Senior Malaria Advisor, DOS LEAP Global - Rwanda

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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 Malaria Advisor will support the Rwanda Malaria and Other Parasitic Diseases Division (MOPDD) in carrying out life-saving humanitarian assistance (LHA) in full alignment with the new Presidential Executive Order (EO) directives. The primary focus of the Advisor will be technical leadership to ensure the successful implementation of cost-effective, lifesaving direct service delivery for malaria prevention and treatment.
The Senior Malaria Advisor will provide expert malaria technical guidance to the Rwanda Malaria and Other Parasitic Diseases Division (MOPDD) in the design and management of in-country programs/projects/activities and in the development of host-country policies, reflecting best practices in malaria prevention and control. The jobholder will identify programmatic bottlenecks and facilitate solutions through coordinated technical expertise in support of the cooperating country’s development objectives.
The Senior Malaria Advisor will be based at the MOPDD within the Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC). The Advisor will receive day-to-day direction from the MOPDD Director, who will serve as the onsite Manager/Supervisor. The Advisor will report to the U.S. DOS on a weekly and monthly basis, as described below.
The Senior Malaria Advisor will also spend up to 30% of time in this position providing support to the Ebola grants portfolio at the U.S. Department of State for as long as the outbreak persists in East Africa. This includes coordination with Rwanda Centers for Disease Control, RBC, Ministry of Health (MOH), donor partners, and others as needed, to ensure the Ebola preparedness response in Rwanda is functioning well. Technical knowledge in grants and portfolio management, government and donor communications, and budget management is required. This portion of the role is strictly portfolio management; technical knowledge of outbreaks and Ebola is not required but helpful.
Responsibilities
Technical Leadership
Provide expert malaria technical guidance to advance planning and implementation of malaria control interventions.
Support the development of national malaria program strategies and work plans, and specifically provide support on implementation of National Malaria Strategic Plan.
Coordinate the design, planning and implementation of malaria prevention and control activities consistent with the US government’s strategy and with the MOPPD. This will include but is not limited to vector control, case management at facility and community level, chemoprevention, support for malaria vaccine implementation, malaria in pregnancy, procurement and delivery of life-saving commodities, and associated monitoring and surveillance to ensure accountability and track progress.
Together with the host country partners, provide the technical and managerial expertise to MOH health districts and local communities to strengthen institutional capacity.
Keep abreast of current developments and successful interventions via regular engagement with malaria experts (domestic and international) and MOPPD officials, ensuring proven strategies and interventions are integrated in national malaria programming.
Management of Program/Activity Implementation
Ensure that S. government resources are maximized towards achievement of sustained results in malaria in line with U.S. government laws, regulations, policies, and procedures to prevent fraud, waste and abuse.
Provide technical support to the DOS implementing partners and managerial support as needed during the planning, design and implementation phases to ensure the quality of interventions and programmatic targets are met.
Recommend changes in strategic and/or implementation approaches, using analysis of program
Advise on National Malaria Program tool review and updating.
Work with partners (in country and global, as relevant) to ensure that programmatic commodities are purchased in a timely and cost-effective manner; and that absorptive capacity exists in implementation sites to receive, manage and distribute these items effectively. Participate in forecasting and quantification meetings to inform malaria commodity quantifications that will guide donor procurements. Troubleshoot bottlenecks in the ordering and delivery process.
Provide expert advice and practical experience in helping the MOH, the MOPPD and other partners to monitor inputs, outputs and outcomes, and report on the program’s overall impact.
If not already in existence, work with the MOPPD and other partners to develop and maintain a monitoring and evaluation plan to be implemented through existing MoH systems and existing USG supported mechanisms. Carry out monitoring and evaluation visits to implementation sites to ascertain all quantitative and qualitative data is collected properly, and programmatic quality and value for money are maintained.
Coordination of Malaria Partners
Ensure effective communication and coordination between the MOPPD, RBC, MOH and other partners related to malaria prevention and control; Global Fund partners including other departments in the host country; donor agencies; and other stakeholders working on malaria control in the host country, as appropriate.
Ensure malaria activities are integrated into overall U.S. DOS-supported health activities and coordinate these activities with the MOPPD, RBC, and MOH to avoid duplication of effort and programming gaps.
Coordinate with other partners and support efforts to address malaria control delivery gaps and help build technical and managerial capacity within the MOPPD at the national, district and lower levels.
Participate in and contribute to malaria related service delivery meetings hosted by the National Malaria Program and
Ebola Preparedness Portfolio/Partners Management
Manage the U.S. DOS Ebola preparedness grants portfolio in Rwanda, overseeing several multi-million USD awards.
Review workplans as needed with government and implementing partners.
Guide implementing partners as they build work plans and carry out activities and pass on direction from U.S. DoS clearly and on time.
Engage government partners, including the MOH, RBC, and Rwanda Medical Supply (RMS), to assess funding needs and set priorities.
Coordinate communication among government partners, implementing partners, and other stakeholders to keep the Ebola response coherent and well aligned.
Identify and address gaps in national Ebola preparedness in partnership with government and donor counterparts.
Communications
Regular conference calls with MOPPD, RBC, partners, US Embassy and Washington to review progress, discuss activities and address emerging issues
The Senior Malaria Advisor should provide information and avail him/herself for calls/meetings with the US Embassy as requested.
The Advisor will provide monthly reports to the US Embassy/U.S. Department of
REPORTING:
The Senior Advisor will provide a detailed monthly report to the U.S. Department of State, submitted by the 5th day of the following month. Additionally, the Advisor will submit a weekly progress report to the U.S. Department of State (and participate in weekly calls) to include a short paragraph about main successes for that week. The format for reporting may be adjusted with concurrence from the COR.
Qualifications
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