Job Description
Position title: Program Manager, HIV Case Finding position.
Location: South Rift Valley
HJF Medical Research International, Inc. (HJFMRI) provides scientific, technical and programmatic support services to global medical research programs. The HJFMRI, South Rift Valley (SRV) station has vacancy for Program Manager, HIV Case Finding position.
Job Summary:
The Program Manager, HIV Case Finding is the senior-most leader providing the strategic direction, oversight, and technical support for all HIV case finding activities in the South Rift Valley. S/he will work collaboratively with his/her counterpart, the Program Manager, HIV Prevention. The Program Manager will ensure efficient and effective implementation, management, and monitoring of HIV case finding programs in community and facility settings. The HIV Case Finding Program Manager will
supervise and mentor one Community-based HIV Case Finding and Linkage Program Officer. He/she will mentor and technically support four County HIV Case finding Technical Leads. He/she will technically support all HTS implementing partners (including community partners) at all PEPFAR supported facilities. The HIV Case Finding Program Manager may support the representation of the
SRV PEPFAR program at National Technical Working Groups (TWGs) and Government of Kenya (GoK) and Ministry of Health (MoH) meetings.
This position report to the SRV PEPFAR Program Director
Primary Position Responsibilities:
1. Oversee planning, implementation, and monitoring performance of HIV case finding programs. This includes working closely with program staff, partners including local government health officials, health facilities, and community implementing partners in Kericho, Bomet, Nandi, and Narok counties to support HIV testing and linkage to care and treatment.
2. Review and approve Partners’ case finding work plans, budgets, and targets \to ensure alignment with PEPFAR goals and National HIV/AIDS strategic goals and targets.
3. Lead partners’ performance review meetings to ensure achievement of targets and provide technical support, as appropriate.
4. Work with partners and county-based HIV case finding officers to provide oversight on the availability of sufficient and skilled staffing to deliver high-quality HIV testing services, and advocate for changes, when needed.
5. Provide technical program leadership, guidance, and accountability for successful implementation of programs, address gaps in programs, and technical advice to ensure that program activities reflect the most recent relevant and science-based data and that programs translate scientific knowledge into practice.
6. Responsible for the strategic design, implementation oversight, and scale-up of facility-based HIV case finding interventions to ensure results are on a trajectory to meeting agency and partner-level annual PEPFAR Country Operation Plan targets.
7. Implement innovative and effective approaches and strategies for HTS optimization, including but not limited to eligibility screening and index/family testing, HIV self-testing to increase case identification and linkage of HIV positive people to care and treatment, including Linkage Case Management or other evidence-based models.
8. Provide Technical Assistance to partners by organizing and participating in joint support supervision and mentorship activities, tracking partner performance, and providing timely technical guidance to ensure prompt performance remediation.
9. Liaise with site leadership representatives to discuss and address any site-specific challenges that may impede service delivery, including the adequacy of staffing, workflow, and other considerations.
10. Provide strategic direction to:
• Attain the first 95 of the 95-95-95 cascade, optimizing HIV case finding services to improve case identification and linkage to care and treatment.
• Provide HIV testing services for vulnerable and key populations; and ensure appropriate linkage to prevention, care, and treatment services to complete the cascade among the key populations.
• Support the implementation of HIV testing approaches, including optimized PITC, ICT, SNS, CBS/recency testing, and HIV self-testing.
11. Liaise with the Strategic Information team for real-time data collection and analysis of HIV case finding programs, including MER indicators, EMR, and SIMS, to improve program performance.
12. Use strategic information programmatic data to continuously improve HIV case finding and ensure at least 95% of newly identified HIV-positive clients are linked to care and treatment.
13. Coordinate and oversee the dissemination of HIV testing guidelines and other job aids to implementing partners; ensure that activities are implemented with fidelity and in line with the latest guidelines across all implementing partners and service delivery points.
14. Plan and coordinate HIV testing training to ensure that providers are skilled in providing quality program service in line with NASCOP and PEPFAR requirements and ensure participation in External Quality Assurance (EQA).
15. Prepare program reports on time for all relevant stakeholders.
16. Lead HIV case finding representations in core local government, WRAIR-Kenya, IHPT, and other forums for performance monitoring and quality improvement processes.
17. Perform other duties as assigned.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
• Provide direct technical and administrative supervision to five program staff (one Community based HIV Case Finding & Linkage Program Officer and four county-level HIV Case finding Program Officers).
• Assist in recruitments
• Manage performance and workload distribution of HIV case finding program officers
• Provide mentorship and supervision for optimal HIV case finding team’s performance
Additional Responsibilities within SRV
- Participate in Site Improvement through Monitoring System (SIMS) and remediation in line with PEPFAR requirements.
-. Develop and review abstracts for dissemination through national and International conferences presentations and manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
- Participate in Research Activities as assigned.
- Document best practices and lessons learned of programmatic approaches for dissemination within PEPFAR and national spaces.
Regional/ National Responsibilities:
- Support as required the National Technical Working Groups (TWGs) to National Committees (MOH) on Health Policies and Guidelines by participating in development and review of National/County level Health strategic plans, policies, guidelines, operational manuals and procedures, teaching
modules, informational, educational and communication materials for HIV case finding.
- Participate in GOK/PEPFAR site support visits for Quality Assurance/Technical Support/Mentorship for Continuous Quality Improvement in HIV case finding programs in line with national guidelines.
Job Requirements:
1. A Bachelor’s Degree in Social/ Biological/ Medical Sciences, and a Master of Public Health
(MPH)/health-related master’s degree from a recognized Institution. Education requirements may be
replaced with equivalent experience.
2. Professional trainings in HIV testing
3. Possess 5-8 years of experience in supporting PEPFAR HIV/AIDS programs.
4. Experience in program design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation.
5. Experience in Country Operational Planning (COP) and TWG processes will be an added advantage.
6. Excellent organizational, analytical, and report writing skills
7. Experience in the development of abstracts and manuscripts for publications.
9. In-depth understanding of MER indicators
10. Experience with the provision of Technical support to partners through joint support supervision, External Quality Assurance (EQA), and Assessments of partner performance
11. Experience working in multi-sectoral settings
12. Proficiency and strong skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint) and data analytical skills are required
13. Knowledge of National, WHO, and PEPFAR Policies and Guidelines in HIV testing
14. Excellent team player with good oral/written communication and interpersonal skills
15. Ability to perform under pressure with tight deadlines, and minimal supervision
16. Ability to travel to partners in SRV-supported counties and Nairobi
Terms of Employment: One year renewable contract. The first three months will be probation period.