Senior Eye Health Expert – Seconded to OHB

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Senior Eye Health Expert will provide technical leadership, guidance, and oversight to ensure effective design, planning, implementation, and monitoring of The Fred Hollows Foundation eye health initiatives within Ethiopia including the Strengthening Eye Health Services for Comprehensive and Inclusive Care project. Work closely with project teams, implementing partners, government stakeholders, and donors to strengthen eye health services, ensure alignment with national and international standards, and achieve project objectives related to the prevention of blindness and visual impairment.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide expert guidance on the design and implementation of eye health programs, including cataract services, refractive error correction, diabetic retinopathy, road safety, and low vision services.
• Ensure interventions are evidence-based and aligned with national eye health strategies, WHO guidelines, and donor requirements.
• Support the development and delivery of training programs for eye health personnel, including ophthalmologists, optometrists, nurses, and community health workers.
• Provide mentoring and technical support to strengthen service delivery quality.
• Identify capacity gaps and provide or coordinate training and technical support.
• Contribute to the development of M&E frameworks and indicators specific to eye health outcomes.
• Participate in regular project monitoring, supportive supervision, and data analysis to track progress and inform adaptive programming.
• Document and disseminate lessons learned and best practices.
• Liaise with Ministries of Health, national eye care programs, NGOs, community organizations, and international partners to coordinate and strengthen eye health activities.
• Represent the project in technical working groups, policy dialogues, and donor meetings.
• Contribute to donor reports, technical briefs, and publications related to eye health activities.
• Ensure high-quality documentation of project achievements, challenges, and innovations.
• Team Leadership and Capacity Building.
• Lead, manage, and mentor Zonal Program Coordinators, ensuring high-performance standards, motivation, and a culture of accountability and excellence.
• Identify staff capacity-building needs and coordinate training or technical support to enhance team competencies.
• Promote a safe, inclusive, and supportive work environment that encourages creativity, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Encourage a team culture that aligns with FHF’s values and supports the overall success of the program.
• Drive innovation in program design, implementation, and delivery to improve program effectiveness, efficiency, and scalability.
• Identify opportunities for program scale-up and work closely with partners and stakeholders to sustain and expand initiatives.
• Ensure that all program activities contribute to the long-term sustainability of the interventions and can be maintained post-program completion.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO SUCCEED

• Ophthalmologist, Cataract Surgeon, Ophthalmic nurse with master’s degree in public health, or related field.
• At least 7 years of experience in implementing eye health programs, preferably in low- or middle-income settings.
• Strong understanding of national and international eye health priorities.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and partnership building.
• Strong experience managing large-scale, donor-funded projects (e.g., USAID, DFID, EU, etc.).
• Demonstrate experience in budget management, compliance, and financial oversight.
• Excellent presentation skills, with the ability to convey information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Proven experience in negotiating and partnering with government agencies and development partners.
• Experience in social development, public health, or rehabilitation sectors; exposure to eye health programs is an advantage.
• Demonstrated experience in high-level representation, strategic advocacy, and stakeholder engagement with senior government officials, multilateral agencies, and other partners.
• Strong leadership skills, with the ability to lead teams and influence senior stakeholders effectively.
• Experience in resource mobilization and a proven track record of securing significant funding for local programs.
• Strong financial acumen, with the ability to develop and implement sound financial policies and procedures.
• Excellent project management skills: prior exposure to eye health-related programs is an asset.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence, advocate, and represent effectively, fluent in English, Afan Oromo, and Amharic, enhancing communication across diverse communities and stakeholders.

How we recognise your contribution

Through our internal programs and employee benefits we aim to create an environment where you will feel supported and empowered. Whether your focus is on continuous learning, professional development or finding an environment which enables you to thrive while balancing family or personal commitments, we have a range of programs in place to support you.

To find out more about our benefits click here