PEN-Plus (the Package of Essential NCD Interventions - Plus) is an integrated service model for severe chronic diseases such as type 1 diabetes, sickle cell, and childhood-onset heart disease. At present PEN-Plus is being implemented in more than 14 countries across Africa, South Asia, and the Caribbean.
The NCDI Poverty Network islooking for a Regional Advisor for the Southern African region to expand its clinical team to better respond to the large demand from countries to support initiation and expansion of PEN-Plus services.
The Advisor will also provide frequent virtual support and consultations, create and revise training materials and other resources, contribute to strong communication and knowledge management systems, and participate in global forums and partnerships.
Thisperson will be passionate about social justice and think boldly about expanding care to rural and impoverished populations. This person will be excited to work in a rapidly evolving and creative environment with team members based in many different countries.
Principal Duties & Responsibilities: Provide routine technical support to PEN-Plus implementation teams and sites in Southern Africa as well as act as core member of PEN-Plus global leadership team: Provide direct implementation support for PEN-Plus through frequent travel to country sites to work in person and provide on-site support for clinics, staff, and teams which can include:
- Clinical mentoring and teaching
- Providing technical assistance on program design, clinic workflow, and other PEN-Plus activities
- Supporting data system design, implementation, and data quality
- Reviewing and adjusting budgets as needed
- Supporting medication, equipment, and supply chain issues as needed
- Reviewing results and data with program and clinical teams
- Ensuring implementation reflects PEN-Plus Programmatic Standards
- Providing written reports and action items after site visits
- Liaising with the Communications team as needed for updated content and stories to advocate for and fundraise for PEN-Plus
Identify, develop, and manage partnerships to support NCDI Poverty Network activities at national level
- Engaging in national-level meetings with Ministries of Health, academic colleagues, and other stakeholders to support national operational planning for PEN-Plus
- Engaging with other in-country partners and supporting uniform approaches to PEN-Plus and strong communication across teams, funders, and stakeholders
- Providing coordination and technical support for National NCDI Poverty Commissions and PEN-Plus planning initiatives where PEN-Plus has not yet been established (may include meeting preparation, facilitation, and/or documentation, coordinating work across partners, and contributing to written reports and presentations)
- Working closely with the Policy Team to support collaboration with key regional or global partners including WHO, UNICEF, Africa CDC, and others, with a focus on activities and partners impacting activities in the assigned countries
Contribute to technical and clinical work, support, and resources to strengthen the PEN-Plus model, resources, and partnerships:
- Engage with the technical teams andother Regional Advisors to support PEN-Plus standardization and sharing of best practices and contextual adaptations
- Assist in grant reporting and other writing as needed
- Represent the NCDI Poverty Network and PEN-Plus externally through presentations and in-person engagements as needed
- Support ongoing codification and improvement of PEN-Plus by creating and/or modifying technical materials (e.g. training, protocols, program documents) and acting as a thought leader in identifying key themes, challenges, and solutions to implementation
- Proactively participate in comprehensive and high-quality documentation to support all aspects of program implementation and technical support
- Other duties as assigned
Skills and Competencies Required:
- Flexible disposition and able to work in complex environment while maintaining optimistic outlook and collaborative team-based approach
- Commitment to social justice and health equity
- Proven ability to build relationships with a range of stakeholders and drive immediate results.
- Exemplary interpersonal communication skills, verbal and written, required to effectively engage with senior leadership, partners, and clinicians on sensitive political and confidential issues
- Demonstrated ability to interact professionally with culturally diverse staff, clients, and consultants
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in medicine with specialty in Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine or equivalent or an advanced degree in clinical nursing with clinical experience caring for complex NCDs including type 1 diabetes, sickle cell disease, and heart failure
- Master's in Public Health or related field an advantage
- 5-7 years of experience in a rural and resource-limited setting in the health sector
- Strong clinical background in rural health care settings; experience with management of non-communicable diseases is preferred
- Experience in clinical teaching, training, and mentorship
- Extensive experience in program management and implementation in rural settings
- Strong English communication skills, both written and oral. French or Portuguese skills highly desirable
- Impeccable communication skills in a virtual environment and ability to manage work in different time zones and across many teams and stakeholders
- Experience in training, professional development and mentorship
- Strong technical writer specifically for clinical training materials and protocols, with experience independently drafting and editing technical documents for various audiences
- Ability to develop high-quality presentations
Working Conditions:
- Busy office environment, both in person and virtual
- Significant time on international video phone calls; large degree of virtual work
- Communication across a variety of teams in a complex environment
- Flexibility regarding time zones for communicating with colleagues in USA, Africa and Asia; evening calls will be needed as well as weekend travel
Mass General Brigham Incorporated is an Equal Opportunity Employer. By embracing diverse skills, perspectives and ideas, we choose to lead. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation, military service, genetic information, and/or other status protected under law. We will ensure that all individuals with a disability are provided a reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.
|
Mass General Brigham (Enterprise Services)
Oct 08, 2025