Tuberculosis Data, Impact Assessment, and Communications Hub (TB DIAH) is a five-year Associate Award funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). TB DIAH is implemented by the Carolina Population Center, University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill and JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc (JSI). JSI, the hiring organization, is a public health management consulting and research organization dedicated to improving the health of individuals and communities throughout the world over the last forty years.

TB DIAH has worked in the Kyrgyz Republic since 2021, strengthening the TB surveillance system and improving the capacity of the National Tuberculosis Program (NTP), other departments in the Ministry of Health (MoH) and TB implementing partners (IPs) to collect, report, analyze, and use tuberculosis (TB) data. The project’s activities improve the accessibility and availability of tuberculosis (TB) data and data resources, on the ground as well as on-line, to facilitate deepened analysis and use of TB information for decision-making.

In 2023, the Kyrgyz Republic became one of USAID’s Global Health Security (GHS) intensive support countries, and TB DIAH’s scope of work expanded to include strengthening the country’s infectious disease surveillance system to improve its ability to handle public health emergencies through the implementation of a multisectoral, One Health, and whole society approach to disease preparedness and health security.

In July 2023, the country conducted a Joint External Evaluation (JEE) to assess its capacities to prevent, detect and rapidly respond to public health risks and emergencies. The JEE findings are being used to identify the critical gaps in the human and animal health systems, in order to prioritize opportunities for enhanced preparedness and response. The findings are being used to develop the National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS), and serve as the basis for all GHS partners’ technical assistance plans, including TB DIAH’s which are focused on improving two JEE priority technical areas – Surveillance and Human Resources. TB DIAH will do this by working with and supporting the Department of Disease Prevention and State Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance (DDPSSES) to strengthen the Kyrgyz Republic’s disease surveillance system and strengthening the capacity of central and subnational DDPSSES staff to analyze, use and disseminate surveillance and M&E data.

• Lead and manage the TB DIAH team in the Kyrgyz Republic across the TB and GHS portfolios to ensure project activities are implemented on time and result in high quality products and deliverables.
• Serve as TB DIAH’s point of contact in the Kyrgyz Republic and the focal point of communication with the USAID Mission, in-country IPs, and Kyrgyz government partners.
• Lead capacity building activities for DDPSSES in monitoring and evaluation (M&E), data analysis, interpretation, reporting and use.
• Work closely with DDPSSES and their sub-national counterparts, and other relevant departments in the MOH, to plan and implement activities that are done in collaboration with, or require support and/or decisions from Kyrgyz government partners.
• Work in close collaboration with the TB DIAH HQ team to facilitate smooth implementation of activities and to ensure that in-country activities are harmonized with and contribute to the project’s overall goals and objectives.
• Coordinate and collaborate with other TB IPs and GHS partners in order to leverage the work that is being done across partners as well as to build buy-in and support.
• In the role of Surveillance and Strategic Information Specialist, be responsible for the implementation, coordination and oversight of TB DIAH’s GHS activities to support DDPSSES to strengthen the Kyrgyz Republic’s disease surveillance system and strengthening the capacity of central and subnational staff to analyze, use and disseminate surveillance and M&E data.

More specifically, the Team Leader/Surveillance and Strategic Information Specialist will be responsible for the following activities and tasks:

• Provide direction and oversight during the planning and implementation of the assessment of the DDPSSES integrated disease surveillance information system.
• Contribute to the development of recommendations linked to assessment findings to improve the integrated disease surveillance information system.
• Share the findings and recommendations from the assessment with DDPSSES, MOH, USAID mission, other GHS IPs, and other relevant stakeholders by organizing a dissemination workshop that will outline a roadmap to strengthen the current integrated disease surveillance system to take it to the next level for its optimum use.
• Lead the M&E and capacity assessment (i.e., skills, motivations, data use needs, gaps, weaknesses, bottlenecks, and data collection and reporting capacity) of DDPSSES at central and oblast levels.
• Lead the development of a training of trainers (ToT) curriculum to build capacity at DDPSSES to analyze, use and disseminate surveillance and M&E data to support their routine surveillance functions to recognize cases of public health importance, investigate causes of disease, conduct outbreak investigations and instigate measures to prevent transmission.
• Lead the planning and implementation of a training of trainers’ workshop and data review meetings to build capacity of DDPSSES to analyze and use M&E and surveillance information.

The following qualifications are required:

• A degree in clinical medicine and/or Master’s degree or higher in public health, epidemiology, biostatistics, or a related social science field is required
• Minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience in infectious disease surveillance, M&E, health systems strengthening, surveillance program improvements
• Strong leadership and diplomacy skills
• Proven ability to engage stakeholders and manage expectations
• Proven organizational skills and ability to plan, coordinate and execute tasks and produce high quality deliverable
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Demonstrated experience working with the Ministry of Health
• Ability to work effectively with national/government counterparts, TB DIAH HQ staff, USAID, IPs, other donors, and international organizations
• Fluency in Russian; working level proficiency or above in English (fluency preferred)
• Availability to travel within the Kyrgyz Republic
• Sensitivity toward cultural diversity and an ability to work with stakeholders from various regions of the country
• Based in the Kyrgyz Republic

• *Interested candidates should submit a recent CV and cover letter to tb_diah@jsi.com with the subject line “Team Leader- Kyrgyz Republicâ€. All materials need to be submitted in English.
• Salary will be commensurate with experience.