PATH is a global organization that works to accelerate health equity by bringing together public institutions, businesses, social enterprises, and investors to solve the world’s most pressing health challenges. With expertise in science, health, finance, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales innovative solutions—including vaccines, drugs, devices, diagnostics, and approaches to strengthening health systems worldwide.

PATH’s noncommunicable (NCD) program works in 10+ countries on program implementation to address the rising burden of NCDs with a specific focus on diabetes, hypertension, and women’s cancers.  PATH serves as Secretariat for the Coalition for Access to NCD Medicines and Products.  The global, multisectoral Coalition for Access to NCD Medicines & Products is dedicated to increasing access to essential medicines and health products for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) to reduce the impact of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.

Through technical support, advocacy, and resource mobilization, the Coalition works with ministries of health to address barriers and identify opportunities for the procurement, supply, distribution, and rational use of needed products. Members include government agencies, private-sector entities, nongovernmental organizations, philanthropic foundations, and academic institutions.  The Coalition work towards achieving or exceeding the World Health Organization’s target of 80 percent availability of the affordable basic technologies and essential medicines, including generics, required to treat major NCDs in both public and private facilities.

The Coalition has prioritized East Africa for implementation of activities starting with Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.  The Coalition is leading the development of a demand forecasting methodology for NCDs to be piloted in Kenya and Uganda.

PATH is seeking a Senior Program Officer to provide technical direction and coordination of activities for a project focused on diabetes care as part of the COVID-19 response to be implemented in 2 districts in Uganda over 18 months. The position will support the noncommunicable disease (NCD) program and the Coalition for Access to NCD Medicines and Products (of which PATH is Secretariat). The position will report to PATH’s global NCD team leader as well as the PATH Uganda country leader and will work in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the national stakeholders, building on existing country systems to implement the Coalition’s objectives.

The project focuses on detection, management, quality of care, access to medicines and needed supplies, and demand for care of diabetes. Key activities in this project include awareness raising, capacity building, data collection, and access to medicines and supplies. This position will also support the implementation efforts of the Coalition for Access to NCD Medicines and Products (Coalition) in Uganda.

The Senior Program Officer will provide overall coordination, management and monitoring of the project in 2 districts in Uganda.  S/he will oversee capacity building and training activities for project staff, and health facility representatives; organize social and behaviour change and communication activities on diabetes prevention, including outreach and screening activities, prepare reports and presentations relating to the project, and ensure effective running of the project. He or she will be responsible for supervising and monitoring all aspects of the implementation of the project in Uganda.

This position will also support the Coalition’s efforts in country with a focus on the implementation of a demand forecasting tool and capacity building for NCD medicines and products. The Senior Program Officer will identify duty bearers and relevant stakeholders at the national and district level and propose an effective advocacy program that will involve them. S/he will also develop and maintain critical relationships with stakeholders including officers of the Ministry of Health and at the district level, donors, and implementing partners from private sector. S/he will ensure compliance with PATH’s organizational policies and partner organization protocols, while linking the project activities and results to PATH non-communicable disease portfolio.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Diabetes project:

• Lead the implementation of the diabetes focused project in 2 districts and act as PATH focal point person to liaise and coordinate with the local partners for project implementation.
• Lead development of technical guidance to all field activities of the project, including project design, implementation, social mobilization and communication and project documentation.
• Develop and maintain relationships with health facilities selected for the project and lead activities such as conducting site assessments, training providers and volunteers.
• Lead the development of an advocacy and communication plan to gain overall district buy-in, factoring in the social leaders and influencers.
• Lead the development of Social and behavior Change Communication materials on diabetes for public awareness raising and other advocacy materials such as fact sheets, policy brief and documentation of success stories.
• Work with national leadership and National Medical Stores to address stockouts of essential medicines and products for diabetes in targeted districts.
• Oversee the distribution and management of selected medicines and products in the community.
• Lead in communication and awareness-raising campaigns in targeted districts and lead screening efforts through outreach activities in the community.

Coalition responsibilities:

• Support implementation of demand forecasting tool including data collection, cleaning, and finalization of tool.
• Participate in the remote train the trainer training and orientation.
• Provide training/facilitation in a workshop setting to multidisciplinary national demand forecast team testing the demand forecasting tool, using Coalition/PATH prepared curriculum.
• Follow-up with the forecast team to ensure completion of forecast, documentation of results, and debriefing of forecast results and feedback/desired enhancements for excel tool and user’s guide.
• Attend regular remote technical and activity management meetings with Sr. Supply Chain Officer in Washington, D.C. and Supply Chain Officer in Kenya.

Cross-cutting responsibilities:

• Provide guidance and input to the technical components of project activities, monitor and supervise the implementation of activities and review final deliverables.
• Problem solve to proactively address any project challenges and ensure targets are met
• Provide regular feedback on progress of activities and lessons learned to PATH Project Director.
• Produce monthly updates on deliverables and quarterly reporting and documentation to donor and PATH
• Oversee development and timely submission of narrative reports to donor.
• Represent PATH at NCD related meetings and events.
• Build and maintain relationships with NCD stakeholders.
• Perform any other relevant tasks as requested by Project Director/Manager.

Required Experience

• A graduate with training in medical sciences plus a Master’s Degree in public health or related field.
• Strong preference for experience in NCDs (hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease) and knowledge of supply chain issues for medicines and/or products.
• At least seven (7) years’ experience and demonstrated skills in coordination or management of health and related programs.
• A minimum of 4 years working experience in NCDs and/or infectious disease control and prevention, health system strengthening or other relevant public health topics.
  • Strong stakeholder mobilization, problem-spotting and problem-solving skills.
  • Strong communication and presentation skills, including presentation of technical data and medical information to both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Ability to pool data together, analyze and produce relevant reports.
  • Ability to facilitate results-oriented discussions with stakeholders and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
  • Excellent people-management and social interaction skills.
• Strong skills in stakeholder communication and management.
• Excellent command of English language, both oral and written, including report writing skills.
• Excellent command of local language and stakeholder engagement.
• Computer skills, including quantitative analysis and reporting tools.
• Willingness to travel to selected facilities, as needed, to support training, data collection, and issue investigation.