East Africa Regional Technical Advisor I, Polio

About this role

The East Africa Regional Technical Advisor I (TAI), Polio provides strategic and technical leadership for the Strengthening Infectious Disease Detection Systems (STRIDES) Activity, focusing on polio eradication activities including surveillance, laboratory strengthening, and data analysis. This position ensures alignment of STRIDES polio activities with global guidance, national policies, Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) norms, and donor regulations while delivering high-quality technical assistance across participating countries in East Africa. The Advisor provides technical oversight of in-country implementation, working closely with global, regional, and country teams to ensure fidelity to STRIDES' technical approaches, troubleshoot implementation challenges, and adapt interventions to evolving epidemiologic and operational contexts. S/He supports capacity strengthening, mentoring, and technical assistance to country-level teams, local partners, and government counterparts across polio surveillance, biosafety and biosecurity, laboratory operations, specimen management, data quality, outbreak preparedness and response, and related domains, ensuring alignment with the United States Government's global health security priorities.

The Regional TA contributes to FHI 360's technical thought leadership by developing tools, guidance, learning products, and public goods that strengthen STRIDES' polio portfolio. S. Department of State's Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy, UNICEF, CDC, national programs, and GPEI technical groups. Working closely with the STRIDES Technical Director, Polio, technical leads, MEL Director, and Program Implementation Director, the Advisor cascades and operationalizes the Activity's technical strategy and is accountable for successful delivery of all polio-related technical components across assigned country-level work plans.

The position will be regionally based in East Africa and work remotely to support STRIDES East Africa Polio activities with a focus on Anglophone Africa. Candidates require a master's degree or equivalent in public health or a related field, with in-depth functional knowledge of polio eradication efforts, especially in surveillance, case investigation, laboratory services, reporting, and outbreak response. Strong diagnostic, analytical, and problem-solving skills, project management abilities, and understanding of global health security priorities are essential. Applications are accepted through FHI 360's recruitment portal.