Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) Job Recruitment

Job Title: Senior Program Officer, Global Health Security (Acute Febrile Illness (AFI) Surveillance Project)

Location: NCDC, Abuja
Scheduled Work Time: Monday – Friday (Flexibility, willing to travel and work weekends)
Project: Strengthening Global Health Security in Nigeria (SECURE-NIGERIA)
Reports To: Project Director SECURE-Nigeria & Principal Investigator SECURE-Nigeria
Operational Contacts: NCDC, State Public Health Department, US-CDC Atlanta, US-CDC Nigeria team and other stakeholders within the states

Project Overview

• The SECURE- NIGERIA cross cutting disease surveillance network consists of three separate parts which will include three surveillance activities;
  • Acute Febrile Illness (AFI) surveillance
  • Serologic Surveillance using Viral load (VL) remnant specimens from People Living with HIV (PLHIV)
  • Serologic surveillance using stored Antenatal Care (ANC) stored dried blood spots (DBS). The Acute Febrile illness (AFI) project is a hospital-based prospective active surveillance project to be implemented in six tertiary facilities in Nigeria across six states including FCT.
• The results of this project will provide data to support more reliable estimates of the burden of disease, and updated evidence-based algorithms for the management of febrile illness; generate valuable surveillance data, which will inform programmatic planning for effective prevention and control of infectious diseases.

Position Overview

• S/he will serve as the Project Manager for the cross cutting disease sentinel surveillance project.
• This position is responsible for the management of SECURE-Nigeria’s newly established project on crosscutting communicable disease sentinel surveillance network.
• This includes Acute Febrile illness (AFI) sentinel surveillance and serology surveillance.
• The Project Manager will work closely with the NCDC surveillance team and provide leadership and strategic direction for this project, its coordination and use of diagnostic test to better identify the cause of fever and epidemic-causing pathogens from remnant viral load and ANC samples.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical and operational support, training, as needed to implement sentinel surveillance for AFI and serological surveillance using remnant viral load and ANC samples.
• Support the capacity of NCDC to implement sentinel surveillance for epidemic prone diseases.
• Develop close working relationships with Acute Febrile illness & serologic surveillance investigators and key opinion leaders in the field.
• Support data analysis from ongoing sentinel data
• Play a leadership role in the scientific team as the AFI and serologic surveillance expert, and a key coordination role amongst NCDC and IHVN team.
• Support AFI sentinel surveillance and serologic surveillance across all six sentinel sites
• Ensure that activities and diagnostics conducted are of the highest quality, in accordance with global norms for diagnostic tests.
• Manage and supervise sentinel surveillance project staff.
• Manage a team of scientists and project managers in each sentinel site to execute established programme goals.
• Report to the stakeholders on progress of individual projects and budgets on a regular basis and present interim reviews for stakeholders review.
• Prepare reports and presentations to the CDC.

Requirements
Essential:

• Advanced Clinical Degree (MD, MBBS, BMChB, BPh, DM, RN or equivalent Degree) with at least five years’ experience in disease surveillance.
• An advanced degree in epidemiology, public health or related background is needed.
• A thorough understanding of IDSR guideline and relevant infectious disease epidemiology and public health issues.
• Strong scientific background with a track record of published studies.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Strong project management skills;

Desirable:

• Proficiency in the use of data analytical software.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Access.

Job Title: Data Analyst, Global Health Security (NPHCDA / NAFDAC)

Location: NPHCDA / NAFDAC, Abuja
Scheduled Work Time: Monday – Friday (Flexibility, willing to travel and work weekends)
Project: Adverse event following Immunization (AEFI) Surveillance
Reports To: The Project Manager AEFI Surveillance and Director SECURE-Nigeria project
Operational Contacts: NPHCDA NAFDAC, State Public Health Department, US-CDC Atlanta, US-CDC Nigeria and other stakeholders within the supported states

Project Overview

• The Strengthening Global Health Security Agenda in Nigeria (SECURE- NIGERIA) project with funding support from US-CDC, will support systematic implementation of COVID-19 AEFI surveillance.
• This project will establish/expand cascading structure for AEFI monitoring at the national, state and site level. In five states in Nigeria, this project will strengthen AEFI identification, reporting, investigation and causality assessment of AEFI (mild/severe).
• Working closely with NPHCDA/NAFDAC, this project will support safety monitoring for COVID-19 vaccines providing evidence for decision making at all levels.

Position Overview

• This position is responsible for the data analysis of SECURE-Nigeria’s project on Adverse Events Following Immunization (AEFI) Surveillance (and will work at NAFDAC).
• The Data Analyst will work closely with the NAFDAC surveillance team, Project Manager and Project Director to provide leadership in analyzing and interpreting AEFI data, The AEFI Surveillance Data Analyst will be responsible for managing AEFI central data base and AEFI reporting platforms.

Key Responsibilities

• In collaboration with the relevant stakeholders (NAFDAC and NPHCDA), s/he is to support data analysis and management
• Provide technical support in data analysis from ongoing AEFI surveillance across all supported states and facilities.
• Support AEFI data repository at NAFDAC
• Ensure all incoming data from supported states are collected and accurately reported in a timely manner.
• Perform routine data quality checks, data gap analyses, and data backup.
• Prepare scheduled data reports as requested by relevant stakeholders.
• Train AEFI surveillance state teams on proper use of data collection/ reporting tools.
• Support the implementation of databases, data collection systems, data analytics and other strategies that would optimize statistical efficiency and quality.
• Identify, analyze, and interpret trends or patterns in complex data sets.
• Conduct trend analysis of surveillance data.

Requirements
Essential:

• A University Degree (MD, MBBS, BMChB, BPh, DM, RN or B.Pharm, B.Sc in Health related fields) with at least two years’ experience managing large data sets. Experience in pharmacovigilance systems is an added advantage.
• An advanced degree MSc or MPH in epidemiology statistics, public health or related public health related fields
• Excellent proficiency in use of statistical (STATA, SAS, SPSS, and/or R) and Microsoft packages (particularly Excel and Access).
• Complex data analysis and visualization skills.
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills.

Desirable:

• Ability to integrate into the team and manage interpersonal conflict and personality differences maturely.
• Experience managing a central database.
• Diplomatic and interpersonal skills with ability to build strong professional relationships with a range of stakeholders.
• Strong analytical (quantitative and qualitative) and communication (written and oral) skills.
• High levels of proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and internet applications.