Senior Global Health Security Advisor, Ebola Readiness and Preparedness, DOS LEAP Global - Kenya

Global Solutions Ventures (GSV) – a joint-venture partnership between ZemiTek, LLC and Dexis Consulting Group – is implementing the Long-term Exceptional Technical Assistance Project (LEAP Global), a mechanism originally used by USAID to battle against infectious diseases such as malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, neglected tropical diseases, and pandemic influenza. As of July 1, 2025, LEAP Global transitioned to the U.S. Department of State (DOS). This initiative aims to address the complex human resource challenges faced by national infectious disease programs in the USA-supported countries.

The intervention of this project is to hire and embed technical expert advisors and subject matter experts within government entities. By directly embedding the technical expertise within the national programs, LEAP provides long-term, sustainable lifesaving support to empower host governments to lead and manage key aspects of their infectious disease portfolios and improve coordination between the U.S. Government and the host country.

The Advisor will support the Kenya's National Public Health Institute (NPHI) in carrying out life-saving humanitarian assistance (LHA) service delivery in full alignment with the new Presidential Executive Order (EO) directives. This SOW commissions a senior short-term technical advisor (STTA) to be embedded within Kenya's NPHI to advance Ebola readiness and preparedness, in support of life-saving humanitarian assistance (LHA) funded under USG Presidential Executive Order (EO) directives and managed through the U.S. Department of State.

The Advisor will support the NPHI and relevant multisectoral Government Departments and Agencies, including the Ministries of Health, Agriculture, and Environment, to strengthen the NPHI's capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to Ebola and other high-consequence infectious disease threats. The Advisor will identify programmatic bottlenecks and facilitate solutions through coordinated technical support across the GHS portfolio.

The Advisor will be based at the NPHI, receive day-to-day direction from an NPHI-designated supervisor, and submit weekly and monthly reports to the U.S. Embassy and Department of State. The assignment spans 12 working weeks with an estimated 68 days of effort across 18 deliverables. Familiarity with USG/Department of State programming and C/AOR experience are highly desirable.

• Support operationalization of the Ebola IMS: activation protocols, command structures, roles and responsibilities, and inter-agency coordination. Develop and refine surge readiness plans covering personnel, supplies, and laboratory capacity. Produce SOPs for case detection, notification, isolation, and response. Identify and address IMS structural gaps.
• Provide targeted technical assistance across all national Ebola Preparedness Framework pillars: surveillance and detection (7-1-7 aligned); laboratory surge capacity and specimen referral; IPC, PPE, and decontamination; ETU readiness and clinical management; RCCE at national and sub-national levels; and Point of Entry (POE) screening for Ebola and high-consequence pathogens.
• Support development of national and sub-national Ebola preparedness plans aligned with IHR. Facilitate multisectoral engagement across ministries, agencies, and partners. Operationalize national and county EOC coordination protocols and inter-EOC communication. Facilitate cross-partner coordination to avoid duplication and maintain the NPHI as lead national authority.
• Lead or contribute to policy briefs, technical guidance documents, national preparedness plans, response frameworks, and operational guidelines. Promote dissemination of best practices at national and sub-national levels.
• Engage directly in field implementation at national and sub-national levels. Monitor preparedness program implementation and provide actionable recommendations. Build NPHI counterpart capacity with a handover plan required at end of assignment.

The table below sets out the 18 key deliverables across the 3-month assignment. All effort figures are indicative and should be confirmed with the NPHI supervisor and COR before contract start.

#

Deliverable

Lead

Week

Days

1

IMS activation protocol and command structure (draft)

Advisor / NPHI

Wk 3

4

2

Surge readiness plan: personnel, supplies, laboratory capacity

Advisor / NPHI

Wk 5

5

3

SOPs: case detection, notification, isolation, response

Advisor

Wk 5

4

4

IMS gaps assessment and corrective action log

Advisor

Wk 4

3

5

Surveillance and detection capacity assessment (7-1-7 aligned)

Advisor

Wk 4

3

6

Laboratory surge capacity and specimen referral protocol

Advisor / Lab

Wk 6

3

7

IPC protocol and PPE/decontamination guidance (ETU-ready)

Advisor

Wk 6

3

8

ETU readiness checklist and clinical management protocol

Advisor / Clinical

Wk 7

3

9

RCCE strategy: national and sub-national

Advisor

Wk 7

3

10

POE screening protocol (Ebola and high-consequence pathogens)

Advisor

Wk 6

2

11

National and sub-national Ebola preparedness plans (draft)

Advisor / NPHI

Wk 8

5

12

Multisectoral coordination mechanism and partner mapping

Advisor

Wk 3

2

13

EOC coordination protocols and inter-EOC communication plan

Advisor / EOC

Wk 7

3

14

Policy brief or strategic guidance product (minimum 1)

Advisor

Wk 9

3

15

Capacity building sessions (min. 2 county or sub-national)

Advisor

Wk 10

6

16

Monthly progress reports (x3)

Advisor

Monthly

6

17

Weekly progress reports and call participation (x12)

Advisor

Weekly

6

18

End-of-assignment report and handover brief

Advisor

Wk 12

3

REPORTING:

The Advisor will provide a detailed monthly report to the U.S. Department of State submitted by the 5th day of the following month. Additionally, the Advisor will submit a weekly progress report to U.S. Embassy/Department of State (and participate in weekly calls) to include a short paragraph about main successes for that week.

• Advanced degree (Master's or above) in public health, epidemiology, global health security, medicine, or a closely related field. Substantial equivalent experience (12 or more years) may be considered. (Required)
• Minimum 8 years in global health security, emergency preparedness, or outbreak response; at least 3 at senior advisory or technical lead level.
• Demonstrated technical experience in Ebola preparedness, response, or related high-consequence infectious disease programs. Operational experience during an Ebola response is a significant advantage.
• Practical knowledge of IMS structures including activation protocols, command structures, and inter-agency coordination. Experience supporting EOC coordination at national or sub-national level.
• Competency across multiple pillars: surveillance, laboratory, IPC, case management, RCCE, and POE. Candidates need not be specialists in all pillars but must demonstrate ability to provide coherent cross-pillar technical guidance.
• Working knowledge of IHR 2005 and the 7-1-7 target framework and their application to national preparedness planning and performance benchmarking.
• Demonstrated experience in LMIC embedded advisory roles. Experience within PEPFAR, GHSA, or equivalent USG mechanisms; familiarity with C/AOR responsibilities and DoS reporting. 
• Proven ability to coordinate across multiple government ministries, agencies, implementing partners, and donors. Track record of high-quality policy briefs, SOPs, and strategic documents for government or USG audiences.
• Demonstrated experience delivering training and mentorship to government counterparts at national and sub-national levels, with evidence of sustainable capacity gains.
• Excellent written and spoken English required. All deliverables in English. Kiswahili an advantage.
• Kenya-based or able to relocate to Nairobi for the full 3-month duration. Remote delivery not available.
• Willing to travel to county and sub-national sites; estimated up to 25% of working time.
• No conflict of interest with NPHI or any implementing partner receiving Ebola funds.

• Prior experience in Kenya or East Africa; working knowledge of national GHS architecture and NPHI mandate.
• Familiarity with One Health approaches and multisectoral preparedness involving Ministries of Health, Agriculture, and Environment.