Technical Officer – Outbreak Preparedness & Response

Job Posting Organization:
FHI 360 is a nonprofit organization that focuses on improving lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated, locally driven solutions for human development. Established in 1980, FHI 360 operates in more than 60 countries and has a diverse workforce of over 4,000 employees. The organization is dedicated to addressing global health challenges, including outbreak preparedness and response, and works collaboratively with various stakeholders, including governments, NGOs, and communities to implement effective health programs.

Job Overview:
The Technical Officer – Outbreak Preparedness & Response is a pivotal role within the EpiC Global Health security" style="border-bottom: 1px dotted #007bff !important;">Security (GHS) project in Mozambique. This position is primarily responsible for enhancing the outbreak preparedness and response capabilities of provincial government teams. The officer will engage in coaching and problem-solving with local counterparts, ensuring that the strategies and tools developed under the GHS workplan are effectively integrated into routine practices at both provincial and district levels. The role also involves providing surge support during outbreak events, although it does not include leading training or managing response operations directly. The officer will work closely with various health authorities and project staff to ensure that outbreak preparedness activities are operationalized and that there is a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities among all stakeholders involved in outbreak detection and response.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support Provincial Outbreak Preparedness: Assist health and veterinary authorities in implementing outbreak preparedness activities as outlined in the GHS workplan. Collaborate with provincial project staff to identify and document key personnel involved in outbreak detection and response. Clarify roles and responsibilities for outbreak preparedness within provincial structures and support teams in managing the pre-positioning of response supplies. Provide informal coaching to provincial outbreak officers to integrate preparedness practices into their daily work.
• Support Preparedness Exercises and Operational Follow-Up: Organize and follow up on preparedness exercises and simulations led by government or senior technical staff. Help provincial teams translate findings from these exercises into actionable improvements and document progress over time.
• Support Government-Led Outbreak Response: Provide coordination and surge support during government-led outbreak responses as requested. Facilitate collaboration among various actors involved in the response, including surveillance, laboratory, and logistics teams. Track response actions and operational gaps, coordinating with provincial project staff to address follow-up needs.
• Learning, Documentation, and Cross-Provincial Consistency: Document preparedness processes and lessons learned from focus provinces. Contribute to synthesizing practical lessons for replication in other provinces and share insights with the GHS Expert and relevant technical teams.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess a Bachelor’s degree in public health, epidemiology, nursing, environmental health, or a related field. A minimum of 4 years of relevant experience in outbreak preparedness, response, or public health operations is required. Experience working within government systems at the provincial or district level, particularly with the Ministry of Health (MOH) or provincial health authorities, is essential. Candidates should have demonstrated experience in providing coaching or support to public-sector staff and possess strong facilitation and coordination skills. The ability to work effectively in field settings under pressure is also necessary.

Educational Background:
A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field such as public health, epidemiology, nursing, or environmental health is required for this position. This educational background provides the foundational knowledge necessary for understanding public health principles and outbreak response strategies.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 4 years of experience in supporting outbreak preparedness and response activities. Candidates should have experience working with government health systems, particularly at the provincial or district level, and should be familiar with the operational aspects of public health field operations. Experience in logistics or readiness activities related to outbreak response is also important, as is the ability to provide informal coaching to government officials.

Languages:
Fluency in Portuguese is mandatory for this position, as it is the primary language of communication in Mozambique. A working knowledge of English is preferred, as it may be necessary for collaboration with international partners and stakeholders.

Additional Notes:
This position involves frequent travel to focus provinces for preparedness support, with occasional surge travel during outbreak response periods. The application deadline is set for 16 March 202

• FHI 360 is committed to equal opportunity and affirmative action, ensuring a diverse and inclusive work environment. The organization emphasizes safeguarding against abuse and exploitation in its programs and requires all personnel to adhere to a code of conduct. Offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of screening checks.