HDSS Senior Network Coordinator at Vital Strategies, Ethiopia

Company Profile

Vital Strategies is an international public health organization headquartered in New York City. Our programs strengthen public health systems and address the world’s leading causes of illness, injury and death. We work in more than 80 countries, supporting data-driven decision-making in government, advancing evidence-based public health policies, and mounting strategic communication campaigns. Vital Strategies’ priorities are driven by the greatest potential to improve and save lives. They include non-communicable disease prevention, tobacco control, road safety, food policy, environmental health, civil registration and vital statistics, and overdose prevention. Our programs are concentrated in low- and middle-income countries and cities in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Pacific. Please visit our website at www.vitalstrategies.org to find out more about our work.

The Impact HDSS Ethiopia Project

Vital Strategies, in partnership with the Ministry of Health (MOH) of Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Public Health Institute’s National Data Management Center (EPHI/NDMC), Health and Demographic Surveillance System Sites (HDSSs) and other key stakeholders and collaborators has recently launched the Impact HDSS Ethiopia project through a three-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

While the long-term goal remains one of strengthening Ethiopia’s national Civil Registration and Vital Statistics system, the government of has elected to supplement registration data while completeness remains low. One approach, to be taken under this grant, is to leverage Ministry of Education and other partner investments in 13 Health and Demographic Surveillance Sites (all under local universities, throughout most of the country.

Specifically, Impact HDSS Ethiopia will provide technical assistance and mentorship support to strengthen the standardization, quality, timeliness, and completeness of data collected; to undertake pooled analyses and produce the indicators, statistics, or data required to meet documented use cases in health policy and planning.

Ultimately, improved data, including mortality and cause of death estimates, fertility estimates, as well as health service utilization information, will be provided to government decision-makers in a timely manner, to inform decision-making processes. Vital Strategies’ Project Director, Deputy Director, and HDSS Network Coordinator will be embedded within Government of Ethiopia institutions. A small project management and support team will sit in the Vital Strategies office in Addis Ababa.

Job Purpose

The HDSS Senior Network Coordinator will be embedded at the Ethiopian Public Health Institute’s National Data Management Center (EPHI NDMC) working closely with 13 or more HDSS sites that are part of Ethiopia’s HDSS Network, the Project Deputy Director, and other EPHI NDMC colleagues. This role will be essential in facilitating HDSS communications with network member sites, eliciting their input into project decision-making, representing Network members in central-level discussions about harmonizing field methods, protocols, business processes, and overall standard operating procedures.

The HDSS Senior Network Coordinator will also ensure that the network’s development is rooted in strong local ownership, guided by the collective priorities of Ethiopian HDSS sites. The role will prioritize participatory governance, fair data-sharing principles, and equitable resource allocation mechanisms that benefit all member sites.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Formalize and Grow Network:

• Support establishment of sustainable Network Governance Structure in line with HDSS site consensus
• Learn and understand formal process and documentary requirements to formally establish the HDSS Network under the auspices of EPHI and draft required documents for HDSS site comment, revision, and endorsement;
• Facilitate decision on a name and identity (e.g. Network logo, etc.) for the network in consultation with all member sites
• Establish process for and enroll new HDSSs into the Network on a rolling basis, growing its size
• Conduct capacity-building needs assessments and facilitate to capacitate HDSS sites through training
• Support development of HDSS data management system and data sharing platform to standardize data management of each HDSS site
• Ensure that funding mechanisms supporting network operations and site-level capacity building are transparent and equitably distributed, with input from HDSS sites on priority-setting and resource allocation

Information Clearing House and Two-Way Communication:

• Communicate Project Progress; task reminders; workshop announcements; Project Management decisions and technical issues to HDSS Network sites via a monthly email newsletter
• Establish and maintain regular communication channels and coordination mechanisms among all 13 HDSS site Coordinators, including tools such as WhatsApp groups, email listservs, and scheduled meetings.
  • Develop and manage a two-way communication strategy with HDSS Network member sites to provide timely updates on project progress, particularly related to standardized data production and transmission protocols.
  • Provide ongoing support for the implementation of decisions concerning data aggregation, centralization, and interoperability (i.e., data pooling from multiple sites)
  • Manage dissemination, input on and review of draft documents, including Network TORs, by law, materials for standardization of field methods and data collection, or other documents or resources requiring the input of Network sites
• Support HDSS sites experiencing challenges by contributing to the design and use of assessment tools, and by participating in initiatives to strengthen their capacity and compliance with network standards
  • Collaborate with the Project Deputy Director to lead the planning and execution of a one- to two-week ‘mini-university’ focused on standardized and harmonized HDSS methods, oversee IT solution procurement and deployment, and manage 12–to 18-month awards to help sites achieve operational standards.
• Organize and coordinate network-level data analysis and write-up workshops
• Assist the Deputy Project Director and Project Director in key activities related to the Network

Representing HDSS site views:

• Establish and maintain strong working relationships and deep familiarity with all HDSS sites
• Be able to listen to issues of HDSS site concern or requiring clarification from project leadership and to communicate queries or feedback to proper audience
• Conduct quarterly surveys with HDSS site leads to garner feedback and improve the implementation of the network coordination function, as necessary

Progress Monitoring and Measurement:

• Work closely with the Project Deputy Director, Senior Project Manager and M&E Manager, and Senior Gender Equity Manager to track and report on progress toward deliverables being made by the Network and its member sites
• Participate as assigned in the completion of baseline and endline surveys
  • Other Impact HDSS and NDMC project activities and duties as assigned by the NDMC Director or Project Deputy Director

Education and Degree

• Undergraduate degree in public health, statistics, demography, or related field. Master’s degree or higher in related fields preferred.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to understand longitudinal data collection, data management, data analysis and data use standards;
• Ability to understand data flows, data gaps, key challenges, variety of data quality issues in the current systems in Ethiopia and more importantly, be able to contribute to the solutions to address these gaps
• Strong organizational and strategic planning skills, with the ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder initiative
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build trust and consensus across partners and HDSS sites
• Proficiency in professional writing and documentation, including the development of formal communications, reports, templates, and branding materials
• Competency in using digital tools for communication and collaboration
• Ability to identify challenges, provide solutions, and support underperforming network members to achieve operational standards
• Understanding of data centralization, interoperability frameworks, and ethical handling of multi-site data in accordance with laws and policies governing data security and privacy

Experience:

Required

• Minimum eight years of progressive experience in project or program management, preferably in public health, research, or international development sectors
• Three years prior work experience or strong familiarity with HDSS sites required
• Demonstrated experience in coordinating networks, consortia, or multi-institutional collaborations
• Proven experience managing communication strategies and stakeholder engagement across geographically dispersed teams
• Experience organizing capacity-building initiatives such as workshops, short-term training programs (up to two weeks in length)
• Experience working with government agencies or navigating regulatory frameworks in Ethiopia or similar contexts is highly desirable

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

• This is a full-time, embedded position
• Travel will be required within Ethiopia to attend in-person meetings and work with individual HDSS Network member sites
• We offer highly competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits. The salary range for this position is USD $35,000 – $45,000