Vaccine Preventable Diseases (VPDs) Surveillance & Response Officer

Objectives of the Programme and of the immediate unit or field activity (Overview of the programme):Effective surveillance and timely response to vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) are critical to achieving and sustaining national and global immunization goals, including polio eradication, measles and rubella elimination, maintaining maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination, and control of other VPDs. A robust VPD surveillance system enables early detection of outbreaks, rapid response, monitoring of immunization program performance and VPD tends, and evidence-based decision-making for program improvement.At national level, strengthened coordination, technical leadership, data quality assurance, and capacity building are required to ensure sensitive, timely, and integrated VPD surveillance and response across all administrative levels. This Terms of Reference outlines the roles and responsibilities of the National VPD Surveillance and Response Officer to support the Ministry of Health/ Ethiopian Public Health Institute and partners in implementing high-quality VPD surveillance and outbreak response in line with national strategies and WHO guidelines.Purpose of the Post:To provide national-level technical leadership and coordination for VPD surveillance and outbreak response, ensuring the implementation of sensitive, timely, and high-quality surveillance systems, rapid response to VPD outbreaks, and effective use of surveillance data to guide immunization strategies and public health actions.Organizational ContextUnder the overall supervision of the EPI/VPDs Surveillance and Response team Lead at MOH/ (EPHI) and technical guidance from the WHO country Office, the officer will work as part of the WCO-Ethiopia DPC team.GRADENO-CDESCRIPTION OF DUTIES1. Planning and CoordinationProvide technical leadership for national VPD surveillance and response activities in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health, EPHI, WHO and other partners.Support the coordination of national VPD surveillance technical working groups (TWGs), task forces, and other national level coordination mechanisms.Liaising with various stakeholders working on the Expanded Program on Immunization (MOH, EPHI, EFDA, EPSS, and other governmental and non-governmental organizations.Support alignment and integration of VPD surveillance with Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR).Provide technical support for strategic and annual operational planning on VPD surviellance and response2. Surveillance System StrengtheningSupport the design, implementation, and monitoring of sensitive VPD surveillance systems, including Case-based, syndromic and weekly reportable diseases including AFP, measles/rubella, neonatal tetanus and other priority VPDs.Ensure adherence to national and WHO surveillance standards, case definitions, guidelines, and standard operating procedures.Support the introduction and scale-up of innovative surveillance approaches, including community-based surveillance, wastewater surveillance, and event-based surveillance.3. Outbreak Preparedness and ResponseSupport national and regional preparedness planning for VPD outbreaks, including risk assessment, preparedness plans, and simulation exercises.Provide technical guidance and coordination for rapid investigation and response to suspected and confirmed VPD outbreaks.Coordinate the review and development of macro and micro-plans for outbreak response vaccination activities including mapping of special populations and establish locally functioning strategies to access and vaccinate all target population.Support outbreak evaluations (early, inter and after-action reviews) and documentation of lessons learned to improve future preparedness and response.4. Laboratory Surveillance and LinkagesStrengthen coordination between epidemiological and laboratory surveillance systems.Provide close technical oversight and guidance on specimen collection, transportation, testing, and timely feedback mechanisms, in close collaboration with national and regional laboratories.Monitor laboratory performance indicators and support quality improvement initiatives.5. Supportive Supervision and Capacity BuildingPlan and conduct national-level supportive supervision and mentorship for sub-national surveillance officers and health workers.Support development and delivery of training materials, guidelines, and job aids for VPD surveillance and response.Strengthen capacity for data analysis, outbreak investigation, and use of surveillance data at all levels.6. Data Management, Monitoring and EvaluationEnsure timely, complete, and accurate reporting of VPD surveillance data from sub-national to national level.Conduct routine analysis and interpretation of surveillance data to identify gaps, trends, high-risk populations, and areas requiring targeted interventions.Produce regular national surveillance bulletins, situation reports, and analytical briefs for decision-makers and partners.Participate in surveillance reviews, risk assessments, and program evaluations.Support documentation of best practices, challenges, and innovations in VPD surveillance and response.Expected output and deliverablesRegular national VPD surveillance reports and bulletins.Timely outbreak investigation and response reports.Surveillance performance monitoring dashboards and analytical briefs.Capacity-building plans, training reports, and supervision summaries.Contributions to national policies, guidelines, and strategic documents related to VPD surveillance and response.REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONSEducationEssential:First‑level university degree in a health‑related field.Desirable:Postgraduate qualifications in epidemiology, field epidemiology, public health, infectious diseases or any of the clinical specialties.ExperienceEssential:At least 5 years of experience working in the field of Vaccine and immunization focusing on vaccine-preventable disease/VPD surveillance and response.Minimum of five (5) years’ professional experience in coordination, planning, and monitoring of VPD surveillance and response vaccination campaigns, catch‑up vaccination initiatives, and immunization program operations at the national level.Desirable:At least 7 years demonstrated experience coordinating PHEM, VPDs surveillance and response, SIAs, training, and immunization program at the national levels; experience working at ministry of health, national institutions or UN agencies (WHO, UNICEF), other national and international organizations.FUNCTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS· Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.· Strong analytical, quantitative, and problem‑solving skills with attention to detail.· Experience navigating complex operational environments with flexibility and adaptability.· Excellent interpersonal and stakeholder engagement skills.· Comprehensive understanding of national VPDs surveillance and Immunization policies and strategies.· Proficiency in project planning, monitoring, and documentation.· Proficiency in standard office and data analysis software.WHO COMPETENCIES1. Teamwork2. Respecting and promoting individual and cultural differences3. CommunicationUSE OF LANGUAGE SKILLSEssential: Excellent knowledge of written and spoken English and knowledge of Amharic.REMUNERATIONThis is a Special Service Agreement (SSA) contract at NO-C, with a monthly remuneration of $3,598.00 paid in local currency equivalent.