LEAP Program Description

Global Solutions Ventures (GSV) a joint-venture partnership between ZemiTek LLC and Dexis Consulting Group is implementing the Long-term Exceptional Technical Assistance Project (LEAP Global) a mechanism originally used by USAID to battle against infectious diseases such as malaria HIV/AIDS tuberculosis neglected tropical diseases and pandemic influenza. As of July 1 2025 LEAP Global transitioned to the U.S. Department of State (DOS). This initiative aims to address the complex human resource challenges faced by national infectious disease programs in the USA-supported countries.

The intervention of this project is to hire and embed technical expert advisors and subject matter experts within government entities. By directly embedding the technical expertise within the national programs LEAP provides long-term sustainable lifesaving support to empower host governments to lead and manage key aspects of their infectious disease portfolios and improve coordination between the U.S. Government and the host country.

About the Position

The Senior Global Health Security (GHS) Advisor will support the Nigeria Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) in carrying out life-saving humanitarian assistance (LHA) in full alignment with the new Presidential Executive Order (EO) directives. The growing prevalence of infectious diseases and the rising importance of emergency preparedness highlight the urgent need to strengthen Nigerias Global Health Security (GHS) workforce. This effort is essential to enhance governance coordination and technical expertise within Nigerias Public Health Institute and International Health Regulations (IHR) Focal Point ensuring the functionality and quality of multi-sectoral GHS systems.

To ensure Emergency Preparedness Readiness and Response (EPR) to Public Health Threats support to the Nigeria Centers for Disease Control (NCDC) and The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) is essential. Additionally in-country leadership and coordination are required to drive effective IHR functions responses and rapidly identify document share and adopt international standards and locally identified evidence-based best practices. The overall objectives of the Advisor are to:

• Build the capacity of the NCDC to strengthen more efficient effective and self-reliant inclusive and transparent IHR coordination systems between stakeholders Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
• Build GHS technical capacities to improve the quality of emergency preparedness readiness and response to ensure quality Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) services for all populations.
• Improve the oversight and coordination of in-country USG Nigeria Department of State (DOS) and of Interagency global health security activities targeted at strengthening disease surveillance detection and response of infectious disease.

Responsibilities

Objective 1: Build the capacity of the NCDC to strengthen more efficient effective and self-reliant inclusive and transparent IHR coordination systems between stakeholders Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

• Embedded at the National Centers for Disease Control (NCDC) to support delivery and conduct of International Health Regulations (IHR) coordination and governance related functions that address immediate post August 2023 Nigeria Joint External Evaluation (JEE) gaps.
• Provide technical assistance guidance and support from DOS to Government of Nigerias (GoN) preparedness readiness response and recovery coordination activities for public health threats.
• Support high-level advocacy and technical dialogue with host government ministries to ensure effective Department of State support to the implementation of GHS activities including advocacy to promote an integrated approach to addressing pandemic threats.
• Review past National Action Plan on Health Security (NAPHS) 1.0 and along with partners lead the development validation and launch of NAPHS 2.0 following the August JEE 2.0 exercise.
• Review the technical report of the recent JEE 2.0 analyze the recommendations and develop a work plan to govern implementation of post JE action working with DOS GHS partners.
• Prepare the 2024 IHR exercise management plan according to key hazards including the development of the exercise scenario injects evaluation tools and other exercise content.
• Strengthen Department of States visibility with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) monitor the quality of engagements with the Department of State IP technical teams and as well ensure fidelity of implementation of DOS Nigeria IPS COVID and GHS activities in all applicable technical areas
• Advance leadership skills to successfully support capacity building and knowledge sharing activities to support government GHS staff.
• Apply leadership skills and technical expertise to support programmatic growth and scale up within IHR Coordination functions of NCDC and IHR outbreak response functions of the NPHCDA.
• Coordinate multiple stakeholders for routine multisectoral coordination technical committee meetings and to engage strategically with MDAs partners and multilateral institutions to mobilize support for country IHR coordination.
• Establish strategic working relationships with senior MOH and other relevant Ministry officials at the national and district level development partners civil society organizations faith-based organizations private sector health counterparts and professional associations to enhance regular and timely sharing of information on issues related to strategic planning and direction private sector engagement changes in key policies and legal and regulatory environments that could affect the implementation of DOS programs.

Objective 2: Build GHS technical capacities to Improve the quality of emergency preparedness readiness and response to ensure quality Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) services for all populations.

• Facilitate collaboration between NCDC NPHCDA Department of Planning Research and Statistics and Epidemiology of the FMOH and relevant USG partners to strengthen IHR coordination PHEM and Health Emergency Service Provision functions.
• Strengthen collaboration between NCDC NPHCDA FMAFS FMEnv NAFDAC and other MDAs with a view to improving data quality and preventing duplication of data points.
• Provide technical support to the NCDC and the NPHCDA of the FMOH and State Ministries of Health with the aim of strengthening the national capacity for IHR Coordination and Governance.
• Help identify how the Emergency Operating Centers (EOCs) can improve the outbreak response to EIDs
• Participate in key monitoring evaluation and surveillance activities organized by the NCDC NPHCDA FMOH MDAs and partners.
• Prepare the 2024 IHR exercise management plan according to key hazards including the development of the exercise scenario injects evaluation tools and other exercise content working with NCDC and MDAs.
• Develop and conduct briefings to key groups in the above scenario including players simulators monitors evaluators and exercise management team members;
• Coordinate the conduct of exercises including exercise play monitoring and evaluation with state actors linking public health security to security agencies in terms of preparedness.
• Conduct post-exercise debriefing sessions with participants and exercise management team members;
• Assist in the development and organize activities to assess the national preparedness and response capacities to all hazards.
• Assist IHR focal person in the IHR monitoring and evaluation activities including after action review (AAR) for natural emergencies and infectious disease outbreaks.
• Analyze and review data on disease outbreak and monitor disease outbreak response and OBR activities such as reactive vaccination Surveillance Communication activities and provide feedback to DOS on a regular basis.

Objective 3: Improve the oversight and coordination of in-country USG/Nigeria/global health security activities

• Support the design and development of DOS strategies project mechanisms and activities for improved prevention preparedness readiness detection and response for GHS and emerging infectious diseases.
• Support multisectoral coordination and intersection between animal and human health.
• Facilitate and maintain Implementing Partner (IP) relationships and coordination with local stakeholders (other IPs host government counterparts other development partners/donors etc.)
• Maintain coordination among USG GHS partners in the country: bi-lateral donors international organizations national governments and their relevant ministries private sector international and local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) etc. and use the coordination network to facilitate DOS GHS implementing partners in successful completion of work plan activities.
• During disease outbreak situations ensure the Missions GHS Team and GHS implementing partners are closely coordinated with the GHS interagency response in supporting the host government
• Analyze review and present data to the mission disease Outbreak Response (OBR) and other OBR activities such as reactive vaccinations surveillance and communication activities whilst providing feedback to HPN team on a regular basis
• Organize and participate in site visits to monitor progress and to provide technical and programmatic recommendations to ensure effectiveness efficiency and judicious use of USG funding
• Prepare report outputs cables briefers orientation materials for ESTH officers delegations from Department of State HQ other agencies and Congress.
• Review IP work plans quarterly performance and technical briefs produced by them and other GHS partners UNICEF MTAPs FAO BAN and CGPP working closely with the activity managers and A/CORS to recommend actions that promote fidelity of implementation of activities.
• Support in the development of GHS new designs and procurement processes that work on all areas of GHS new design results framework.

Technical Advisor Responsibilities and Outcomes:

• Top-down organizational approach that strengthening national policies or practices and inter-ministerial and inter MDA One Health IHR coordination and governance functions activities and responsibilities
• Partnerships approach which involves strengthening the relationships between organizations and affected communities.
• The Advisor collaborates with other DOS GHS team members and technical offices.
• In carrying out work-related duties and responsibilities the jobholder is expected to function effectively with minimal supervision.
• Completion of tasks and assignments are reviewed regularly through required written documents and oral presentations during meetings and via other progress reports.

REPORTING:

The Senior GHS Advisor Nigeria will provide a detailed monthly report to the U.S. Department of State submitted by the 5th day of the following month to include a short paragraph about main activities and achievements of the month. Additionally the Advisor will submit a weekly progress report to US DoS (and participate in weekly calls) to include a short paragraph about main successes for that week.

In addition to the Advisors LEAP Global supervisor the Sr GHS Advisor will report to onsite manager at Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and or the Nigeria Primary Health Care Development Agency as defined in the roles and responsibilities the DOS Health Assistance Office he/she will report to the Health Assistance Coordinator and his/her designate. This role has no formal supervisory responsibility.

Qualifications

• Masters degree MD/DVM MSc MPH and or PhD is required in public health with a focus on global health security Infectious Diseases Epidemiology Ecology Health Policy veterinary medicine or a related field.
• Minimum 5-7 years experience in public and health background is recommended with at least 5 years of public health global health security/ infectious disease and/or related experience in developing countries and at least five (4) years of experience working on program with USG international public health and/or animal health organizations such as the WHO FAO US CDC DOS Africa CDC PAHO OIE and other UN agencies is required.
• Experience working on infectious disease and or One Health programming in a low-and-middle income country context. This may include public health/medical professionals public policy epidemiology or other related fields.
• Prior experience delivering complex regional or national-level public sector projects and ensuring compliance with U.S. Government rules and regulations.
• Strong technical understanding required of the nature of infectious diseases including emerging infectious diseases threats. Strong knowledge required of the measures put in place to prevent detect and rapidly respond to infectious disease threats.
• Knowledge of the Nigeria epidemiological policies and activities relevant to the duties listed above.
• Monitoring and Evaluation and Research experience.
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills in a diverse multi-cultural environment involving multiple government agencies implementing partners and other stakeholders whose productive collaboration is essential for program success.
• Diplomacy and tact to work effectively and harmoniously across partners host country counterparts DOS consultants other donors and international organizations.
• Ability to be flexible and adapt to changing priorities and shifting deadlines.
• Demonstrated strong organizational administrative communication and reporting skills.
• Experience with USG-funded public health programs.
• Advanced professional proficiency in English is required.
• Relevant technical experience obtained in African countries is preferred.