PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity. With more than 40 years of experience forging multisector partnerships and with expertise in science, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales up innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing heath challenges.

Project Overview: The SAFEStart+ project aims to scale up integrated elimination of vertical transmission (EVT) programs in comprehensive-engagement countries and address specific barriers to EVT scale-up and validation in focused-activity countries. The project will disseminate innovations, successes, and lessons to peer countries to further increase adaptation and scale-up of evidence-based EVT approaches and advance regional policy, learning, and market-shaping interventions in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.

Position Summary: The Senior Project Officer will lead the implementation of the SAFEStart+ project in Uganda. This role involves coordinating activities across the project's outputs, serving as the project liaison to the Ministry of Health and EVT technical working group, conducting situational analyses, facilitating EVT integration, co-creating adaptive learning plans, supporting implementation science research, market access research and project dissemination. The Senior Project Officer will also support monitoring and evaluation of all project activities and coordinate research activities. The Senior Project Officer will work closely with the PATH Uganda team, ICWEA, and SAFEStart+ global team, local health authorities, technical working groups, community advisory boards, and other stakeholders working on EVT in Uganda to ensure the successful execution of project activities.

Key Responsibilities:

Project management and leadership:

• Along with the PATH Uganda country leadership, Lead development and implementation of the SAFEStart Plus annual workplan and budgets.
• Along with PATH Uganda Country leadership, and ICWEA represent the project externally at meetings, conferences, and events
• Attend and actively contribute to all project discussions, strategy and review sessions.

Situational Analysis and Survey Implementation:

• Liaise with the Ministry of Health to support the goals of technical working group and conduct a situational analysis regarding the status of EVT implementation and integration in the country.
• Co-develop and implement a values and preferences survey aimed at providers and clients.
• Lead efforts to obtain necessary approvals to conduct the V&P survey in Uganda.
• Lead the in-country conduct of the project surveys and analyze the findings.

EVT Integration Implementation:

• Liaise with relevant health authorities to identify priority areas and develop plans for EVT integration.
• Develop and adapt subnational and facility-level guidance for EVT integration.
• Train relevant healthcare provider cadres to enable EVT integration plans.
• Provide support or incentives required by local health authorities to implement EVT integration activities.

Adaptive Learning Plans and Process Evaluation:

• Co-create tailored adaptive learning plans based on identified gaps and opportunities for innovation.
• Develop a robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) plan and learning agenda around EVT integration models.
• Design and implement strengthened M&E to capture relevant data related to EVT integration efforts.
• Support bi-annual data collection and convene pause and reflect meetings to share M&E data with stakeholders.

Implementation Science Research:

• Along with the Uganda country leadership, lead the efforts to Identify pathways for study implementation, including obtaining ethical and regulatory approvals.
• Identify, through a competitive process, a research partner for implementation of science research.
• Provide input into study protocols and data collection forms as needed.
• Facilitate country-level ethical review submission and approval.
• Oversee the study and all data collection activities.

Market and Supply Chain Assessment:

• Support PATH’s Global Market Access team in conducting market and supply chain assessments.
• Identify access barriers, including usage/uptake within existing country algorithms, budgeting/funding sources, registration and regulatory status, public purchasing channels, and price.
• Address procurement and supply chain systems bottlenecks for EVT products in Uganda.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, Social Sciences, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in project management, public health, or a related field.
• Experience in conducting situational analyses, surveys, and implementation of science research.
• Strong understanding of HIV, Hepatitis, MNCH, EVT integration and related health policies in Malawi.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively with diverse stakeholders, government officials, healthcare providers, internation project team and community leaders.
• Proficiency in data analysis and report writing.
• Fluency in English; knowledge of local languages is an asset.