Locations: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Country Program Office
Organization: PATH
Deadline: April 24, 2026
Job Description
PATH is a global nonprofit dedicated to achieving health equity. With more than 40 years of experience forging multisector partnerships and with expertise in science, economics, technology, advocacy, and dozens of other specialties, PATH develops and scales up innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing heath challenges.
PATH seeks to recruit a Polio Surveillance Consultant for the STRengthening Infectious disease DEtection Systems (STRIDES) Project. The global project will support and strengthen surveillance, detection and analytical capacity of infectious diseases across both human and animal health.
The Polio Surveillance Consultant will provide technical support to strengthen Ethiopia’s polio and vaccine-preventable disease surveillance systems, with specific emphasis on Objective 2 (develop sustainable surveillance systems using event-based and indicator-based surveillance) and Objective 3 (strengthen data collection, analysis, and reporting for actionable decision-making) of the STRIDES Ethiopia Polio Workplan.
The consultant will work closely with the Federal Ministry of Health, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, regional health bureaus, zonal and woreda surveillance structures, Public Health Emergency Management (PHEM) teams, Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) counterparts, and GPEI/USG partners to strengthen active surveillance, surveillance coordination, data quality, and use of surveillance information for timely public health action.
This role is intended for deployment in high-risk or historically underperforming areas, including border, pastoralist, remote, refugee, and internally displaced population settings where stronger field-based surveillance support is needed.
The Polio Surveillance Consultant must meet or exceed the required qualifications listed below. This individual should be a subject matter expert who will assist with the technical surveillance aspects of the project, including developing and implementing policies and processes, and ensuring quality delivery of service on surveillance activities in Ethiopia.
Responsibilities include:
- Conduct desk reviews and targeted surveillance system needs assessments of event-based surveillance (EBS) and indicator-based surveillance (IBS) systems related to poliovirus and other vaccine-preventable disease detection, and document priority operational gaps and recommendations.
- Support woreda, zonal, and regional PHEM and surveillance officers to conduct regular active case searches at priority surveillance sites, including hospitals, health centers, private clinics, and other reporting sites in assigned areas.
- Participate in and support supervisory visits to verify surveillance activities, strengthen oversight, and improve compliance with standard acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) surveillance procedures.
- Provide technical support for training and mentoring surveillance focal persons at health facility and health office levels on vaccine-preventable disease surveillance, zero reporting, case notification, and AFP case investigation protocols, using national and Global Polio Eradication Initiative-approved materials.
- Support pre-service orientation or training of graduating health workers in selected health training institutions and colleges on vaccine-preventable disease surveillance, AFP detection, and reporting procedures.
- Provide targeted technical support to strengthen surveillance and immunization monitoring systems in refugee camps, internally displaced person (IDP) sites, border areas, pastoralist communities, and other underserved high-risk settings.
- Strengthen coordination between event-based and indicator-based surveillance systems by improving reporting pathways, case notification processes, and linkages among health facilities, surveillance teams, PHEM structures, PHEOC functions, and partner-supported systems.
- Support planning, facilitation, documentation, and follow-up of national, regional, zonal, and woreda polio surveillance and immunization review meetings and workshops, including action tracking and escalation of unresolved operational issues.
- Work with government and partner counterparts to develop, operationalize, and monitor surveillance improvement plans that address identified performance gaps, with clear actions, timelines, and indicators.
- Support data quality improvement initiatives for surveillance systems, including use of standardized tools, localized data quality assessments, data verification procedures, and coordination with digital health or information system partners where relevant.
- Build the capacity of surveillance and PHEM staff in data analysis, interpretation, visualization, and reporting to strengthen the routine use of surveillance data for decision-making and corrective action.
- Compile and submit timely technical reports, field visit summaries, training reports, meeting minutes, surveillance analyses, and other documentation required by STRIDES and government counterparts.
- Coordinate closely with Federal Ministry of Health, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, regional health bureaus, GPEI partners, and other implementing partners to avoid duplication and ensure alignment with national polio eradication priorities.
Required qualifications and experience:
- Master’s degree in epidemiology, public health, medicine, nursing, health information, or another closely related field from a recognized institution.
- At least 5 years of progressively relevant experience in polio surveillance, vaccine-preventable disease surveillance, Public Health Emergency Management, outbreak investigation, or related surveillance system strengthening work.
- Demonstrated technical experience in AFP surveillance, active case search, surveillance supervision, case investigation, and surveillance reporting at national or subnational level.
- Practical experience working with Ethiopia’s public health system, including coordination with the Federal Ministry of Health, Ethiopian Public Health Institute, regional health bureaus, zonal and woreda health structures, or comparable government systems.
- Experience supporting event-based surveillance and indicator-based surveillance systems, including identification of reporting gaps and strengthening of reporting pathways and response linkages.
- Experience in data collection, data quality improvement, analysis, interpretation, and reporting for surveillance systems; familiarity with DHIS2, Microsoft Excel, and routine surveillance databases is strongly preferred.
- Prior experience supporting polio eradication activities in Ethiopia, including work with GPEI partners, CDC, or other USG-funded or donor-funded health security projects.
- Experience working in border, pastoralist, refugee, IDP, remote, or otherwise hard-to-reach settings.
- Experience developing improvement plans, action trackers, dashboards, or analytical products used for surveillance performance management.
- Demonstrated experience designing or facilitating trainings, mentorship, review meetings, or technical workshops for surveillance staff or health workers.
- Strong analytical, coordination, writing, and communication skills, including the ability to translate field findings into practical recommendations and concise technical reports.
- Ability to work independently in complex environments with multiple priorities, short timelines, and a strong emphasis on quality and accountability.
- Excellent spoken and written English required.
- Working knowledge of Amharic and/or other relevant local languages used in assigned operational areas is an added advantage.
- Prior experience in animal health, zoonotic diseases, or multisectoral collaborations.
- Willing to travel within the country up to 25%.
Must have legal authorization to work in Ethiopia