Technical Director -- HIV care and treatment

Position/Title: Technical Director -- HIV care and treatment
Location: Hanoi, Vietnam (25% travel)
Length of position: One year, extendable
Reports to: Deputy Country Director

About CHAI:

The Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) is a trusted advisor to governments worldwide, helping them transform the way they provide health services to their people. In Vietnam, CHAI works with a number of national institutions, especially the Vietnam Authority of HIV/AIDS Control (VAAC), to help the government reach national HIV targets, especially 1) universal Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART) coverage for children, and 2) eliminating Mother to Child Transmission of HIV. Established in Vietnam in 2006, CHAI has emphasized a sustainable and integrative approach to health systems strengthening premised on a close partnership with government to build national capacity. CHAI believes that strengthening the government’s capacity to manage and coordinate the national health system is the most effective approach to improving health outcomes in the long-term.

CHAI’s team in Vietnam consists of a dynamic core of 14 in addition to expert resources available at the regional and global levels.

Position Overview:

The Technical Director (TD) is the lead point person for all clinical and laboratory-related matters and is responsible for driving the technical aspects of CHAI’s programs. The TD will coordinate closely with the Program Coordinator and other staff to design and implement all programs and will liaise with government and other partners to optimize coordination, communications, and use of resources.

The TD will be in a position to significantly influence national policy discussions and direction. He/she will also rotate through various CHAI-supported HIV treatment sites, PMTCT sites, and laboratories throughout the country and assist to strengthen capacity through mentoring and other technical assistance provisioning. The goal of the clinical mentoring program is to assist our partner government to create a more self-sufficient, integrated HIV identification and treatment system. While CHAI clinicians provide patient-based clinical training and consultation, CHAI does not provide direct clinical services. The TD will also help design and implement a number of evidence-based pilot and scale-up programs in the prevention, care and treatment sector.

The TD position is a full-time, salaried position.

Key responsibilities:

- Advise CHAI staff, policy makers, and health workers on all technical HIV-related issues. This includes high-level support to MOH in developing evidence-based policies and guidelines, and implementation level support to health workers at targeted sites
- Travel regularly to CHAI-supported treatment sites for clinical mentoring and other technical assistance provisioning. Additional travel to other intervention sites (e.g. PMTCT sites, laboratories, PITC sites, etc.) might also be required.
- Design and implement new evidence-based innovations in HIV prevention, care and treatment with a vision towards a sustainable, high quality health system
- Supervise a number of technical staff, including clinical advisors
- Ensure strong intra- and inter-office communications and coordination
- Specific activities may include:

• Drafting or suggesting improvements to a variety of HIV-related guidelines, policies and IEC materials
• Training and mentoring clinicians in the didactic and practical matters of HIV care and treatment and of PMTCT
• Improving systems for identifying HIV exposed infants and children
• Assisting in maximizing the efficiency of clinic systems as they relate to HIV care and treatment
• Producing clinical training and reference materials for ART sites
• Developing/testing/piloting Health Information Systems, SMS printers, treatment as prevention models, and other innovations to reduce lost to follow-up and strengthen referral networks

Qualifications:

- 5+ years of experience in HIV care and treatment medicine and programming
- Demonstrated success and leadership in driving systematic improvements in a national health system
- Demonstrated success and leadership in building and maintaining strong relationships with policy makers and with other partners
- Excellent oral and written English and Vietnamese communication skills
- Highly proficient computer skills, especially in Word, Excel and PowerPoint required; experience with complex Excel-based analytics and statistical software preferred

Other Attributes:
- Strong leadership skills
- Strong team player
- Creative, flexible, and efficient
- Strong analytical skills to dissect and structure a complex problem, drawing upon various sources and experiences
- Self-motivated and strong work ethic that other staff can model
- Responsive to the needs of staff and government
- Respect for the political process and protocols involved in government programs

To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter to: [email protected]. Please write “Technical Director application” in the subject line. Only shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview.  Applications must be received by August 31, 2012.