United States of America: Demography and Health Technical Advisor

Global Health Fellows Program
Technical Advisor II: Demography and Health Technical Advisor
Policy, Evaluation and Communication Division, Office of Population and Reproductive Health, Bureau for Global Health, United States Agency for International Development
Location: Arlington, VA
Assignment: Two year fellowship
GHFP-II-P6-241

The Global Health Fellows Program (GHFP-II) is a cooperative agreement implemented and managed by the Public Health Institute in partnership with Global Health Corps, GlobeMed, Management Systems International and PYXERA Global. GHFP-II is supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

GHFP-II’s goal is to improve the effectiveness of USAID health programs by addressing the Agency’s immediate and emerging human capacity needs. The program seeks to accomplish this goal first through the recruitment, placement and support of diverse health professionals at the junior, mid and senior levels. These program participants include fellows, interns, corporate volunteers and Foreign Service National professionals. The program then provides substantial performance management and career development support to participants, including annual work planning assistance, and ensures that professional development opportunities are available.

Looking to the future, GHFP-II also seeks to establish a pool of highly-qualified global health professionals that will ensure the Agency’s ongoing technical leadership and effectiveness. This objective is supported by an extensive outreach program that brings global health opportunities and specialized career advice to a diverse range of interested individuals, with a particular focus on those underrepresented in the field of global health.

BACKGROUND:

The Policy, Evaluation and Communication (PEC) Division within the Bureau for Global Health’s (GH) Office of Population and Reproductive Health (PRH) creates the enabling environment for family planning. The PEC division works with partners within USAID and externally in order to promote effective family planning advocacy, policy, financing, and governance (policy); collect, analyze, and evaluate data for evidence-based decision making (evaluation); develop and implement communication efforts to influence attitudes, norms, and behaviors or beneficiaries and providers (communication). PEC provides technical leadership, strategic direction, and implementation oversight, support to field missions, partner coordination, and performance tracking for family planning, especially as a component of Ending Preventable Child and Maternal Deaths. PEC also provides technical input for evaluation efforts across the population, health and nutrition sector.

INTRODUCTION:

The Demography and Health Technical Advisor (Advisor) serves in the PEC Division within the Office of Population and Reproductive Health in the Bureau for Global Health. The Advisor will contribute to the Global Health Bureau's family planning and reproductive health (FP/RH) program by providing technical support in the design, implementation, and evaluation of data collection, monitoring, and data use efforts supported through PRH. S/he will support the FP/RH program broadly and the PEC Division specifically by participating in the team tasked with managing the GH’s flagship survey program, and the Demographic and Health Surveys Program (DHS). The Advisor will receive overall programmatic guidance from both the Senior Demographer of the Office of PRH, as well as the management team lead—the Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR)—of the DHS Program.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Demography and Health Technical Advisor will be responsible for:

DHS Program (45%):

· Participating as a member of the team tasked with managing the DHS Program contract, by contributing to the monitoring of the DHS contract’s technical and financial performance, and participating in planning activities regarding direction of the DHS Program.

· In collaboration with the DHS COR, providing technical and management support to the DHS Program on issues related to demography or FP/RH such as: developing and refining indicators; improving data collection and analysis to measure current and emerging issues; identifying innovative tools and techniques to meet data needs, improving data quality, and/or allowing for complex analyses; identifying and prioritizing research needs; and facilitating DHS data dissemination and use.

· Providing technical backstopping and support for DHS Program activities in selected countries.

· Traveling to support DHS planning, monitor DHS field activities, and facilitate DHS data use for evidence-based programming.

Office of Population and Reproductive Health (27%):

· Responding to the Office and Bureau demography and FP/RH information requests, through analyses of DHS and other data.

· Developing accurate interpretations and effective technical presentations for non-technical audiences, through the use of data visualization.

· Participating in technical collaborations with Global Health Data Collaborative, Track20, PMA2020, and other family planning data and measurement activities.

· Collaborating with Missions to assist with monitoring and evaluation (M&E), as needed, including the identification of data needs, promotion of data use, and provision of FP/RH measurement guidance.

Country Team (10%):

· Serving on country support team(s) as Country Lead, Alternate Country Lead, or FP point person.

· Traveling to assist the country team’s Mission, as needed.

Team support (10%):

· Providing technical advice to the management team supporting the inter-agency agreement with the US Census Bureau on an as needed basis.

· Collaborating with colleagues on development of scientific papers and presentations, particularly as related to priorities of the Office and/or the DHS Program.

· Participating in relevant working groups or global leadership priorities.

International and domestic travel approximately 15%.

TRAINING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT (7%)

· Keeping abreast of literature and latest developments in the fields international FP/RH programming and measurement, demography, data visualization, and population-based household survey methodology.

· Deepening knowledge of monitoring and evaluation as it relates to FP/RH efforts.

· Participating in interagency and intra-agency working groups as appropriate to the scope of work.

· Participating in professional continuing education and skills training within the purview of GHFP-II.

REQUIRED SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE:

• Master’s degree in demography, public health, or a related field, PhD preferred.
• Minimum five (5) years’ experience in the design and implementation of national population-based surveys and/or in monitoring and evaluation in the international health field, with at least two (2) years’ experience in an international or resource challenged setting.

· Demonstrated experience in the analysis of survey data, particularly DHS data.

• Advanced analytical skills and knowledge of demography and statistics, including multivariate techniques, and M&E methodologies.
• Demonstrated ability to present analytic findings tailored to various audiences.

· Familiarity with both quantitative and qualitative research methods and their application in low-income countries.

· Knowledge of population, family planning and reproductive health programming.

· Knowledge of child health, HIV/AIDS, and infectious diseases desirable.

· Knowledge of and experience in project design, implementation, and evaluation.

· Strong program management skills, especially as it relates to work plans, budgeting, results reporting, etc.

• Familiarity with USAID assistance programs preferred.

· Excellent verbal and writing skills.

· Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team.

· Spanish or French language skills desirable.

• Ability to travel internationally.
• US citizenship or US permanent residency required.

SALARY AND BENEFITS:

Salary based on commensurate experience and earnings history. The Public Health Institute offers a comprehensive benefits package including professional development programs.

TO APPLY:

All applicants are required to apply for this position through GHFP-II’s online recruitment system at https://www.ghfp.net/recruitment/, which allows you to store your CV, profile and bio data form in our database. A separate cover letter describing your qualifications and experience, interest and familiarity with issues relating to this position, and how this position relates to your career goals is required for each application. All online applications must be submitted by March 20, 2017 by 5:00 pm Eastern time.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Employer. wfybEOC

TO APPLY:

All applicants are required to apply for this position through GHFP-II’s online recruitment system at https://www.ghfp.net/recruitment/, which allows you to store your CV, profile and bio data form in our database. A separate cover letter describing your qualifications and experience, interest and familiarity with issues relating to this position, and how this position relates to your career goals is required for each application. All online applications must be submitted by March 20, 2017 by 5:00 pm Eastern time.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Employer.