Consultant to provide technical support for the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP), Global Health Security Project (GHSP), Mekong Program
Tracking Code: 7113
Job Description
I. Background
PATH is an international organization that drives transformative innovation to save lives and improve health, especially among women and children. We accelerate innovation across five platforms—vaccines, drugs, diagnostics, devices, and system and service innovations—that harness our entrepreneurial insight, scientific and public health expertise, and passion for health equity. By mobilizing partners around the world, we take innovation to scale, working alongside countries primarily in Africa and Asia to tackle their greatest health needs. Together, we deliver measurable results that disrupt the cycle of poor health. Working in Vietnam since the early 1980s, PATH established a permanent office in Hanoi in 1997 and an office in Ho Chi Minh City in 2014.
PATH seeks a local consultant in Vietnam to provide technical support for Field Epidemiology Training Program Component of a new, 5-year project aimed at building strong national capacity in health information systems, disease surveillance systems (both indicator-based and event-based surveillance systems), and workforce development focusing on the Field Epidemiology Training Program (FETP) in Vietnam. These activities aim to achieve specific goals in three focus areas of the Global Health Security Agenda including: i) preventing avoidable epidemics; ii) detecting threats early; and iii) responding to outbreaks rapidly and effectively. The FETP Consultant will work closely with the General Department of Preventive Medicine (GDPM), Ministry of Health (MOH), US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Vietnam, and PATH to coordinate, facilitate, and implement the day-to-day activities of the project. This is a 12-month, full-time consulting contract beginning on the date of hire with the possibility of extension.
II. Specific responsibilities of the consultant
The consultant will be based at GDPM under supervision and direction of the GDPM leaders and PATH Project Director. Specific responsibilities include:
- Support GDPM leaders and serve as a focal point for the FETP component of the project, including leading planning, development, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of FETP-related project activities.
- Work with the MOH to design a strategic vision by developing and updating a strategic plan with milestones and indicators, including providing templates, guidelines, and indicators for such plans.
- Update and develop training curriculums and materials for different FETP training modules, including the outbreak investigation guideline and field study guideline for fellows, and building capacity among faculty to carry out trainings.
- Prepare training plans and lead courses and workshops.
- Support fieldwork, provide on-site and remote supportive supervision, and build capacity among field supervisors and mentors through training and backstopping.
- Support fellows and trainees to design and conduct research projects and outbreak investigations for public health interventions and support data analysis and manuscript preparation.
- Monitor progress and evaluate the quality of the research studies in line with the requirements of the FETP program.
- Serve as an advisor for the recruitment of trainees, staff, and supervisors.
- Support the scientific advisory board to review and approve submitted protocols and evaluate product quality.
- Create linkages between experts, supervisors, mentors, fellows, and trainees within and outside the country to set up a network and provide technical support. Establish a collaborative working relationship between national and international partners.
- Enhance communication between trainees, staff, and supervisors and report on activities to national counterparts and international partners.
- Work as a lecturer and mentor for the fellows in classroom trainings, and as a supervisor in the field.
- Attend monthly/ad hoc meetings with GDPM, PATH, and CDC.
- Facilitate financial management by preparing proposals for resource mobilization (technical components) and managing funds allocated to facilitate technical assistance.
- Identify issues and challenges and develop strategies for the effective implementation of related work plan activities.
- Develop long-term sustainability by working with the government to develop a time-bound sustainability plan to gradually increase the role of national counterparts and phase out external support. Specifically, by developing and disseminating standard operating procedures (SOPs) for all program processes (e.g., recruitment, training, placement), building the capacity of the national team in scientific and technical management, and collaborating with advocacy and monitoring and evaluation efforts.
- Prepare progress reports and other deliverables of the FETP project component as required by GDPM, PATH, and CDC. The list of deliverables is subject to modification upon the revisions of the work plan.
III. Payment
The consultant will be paid directly by PATH’s office in Vietnam. The consultant fee will be paid monthly upon PATH’s receipt and approval of the deliverables and after GDPM leaders certify the duration and quality of the consultant’s work.
Required Skills
- Excellent written and spoken Vietnamese and English.
- Advanced skills in data analysis, interpretation of epidemiological data, and writing of scientific material and manuscripts, as well as excellent presentation skills.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively in a team.Willingness and ability to travel within Vietnam up to 30 percent per year.
Required Experience
- Master level, and PhD is preferred, in medicine or epidemiology/public health or related field.
- Good knowledge on research methodology, data analysis and bio statistics.
- Good knowledge of Epi-Info, and one of the following: SPSS, SAS, STATA, GIS.
- Extensive experience with mentoring/supervising fellows and students on projects and field work.
- Experience working effectively with Vietnamese government counterparts at both national and regional level.
- Five years of experience working in preventive medicine area or epidemiology and outbreak control and prevention.Experience in teaching and training in applied epidemiology and surveillance a plus. Work experience in FETP would be an asset.
Job Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
Company Location: Vietnam, Hanoi
Position Type: Consulting
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