to include a focus on supply chain, sexual and reproductive health, and vaccines.

Immunization is one of the most successful public health interventions in history. National immunization programs reach >100 million infants every year and have averted globally two to three million deaths every year since the launch of the Expanded Program for Immunization (EPI) in 1974. The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) works to save lives and reduce the burden from vaccine preventable diseases by improving access to immunization services in resource-limited settings by strengthening national immunization programs and by leveraging its experience in-country to improve the global immunization ecosystem.

The CHAI Vaccines team began formally supporting MoHS in July 2019 in strengthening data systems to improve supply chain and vaccine coverage as well as supporting preparations for the introduction of the HPV vaccine. Our support is focused on improving data quality and completeness, addressing stock outs, and restructuring performance management to target challenges in information availability and vaccine supply chain. CHAI work in collaboration with government to confirm key routine performance indicators, conduct workflow optimization exercises and incrementally improve information systems, implement a system of performance management based on data review and response, use data to inform improved supply chain activities, and support EPI on coordination and planning for the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine.

Based in Freetown, Sierra Leone, the Analyst, Vaccines will support the coordination of the introduction of the Covid-19 vaccine in Sierra Leone under Covax. This breadth of work requires a candidate with strong organizational and interpersonal skills, a curious mind, and an entrepreneurial approach to work. This is a 6 month position with an expected project duration from March to August 2021.

CHAI places great value on relevant personal qualities: resourcefulness, responsibility, tenacity, independence, energy, and work ethic. We seek a highly committed and adaptable individual with a track record of delivering quality results with limited resources. The individual must be able to function independently and flexibly in a swift manner. CHAI hires exceptional individuals who can drive work plans to completion and meet milestones with little daily supervision.

New Vaccine Introduction

• Covid-19 introduction delivery model optimization to inform robust decisions on when and how to introduce the Covid-19 vaccine based on evidence and thorough analysis
• Rollout preparation to manage and implement the national introduction preparations, including anticipation of challenges to ensure accelerated uptake of Covid-19 vaccine. Substantial attention to the phases of introduction will ensure a timely and highly successful launch, activities will include:
  • Coordination of communication between stakeholders and partners to ensure that planning and execution of activities is carried out in a timely manne
  • Facilitation of communication between health and other key player
  • Assessment of cold chain needs to be prepared to inform the vaccine storage and distribution
  • Providing technical assistance to partners and working groups in preparation of training manuals, guidelines, job-aids, and communication tools on Covid-1
  • Identification of bottlenecks towards introduction and supporting strategic mitigation plans to ensure progress remains on track with established implementation timelines
• Post-launch support to adjust after the launch so that Covid-19 vaccination reaches and sustains high coverage and is well integrated into the routine immunization program
• Coordination of the post-introduction assessment(s) to identify bottlenecks towards Covid-19 uptake and develop mitigation strategies
• Identification of methods to further optimize Sierra Leone’s delivery model such as the mix between various delivery channels, integration with other health interventions, and the efficiency of the cost structure
• Collect and document key lessons learned and engage in Monitoring and Evaluation of the Covid-19 vaccine introduction (e.g., identifying appropriate data collection mechanisms, gathering the required data at the specified frequency, identifying issues, and taking appropriate actions)

System Strengthening Improvements

• Work alongside the Vaccines Data Analyst to:
  • Provide analytical support to EPI National and selected-District teams, by supporting EPI to establish and improve regular performance management reports based on the data collected in their existing systems
  • Support EPI staff to implement routine processes towards improvement of data reporting rates, usage and management
  • Turn generated data insights into problem solving opportunities for National and District teams on how to target performance improvement

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field; 3+ years of work experience
• Exceptional analytical skills and ability to quickly pick up new subject matter through investigating data thoroughly
• Excellent relationship management skills: a proven record of working in challenging multi-stakeholder environments & ability to build relationships with a range of stakeholders and drive immediate results
• Ability to think strategically, handle ambiguity and work in a fast-paced, limited-structure, multicultural environment
• Ability to learn on the job quickly and to work independently
• Detail-oriented with strong organization and task management skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare and deliver compelling presentations using PowerPoint
• Experience living and working in developing countries
• Experience in global health/public health/community & social engagement
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
• Fluency in English required; fluency in Krio is a strong advantage

Experience:

• Demonstrable experience in data strengthening (ideally in resource-limited settings)
• Previous experience in improving service delivery or supply chain management
• Knowledge of public health/immunization context in developing countries
• Master’s degree in Public Health or other relevant field (for example, computer science, mathematics, statistics, economics)

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